Saskatchewan’s general farm organization says it will put a tumultuous year behind it and get on with the business of representing farmers to government.
Glenn Blakley, who took over as president after Ken McBride abruptly resigned last May, was re-elected at the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan annual meeting last week.
Blakley said the representatives at the meeting made it clear they expect the board to move forward.
“I think everybody heard the message,” he said.
In the last year the organization lost McBride and several employees, including its general manager, policy personnel and member relations staff.
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Membership sits at 118 rural municipalities after 10 dropped off the list since last February.
The situation was the elephant in the room through much of last week’s meeting.
Several resolutions attempted to address some of the issues.
A motion that tried to set out specific responsibilities of the executive and the board – noting the office can’t function with 15 bosses – was tabled after some discussion.
“It cannot pass because this is a bylaw amendment,” advised the organization’s lawyer, John Beke.
Director Arlynn Kurtz said the bylaws are clear.
“We just need to learn to adhere to them,” he said.
Blakley said rules of governance, including a code of conduct, were implemented in the last six months and they set out the roles and responsibilities of the board and executive.
Delegates defeated a resolution proposing to cut the number of directors to six from 12 until membership increases.
They approved a resolution that called for changes to the bylaws to stagger the terms for president and vice-president because leaders were spending too much time campaigning during annual meetings.
Another resolution suggesting a rebate for individuals opposed to APAS membership but living in member RMs was defeated.
“I can see this as becoming an administrative nightmare every time someone wants their $9 a quarter back,” said Roy Selland, a new representative from the RM of Cana.
But Jim Thorson of Penzance said this could serve as an early warning system that taxpayers and farmers aren’t happy with APAS.
Darren McLeod, a young farmer and new representative from the RM of Winslow, said he wanted APAS to work for him. He said he didn’t want to be considered the dummy for staying home to farm while his peers took better paying jobs elsewhere.
“Is APAS working on a long-term plan or are you waiting for the government to tell us what it is and then you’re going to bitch about it,” he said during a bearpit session with Blakley and vice-president Kerry Holderness.
Other delegates also urged the organization to be more active.
Meanwhile, Holderness was re-elected first vice-president and Don Connick of Gull Lake is the second vice-president.
