The new president of Saskatchewan’s general farm organization says the recently elected board is ready to move forward and put past controversies behind it.
Greg Marshall, who farms near Semans, Sask., said the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan meeting focused on policy, procedure and people.
“It was a very positive two days,” he said. “The reps have all pulled together.”
APAS has had several troubled years marked by high staff turnover and fighting within the board.
But Marshall said that will change.
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“The board is a united group,” he said. “Everybody has kind of had enough of the past.”
One of the governance changes made last week was a switch to a 12-member board from 15 members. The president and two vice-presidents used to be elected separately but are now chosen from among the two directors elected in each of six districts.
Marshall, who represents the Rural Municipality of Mount Hope in District 5, said these changes will make the directors more responsible.
The two vice-presidents are Jeff Simpson, RM of Mountain View (District 6), and Don Connick from the RM of Carmichael (District 3). Connick most recently served as interim president after Glenn Blakley resigned.
Completing the board are: Ernie Briggs, RM of Willowdale, and Arlynn Kurtz, Fertile Belt, in District 1; Norm Nordgulen, Rivers, and Shawn Bourgeois, Wood River, District 2; Kevin Gilbert, Piapot, District 3; David Spencer, Connaught, and Norm Hall, Emerald, District 4; Garth Burns, Prairie Rose, District 5; and Charles Boser, Grass Lake, District 6.
Marshall said one of the immediate tasks is to rebuild the membership, which has dropped to 77 RMs.
“If we get the job done, the RMs will say the organization has turned the corner,” he said.
Much of the meeting was conducted in closed sessions, in contrast to some previous conventions when resolutions were openly discussed and voted.
But Marshall said APAS has identified the crisis in the livestock sector as the most pressing concern and wants to discuss the matter with other livestock organizations to form a collective position to take to government.
He also said he doesn’t expect a rough ride from disgruntled former members, directors or staff.
Recently, supporters launched a website and blog called Friends of APAS. It highlights some of the internal strife that has characterized APAS. It also offers some suggestions for improvement.
One posting called for a complete change of the board and an independent company to manage the day-to-day operations until APAS can get itself in order.
