Dr. Bert Vandenberg, the principal lentil breeder at the U of S Crop Development Centre is running for election to the Saskatchewan Pulse Growers board of directors. It’s at a time when his expertise and perspective are most needed.
Bert has been a supporter of pulse growers since the organization began in the mid eighties. He helped initiate the popular variety release program. His varieties are now supplying about 35 percent of the world’s lentils. He has led the work on chickpeas, dry bean, field peas and now faba bean.
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He excels at innovation and problem solving. He wants a prosperous pulse industry, which includes a continuous improvement of agronomics and marketing systems to reduce costs and expand demand for pulses. He values the partnerships between pulse growers, government, the research community, our processors and exporters. Bert has the unique ability to assist the board in taking advantage of some key international partnerships in research and market development, focusing on markets where pulses will be in greater demand and where population and incomes are rising.
Bert was approached by former chairs of the pulse board to run. As the CDC grows and sells commercial pulses as part of their farm operation, Bert is eligible to run as a board director.
To alleviate any concern that it would be a conflict of interest for him to run for director, Bert would insist that the board practices good governance and consults with legal counsel to draft conflict of interest guidelines. He would not be involved with money decisions directly related to research projects that he is associated with. The advantages of having Bert on the board far outweigh any disadvantages.
Shawn Buhr,Lucky Lake, Sask.
