Elections for producer-controlled commissions and boards are typically a tame affair in the grain industry of Western Canada. By contrast, the current election of board members to Saskatchewan Pulse Growers has a strong dose of passion.
Over the past 20 years, Saskatchewan has emerged as the dominant world player in field peas and lentils due in no small part to the efforts of SPG. As pulse acreage has grown, producers have contributed more levy dollars. Levy contributions are now well over $10 million each year.
A big chunk of those dollars has been invested with the Crop Development Centre at the University of Saskatchewan for the development of new pulse varieties that are provided royalty free to producers. It’s a success story with producers taking control of their own destiny.
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When the SPG chair suddenly resigned earlier this year and then the long-time executive director departed for another job, it was clear that not all was harmonious within the organization.
Now, the experience level is set to become further diminished. The remaining director with the most experience has served two consecutive three-year terms and can’t run again. A director who has served a single three-year term has decided not to run again.
Most of the other crops in Saskatchewan have similar organizations for research and market development work. SaskCanola is another big player with a large budget. Others, representing flax, oats, mustard, canary-seed and winter cereals, have much more modest financial statements.
Only SPG has board status with a non-refundable levy. The others are commissions where the producer levy is mandatory, but refundable. All have a similar election process, but it’s rare to see much of an election fight. Winning by acclamation is common.
There are three open positions on the SPG board and four candidates. What’s really interesting is that three of the four candidates are running as a slate, seeking specific changes in the organization.
Shawn Buhr and Jim Moen are previous SPG directors who went on to serve as chair. Bert Vandenberg is the main pulse crop breeder at the Crop Development Centre. Producers may be surprised to see Vandenberg on the ballot, but he’s eligible to run because the university sells some commercial pulse crops.
These three candidates don’t like what they see happening at SPG and by acting together they want to change the direction. They talk about injecting some experience onto the board and “righting the ship.” None of them would be running if they weren’t concerned.
They’re taking specific aim at Pulse Canada, pointing out that the national umbrella organization receives nearly 70 per cent of its core funding from Saskatchewan producers through SPG and yet SPG does not have the majority of directors on the Pulse Canada board.
Pulse Canada, they say, should be relocated from Winnipeg to Saskatchewan.
The fourth candidate on the ballot is Cynthia Edwards. Her election information stresses how the pulse industry is an important component of sustainable agriculture.
As a younger producer with an education in agriculture and work experience with Ducks Unlimited, she is the kind of candidate that producer organizations typically welcome with open arms.
However, in this election my vote has to go with the three candidates who have a proven track record for building a Saskatchewan pulse industry – an industry that has been profitable for producers and the rest of the value chain.
Kevin Hursh is an agricultural journalist, consultant and farmer. He can be reached by e-mail at kevin@hursh.ca.
