Alberta Beef Producers’ first election for its slimmed-down delegate body is over — but the group of producers’ representatives is a little smaller than hoped.
Thirty producers — five shy of the allotted number — were either elected or acclaimed during recent elections (with members of the farm group either voting online or by mail-in ballot).
The organization had hoped there would be elections in all five zones (which had been reduced from nine previously) but only the southeast and southwest zones needed to have elections. Delegates were acclaimed in the northeast, northwest and central zones — with the latter two only attracting four and five candidates respectively.
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All but a handful of the delegates (some will serve a one-year term and others two years in order to have staggered elections in future) were delegates last year — including current chair Kelly Smith-Fraser, vice-chair Melanie Wowk, finance chair Brad Osadczuk, and 11 other directors. (There will be 12 directors on the new board versus 16 previously.)
“While this election process, along with our producer meetings, looked different this year, we are pleased with the results and encourage producers to come forward to fill the remaining vacancies,” ABP said in announcing the results.
The delegates are:
Southeast Zone: Darren Bevans (Raymond), Shawn Freimark (Castor), Jason Hale (Bassano), Brodie Haugan (Orion), Kent Holowath (Rumsey), Craig Lehr (Medicine Hat) and Brad Osadczuk (Jenner).
Southwest Zone: Jim Bowhay (Sundre), Graeme Finn (Madden), Sheila Hillmer (Del Bonita), Lee Irvine (Cochrane), Chris Israelson (Didsbury), Fred Lozeman (Claresholm) and Kelly Smith-Fraser (Pine Lake).
Central Zone: Colin Campbell (Bon Accord), Rod Carlyon (Westlock), Martin Clausen (Westlock), Austin Dow (Onoway), and Cathy Sharp (Lacombe). This zone can appoint up to two more delegates.
Northwest Zone: Lori Kinnee (Grimshaw), Erin Moskalyk (Fairview), Gary These (Peace River), and Mike Nadeau (Beaverlodge). This zone can appoint up to three more delegates.
Northeast Zone: Emil Dmytriw (Innisfree), Shane Franklin (Bonnyville), Jay Hager (Provost), George L’Heureux (Lac La Biche), Josie Pashulka (Derwent), Joanne Solverson (Camrose), and Melanie Wowk (Beauvallon).
The organization’s most recent annual report is available at albertabeef.org (opens as PDF).
