The newly-formed Alberta Grains has elected an inaugural board of directors consisting of several faces that will be familiar to former Alberta Wheat and Alberta Barley commission members.
The new board – elected at Alberta Grains’ annual general meeting January 31 – includes Tara Sawyer of Acme as chair, Scott Jesperson of Spruce Grove as first vice-chair and Devin Hartzler of Carstairs as second vice-chair.
Sawyer has served as chair of Alberta Grains’ interim board of directors since the commissions formerly amalgamated in August 2023. Jesperson and Hartzler also served on the interim board and as directors of Alberta Barley and Alberta Wheat respectively.
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“I am honoured by the board’s vote of confidence in my ability to serve Alberta’s wheat and barley farmers as chair,” said Sawyer.
“There is so much opportunity in the industry as a whole and as a board. We’re leveraging that to ensure wheat and barley remain a top choice for farmers and end-users alike. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to serve as the first chair for Alberta Grains.”
Regional directors were elected at a series of regional meetings held throughout November 2023. Here are the results.
- Region 1: Dean Hubbard, David Bishop.
- Region 2: Devin Hartzler, Tara Sawyer.
- Region 3: Stewart Oke, Dick Wymenga.
- Region 4: Shawn Jacula, Brent Christensen.
- Region 5: Scott Jespersen.
- Region 6: Greg Sears, Tasha Alexander.
The amalgamation process began in 2017 when the two commissions implemented a shared management structure after formal consultations with the province’s wheat and barley producers.
In October 2022, Alberta wheat and barley farmers voted overwhelmingly in favour of combining the commissions.
According to a January 31 Alberta Grains news release, the grower organization’s 2024 focus is on supporting research projects intended to improve crop management, reduce input costs and minimize environmental impact, as well as increase yield and grain quality.
