Six farmers, including three incumbents, are running in an election for four spots as director of the Manitoba Canola Growers Association (MCGA).
Ballots were mailed to members last week and must be returned to the MCGA’s Winnipeg office by 4:30 p.m. Dec. 10.
“We hope members will deal with their ballots as soon as they receive them and then get them back in the mailbox,” MCGA members relations co-ordinator Roberta Galbraith said in an interview last week. “We’re really fortunate. We have six candidates for four positions and we really feel good about that because our members get to exercise their right to elect people who will represent them. That’s always awesome.”
Read Also
Thunderstruck Ag Equipment celebrates innovation win
Winkler-based company earns top name in equipment innovation at 2025 Ag in Motion awards for their Razor’s Edge combine concaves.
The three incumbents running are Hugh Drake of Elkhorn, Jack Froese of Winkler and Clayton Harder of Narol (near Winnipeg).
Incumbent Dale Gryba, who farms at Gilbert Plains, has served the maximum three consecutive, four-year terms allowed.
The other candidates are Cory Barker of Kenville, Ron Krahn of Rivers and Bill Nicholson of Shoal Lake. (See candidate biographies further down.)
MCGA directors oversee the association’s operations and decide how to allocate revenues collected from a $1-a-tonne refundable checkoff on the sale of all Manitoba-grown canola, rapeseed or oilseed of the brassica family.
In 2013-14 the MCGA spent almost $2.5 million, its annual financial statement says. Twenty per cent of expenditures went to research, 21 per cent for education and market promotion, and 18.5 per cent to the Canola Council of Canada.
Directors meet three to five times a year and also attend the MCGA’s annual meeting. The 2016 annual meeting will be held during CropConnect in February.
Candidate biographies supplied by the MCGA
Cory Barker
Kenville, Man.
Home: (204) 734-7605
Cell: (204) 734-0052
[email protected]
Ours is a family farm operation involving my bother Sean, along with my wife Eugenia and three kids. I have been farming full time for the past 11 years.
It is a mixed farm, grain and oilseed and a commercial cow-calf operation.
I am running for a position on the MCGA to put a priority on:
- Encouraging agronomic research to remain competitive.
- Encouraging varietal research to deal with disease issues.
- Address the transportation issues facing crop producers.
Canola producers should be fully informed on how our checkoff dollars are used. Communication is key to transparency and accountability. It is important that board decisions are guided by a single principle and dollars expended must return a profit to producers.
Hugh Drake
Elkhorn, Man.
Phone: (204) 845-2544
Cell: (204) 851-1298
[email protected]
My wife Myrna and I, and our two sons, operate a grain, oilseed and livestock farm near Elkhorn.
I served on the district board of KAP, and as delegate for Manitoba Pool Elevators.
I was elected director for MPE in 1993 and continued as director for Agricore and Agricore United until 2007. I served on the human resources, risk review, and agriculture policy committee at Agricore United.
I received the Institute of Corporate Director Designation from the Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary in 2005. I am currently treasurer for MCGA.
It is important that MCGA encourage the research and development of disease-resistant varieties, as well as continuing to promote the health benefits of canola oil and the advantages of canola meal in livestock rations.
I ask for your support to promote this very important industry for the benefit of all canola producers.
Jacob (Jack) Froese
Winkler, Man.
Home: (204) 325-2056
Cell: (204) 325-7291
[email protected]
Jack Froese is a fourth-generation Canadian farmer, operating a 5,800-acre grains, oilseeds, and special crops farm at Winkler, in southern Manitoba. Jack and wife Dianne have been married for 39 years and are blessed with three married grown children and four grandchildren.
Jack has considerable experience in many aspects of agriculture, serving in many capacities, gaining insight in areas of policy, trade, market development, market access, food safety and traceability, environmental concerns, social licence, as well as perception of Canadian farmers.
He has served as a director on Manitoba Pulse Growers Association, as well as chair of Pulse Canada. He is presently a director with Manitoba Canola Growers Association and serves as vice-chair of the Canadian Canola Growers Association and also as the CCGA appointed director on the Grain Growers of Canada board of directors.
As a Christian Jack is actively involved in the local church where he serves as vice-chair. Jack has previously served as a school trustee in the Garden Valley School Division and as a director on the Salem Personal Care Home board.
Having travelled extensively (five continents), Jack enjoys travelling and getting involved. Jack’s strength would bring vision and big-picture thinking approach to matters in a collaborative teamwork effort.
Clayton Harder
Narol, Man.
Phone: (204) 470-3021
[email protected]
During the last four years I have represented Manitoba farmers on the board of the Canadian Canola Growers Association and as MCGA’s research chair. I have also served on the Western Canadian Canola and Rapeseed recommending committee.
After graduating from the University of Manitoba in 2000 with a diploma in agriculture I started farming in the RMs of St. Clements, Springfield and Rosser, all close to Winnipeg. Today I grow canola, soybeans, forage grass seed and cereals. Canola is a very important crop to Manitoba farmers. While production and profitability improvements can be made, it’s important that MCGA supports Manitoba-specific research priorities that benefit farmers first. If re-elected I would support research and initiatives that increase farmers’ bottom line.
Bill Nicholson
Shoal Lake, Man.
Home: (204) 759-2368
Cell: (204) 724-0884
[email protected]
Bill is 59, has a degree in agricultural engineering and farms with other family members producing canola, cereals and pulses. He has been active in farm and community organizations including three terms as an elected director of the CWB, which provided him with a wealth of experience in governance, finance, policy and communication. He was a longtime credit union board president and continues to serve as a director.
Bill has always put farmers’ interests first and he believes that to be the key consideration for every decision taken by the directors of the MCGA. MCGA collects substantial funds that should be used for the benefit of farmers and to increase farmers’ leverage in the canola value chain where they are otherwise relatively powerless.
Bill will work to enhance MCGA’s good work in support of research and market development as well as to provide farmers with useful and independent information on agronomy, variety performance, marketing and transportation. He asks for your support.
Ron Krahn
Rivers, Man.
Cell: (204) 761-8702
[email protected]
After graduating from University of Manitoba with a degree in agricultural engineering in 1999, my wife Anita and I moved back to the family farm and have farmed there for the past 17 years. We have three children ages eight, 10, and 13. Together with my brother Robert, father Abe and our families, we grow wheat, canola, oats, peas, sunflowers and soybeans at Rivers.
I have appreciated the opportunity of being the co-ordinator of our local Canadian Foodgrains Bank growing project for the last 10 years and have been a part of our church leadership team over the years.
I take a special interest in continuing my informal education in agronomy, marketing and farm management skills.
In my spare time, I enjoy reading, camping, snowmobiling and wakeboarding.
If elected I look forward to the opportunity to serve the farm community and give a voice to young farmers in Manitoba. Canola is one of the most profitable crops grown in Manitoba for many years.
Our vision for the Manitoba Canola Growers should be to maintain and hopefully improve the profitability of growing canola in Manitoba and keep those profits in farmers’ hands. Any activities undertaken by the association should keep that vision in mind.
Spending checkoff money efficiently, responsibly, and transparently are extremely important. Research and development in varieties and production practices, improved transportation and marketing options, and increasing the value of canola up to the end-user need to all improve profitability for the grower. Money spent on consumer education and marketing needs to be spent with a focus on return on investment for the farming community.
I enjoy working with a good team. The Manitoba Canola Growers Association has a great staff and has had a history of having a good board of directors that wants to improve the canola industry in Manitoba. If elected, I intend to keep that attitude of working hard for the canola growers of Manitoba.
Having many farming connections across Manitoba has given me a broad perspective of the challenges of farming in Manitoba and I look forward, if elected, to be part of a team that works to solve the challenges of keeping canola profitable.
