A Manitoban will be the new president of the Prairie Oat Growers Association, the organization announced May 1.
Jenneth Johanson of Lac du Bonnet, Manitoba, will take over for outgoing president Art Enns.
“It has been an incredible ‘run’ as president of POGA and I have thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s now time for the younger generation to be the ‘face’ our great organization,” Enns told the Manitoba Co-operator in an emailed statement. “I’m also very excited that we have such a great person to be the new POGA president.”
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Johanson joined POGA’s board of directors in 2016. She participated in the federal delegation to China twice, where she had the opportunity to meet key industry and government officials to work towards access for raw oats.
Johanson also sits on the Prairie Grains Development Committee for POGA and presented at the North American Miller’s Association conference in 2019.
“I will do my best to continue the excellent work POGA has been doing and will work hard to fill the large shoes Art has left as president,” Johanson said.
Enns was part of missions to Mexico for four years where, in 2018, Canada secured nearly 100 per cent of the oat exports and where Canadian oat exports have seen record years in the past three out of four years, said POGA executive director Shawna Mathieson.
Enns was also key leader on the Ottawa policy missions for the last five years, and he continues to sit on the Crop Logistics Working Group on behalf of POGA.
Enns will continue as a board member of POGA and assist in the leadership transition.
Mathieson told the Co-operator that POGA does not expect any changes to result from the transition.
