That’s the message Doug Chorney delivered to Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) staff in a speech Dec. 17.

At the time he was the CGC’s acting chief commissioner; Dec. 21 he was appointed chief.

“In 1903 my grandfather came to Canada from Poland as a new Canadian with his biggest asset being hope for the future,” Chorney said in an address praising CGC employees for their efforts in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Soon after arriving he found work and began building a life in Canada. It wasn’t easy as he faced many barriers. Racism was alive and well for new Canadians trying to fit in. But they pressed on. Then in the winter of 1918 the pandemic called the Spanish flu hit his family hard. The history record says my grandfather was in a coma for six weeks.”

A prominent English family provided Chorney’s grandfather’s family with a nurse, food and firewood.

“My father, who would have been three years old at the time, survived, as did the entire family,” Chorney said. “Our family experienced the kindness of neighbours.

“Here we are in 2020 facing yet another pandemic and we are still finding racism in our society. While this is tragic on many levels, I continue to have the same hope for a better future.

“We have all made sacrifices during this global pandemic, but not many segments of the Canadian economy can claim to have surpassed the previous year’s performance,” Chorney told CGC staff. “However, we can and it is because we have worked hard with industry and farmers to deliver results. This took hard work, but also a great deal of self-discipline in your daily lives.

“We all have unique circumstances that make those we love vulnerable. I know we all do our best to manage that risk.

“I just want to thank you for the effort everyone has exhibited during this time. And please know the commissioners put your health and safety above anything else at all times.”

The racism Chorney’s grandfather faced was common as Canada was largely populated by those of Anglo-Saxon descent. Early in the 20th century most Canadians considered themselves British. On every school map Canada was coloured red, along with the rest of the British empire.

And chauvinism remained pervasive late into the last century.

“I never learned to speak Polish or Ukrainian — my dad spoke both — because of the fear that we would have a broken English accent,” Chorney said in an interview Dec. 21. “At the time, anyone in a workplace environment with that, they would call you a ‘DP’ (displaced person) and you would never be promoted to be a foreman. At the rolling mill in Selkirk they said you would never be promoted to be a ‘white hat’ (management) with a Ukrainian background. It was so bad some people changed their names. It was anglicized.”

The post Praise for Canadian Grain Commission staff during pandemic appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

Doug Chorney, the CGC’s acting chief commissioner, has been promoted to chief and Patty Rosher, general manager of the Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) since March 2019, is the new assistant chief commissioner.

Both appointments were announced by Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau in a news release Dec. 21, 2020.

Chorney and Rosher’s appointments are for a three and four year term, respectively.

Chorney, who has been acting chief since June when former chief commissioner Patty Miller retired, was appointed assistant chief commissioner in February 2017 along with commissioner Ogema, Sask., farmer Lonny McKague.

“I am very humbled that I have the opportunity to lead this organization with my fellow commissioners,” Chorney said in an interview Dec. 21. “I take the responsibility very seriously. This is something I feel very well prepared for. I believe I can make a contribution and support the organization through some of the challenges we may be facing in the future.”

Why it matters: The Canadian Grain Commission plays an integral role in Canada’s multi-billion dollar grain industry regulating the grain trade, overseeing grain quality, settling grading disputes between grain buyers and farmers and administering a payment security program, all under the authority of the Canada Grain Act.

Although appointed, prospective commissioners have to apply for the positions.

Chorney has a degree in agricultural engineering from the University of Manitoba, lives on a farm near East Selkirk, Man.

Rosher, who grew up on an Eatonia, Sask. farm, holds a Bachelor of Commerce and a Master of Science Degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Saskatchewan and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Manitoba.

One wag posted on Facebook the CGC will be changing its initials to KCG — KAP Grain Commission. Besides Rosher being KAP’s general manager until her appointment, Chorney was an active member of the general farm organization, including serving four years as president from 2011 to 2015.

Chorney served on many other boards, including the Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation’s the Advisory Council on Workplace Safety and Health, the Manitoba Employers Council, and the Canadian Federation of Agriculture.

Chorney has has been a member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Manitoba since 1989.

Before joining KAP almost two years ago Rosher worked for Manitoba Agriculture where she held many leadership positions including Acting Chief Operating Officer of the Food Development Centre, Director of Transformation, Director of Policy, and Director of Boards, Commissions, and Legislation.

Rosher worked for the Canadian Wheat Board from 1994 until 2012. She started in communications and worked in policy, market development, operations with rail logistics and sales.

“That’s when I started the organic cash trading program and then WeatherFarm,” Rosher said in an interview Dec. 21.

“I just had great opportunities. I got to do super exciting things with such smart people.”

The CGC is a federal government agency that reports to Parliament through the Minister of Agriculture.The three commissioners are the CGC ‘s executive, setting the CGC’s direction, establishing policy and administering and enforcing the Canada Grain Act.

The commissioners also have quasi-judicial powers on some matters.

While ideally those chosen will have the right experience and aptitude, a commissioner learns a lot on the job. Few people have a working knowledge of the Canada Grain Act, or understand wheat chemistry.

The tradition is to appoint commissioners from the three Prairie Provinces — usually a mix of farmers and those from the agricultural industry giving the CGC greater insight to the needs of producers and the rest of the value chain.

Going forward

In addition to conducting regular CGC business, the commissioners will oversee the CGC’s participation in the federal government’s review of the Canada Grain Act and the CGC itself.

The review, led by Agriculture and Agri-Food (AAFC), began in March 2019, but has been delayed by the COVD-19 pandemic.

The CGC’s quality assurance role will be examined. So will CGC governance — something that has come up in previous reviews.

Grain companies want the grain act amended to end mandatory CGC outward inspection and grading, replacing it with the option to use private inspectors overseen by the CGC.

But some farm groups worry that could weaken quality control and ultimately Canada’s reputation for exporting high quality grain.

Moreover, most of the CGC’s operating revenue comes from charging a fee on outward inspection.

Some farm groups want major changes to the CGC’s grading system, while others want tweaks.

Some have also complained about changes to the CGC’s wheat classification system that saw some popular varieties in the premium priced Canada Western Red Spring class, moved to classes that pay less.

CGC mandate

It’s unclear if the review will see a change in CGC’s mandate to operate “in the interests of producers,” — something previous governments have contemplated.

The National Farmers Union (NFU) insists it remain. Protecting farmers was why the CGC was founded in 1912 after years of farmer complaints of unfair treatment by the grain trade.

Concerns about how the CGC uses surplus funds earned from a combination of higher user fees and increased grain production, mostly collected from grain companies but ultimately paid for by farmers, is also likely to be raised during the review.

The CGC had a $137.3 million surplus as of March 31, 2020 and is expecting an additional $9 million more by March 31, 2021.

The CGC, with annual expenditures of around $65 million, says it needs at least $40 million in reserve to cover potential revenue shortfalls caused by a drop in Canadian grain production and/or exports.

The CGC has rejected calls to repay the surplus saying regulations don’t allow it.

Starting in 2018 the CGC said it would spend $4 million of the surplus over five years to provide free falling number and DON (deoxynivalenol) results in wheat samples submitted to the CGC’s annual harvest sample program.

“I know from engaging with stakeholders there are a lot of opinions on the way the Canadian Grain Commission serves the industry,” Chorney said. “We know there is a commitment from our government to look at modernizing the Canada Grain Act. I am certainly in agreement that there are many things that we can do to better reflect the needs of the sector in the future. I would genuinely listen very closely to all of this input from stake holders to guide that process and I look forward to engaging in the future when it re-starts. As we know it’s AAFC that is running the CGA (Canada Grain Act) review, but I certainly would lend my support to that process any way I could.”

Farmer protection

In the meantime the CGC seeks ways to do better, Chorney said. He and McKague just wrapped up annual consultation with grain companies and farm groups, Chorney said.

“We are going to continue to do that (consult),” he said. “And we’re looking to show them that we are listening and also doing things like the grain grading modernization, class modernization is going to be completed this year. We have the last five varieties moving out of CWRS to CNHR (Canada Northern Hard Red) — that’s completed. And we’re looking at more automated solutions for stakeholders to interact with us.”

As assistant chief commissioner Chorney said he closely followed issues concerning the CGC’s farmer payment protection program, especially in the wake of several recent cases where licensed grain companies failed to pay farmers for their grain resulting in the CGC accessing security posted by the companies to reimburse eligible farmers.

“The need for safeguards for farmers and to protect farmers and get paid is very significant,” Chorney said. “That’s an area I focused on as an assistant chief commissioner and I continue to have an interest in ensuring we protect farmers.

“Some things can be done within the present act in its current form and other changes would require the act to be changed if it’s more substantive. I’m looking at all options.”

Currently CGC licensed grain elevators are obliged to post security for grain they haven’t paid farmers for. The CGC monitors those liabilities but sometimes liabilities exceed companies’ security.

Over the years other options have been discussed. Several years ago the CGC worked on implementing an insurance model but changed its mind.

There has also been talk of establishing a farmer compensation fund — a model used in Ontario to protect farmers from buyers who fail to pay for grain.

Praise for CGC staff during pandemic

Hope is a powerful state of mind, important now as ever.

That’s the message Doug Chorney delivered to Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) staff in a speech Dec. 17.

At the time he was the CGC’s acting chief commissioner; Dec. 21 he was appointed chief.

“In 1903 my grandfather came to Canada from Poland as a new Canadian with his biggest asset being hope for the future,” Chorney said in an address praising CGC employees for their efforts in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Soon after arriving he found work and began building a life in Canada. It wasn’t easy as he faced many barriers. Racism was alive and well for new Canadians trying to fit in. But they pressed on. Then in the winter of 1918 the pandemic called the Spanish flu hit his family hard. The history record says my grandfather was in coma for six weeks.”

A prominent English family provided Chorney’s grandfather’s family with a nurse, food and firewood.

“My father, who would have been three years old at the time, survived, as did the entire family,” Chorney said. “Our family experienced the kindness of neighbours.

“Here we are in 2020 facing yet another pandemic and we are still finding racism in our society. “While this is tragic on many levels, I continue to have the same hope for a better future.

“We have all made sacrifices during this global pandemic, but not many segments of the Canadian economy can claim to have surpassed the previous years performance,” Chorney told CGC staff. “However, we can and it is because we have worked hard with industry and farmers to deliver results. This took hard work, but also a great deal of self-discipline in your daily lives.

“We all have unique circumstances that make those we love vulnerable. I know we all do our best to manage that risk.

“I just want to thank you for the effort everyone has exhibited during this time. And please know the commissioners put your health and safety above anything else at all times.”

The racism Chorney’s grandfather faced was common as Canada was largely populated by those of Anglo-Saxon descent. Early in the 20th century most Canadians considered themselves British. On every school map Canada was coloured red with the rest of the British empire.

And chauvinism remained pervasive late into the last century.

“I never learned to speak Polish or Ukrainian — my dad spoke both — because of the fear that we would have a broken english accent,” Chorney said in an interview Dec. 21. “At the time anyone in a workplace environment with that they would call you a ‘DP’ (displaced person) and you would never be promoted to be a foreman. At the rolling mill in Selkirk they said you would never be promoted to be a ‘white hat’ (management) with a Ukrainian background. It was so bad some people changed their names. It was anglicized.”

The post CGC’s Doug Chorney promoted to chief, Patty Rosher appointed assistant chief commissioner appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau on Monday appointed Doug Chorney — an agricultural engineer and grain and oilseed grower at East Selkirk, Man. — to a three-year term as chief commissioner of the Canadian Grain Commission (CGC), starting immediately.

Chorney, who was president of Manitoba’s Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) from 2011 to 2015, was named a CGC assistant chief commissioner in 2017. He’s been the CGC’s acting chief commissioner since Patti Miller, who was named to the chief spot in 2017 for a six-year term, took early retirement in June this year.

To replace Chorney, Bibeau on Monday named Patty Rosher, currently KAP’s general manager, to a four-year term as the CGC’s assistant chief commissioner, also effective immediately.

Rosher had come to KAP in March last year from the Manitoba department of agriculture, where she had worked since 2013, in roles such as director of policy (2018-19), director of the transformation branch (2017-18) and acting chief operating officer for the Food Development Centre (2016-17).

Rosher’s experience in the ag sector also includes 17 years at the Canadian Wheat Board, including a five-year stint as its manager for marketing and sales before the CWB’s deregulation in 2012. She also currently serves as vice-chair of Genome Prairie, a not-for-profit organization set up to manage and support large-scale genomics research in Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

Rosher had recently spearheaded development of a strategic plan for KAP that proposes adding two new standing committees (research and innovation, and grassroots participation) and potentially cutting the number of districts representing the group across the province.

“I am confident that these two individuals will provide excellent leadership for our grain growers across the country and help the Canadian Grain Commission maintain a competitive and efficient grain sector,” Bibeau said in a release Monday.

The Winnipeg-based CGC serves as the regulator of standards and procedures for Canada’s grain handling sector and as the official certifier of Canadian grain.

The commission establishes, recommends and maintains grades and standards for Canadian grain, is responsible for Canada’s system of grain grading and inspection and serves as one of Canada’s scientific research organizations on grain quality. — Glacier FarmMedia Network

The post Former KAP president promoted at CGC appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

Patti Miller, who has held the position for three years, announced Tuesday to CGC staff that she will retire June 26.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) “will be launching an open, transparent and merit-based process to find a new commissioner as soon as possible,” federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said via email Thursday.

Meanwhile, an AAFC-led review of the Canada Grain Act — and of the CGC’s role in administering it — will continue. The department quietly announced the review last March.

“Our government remains committed to modernizing Canada’s Grain Act,” Bibeau said. “While the process is still taking shape, we are committed to holding consultations in order to hear from grain farmers, stakeholders, and parliamentarians.”

Under the Grain Act, the CGC — created in 1912 in the “interest of producers” — regulates Canada’s grain industry by overseeing grain quality regulations and acting as an industry watchdog.

The CGC is overseen by the chief commissioner, an assistant chief commissioner and a commissioner.

Reliable sources have accused Miller of having a pro-grain company agenda, which, in their view, could hurt farmers. They also alleged Miller had sidelined input from assistant chief commissioner Doug Chorney, who farms at East Selkirk, Man., and commissioner Lonny McKague, who farms at Omega, Sask.

Miller denied that claim. “I have a huge amount of respect for both Doug and Lonny,” she said in an interview last March 18. “Does that mean we agree on everything? Heavens no.

“Did Doug and Lonny have input into it, as did I? Yes. Was it exactly how they wanted to see it? Perhaps not, but they are a voice and provide input into that process.”

On the allegation she favours the grain companies’ agenda, Miller replied: “If you asked the industry they might give some comments that… I’m not making decisions unilaterally in their favour. We have rigour in our decision-making.”

What grain companies want most from the review are recommendations to amend the Grain Act to end mandatory CGC outward inspection.

Some grain companies say it’s redundant and costly because many of their customers are satisfied using less-expensive private inspection services.

But some in the industry say making the CGC’s ‘Certificate Final’ optional will undermine Canada’s grain quality assurance system.

Speaking last March 6 at the Canadian Crops Convention in Montreal, Viterra CEO Kyle Jeworski argued in favour of ending mandatory CGC outward inspection.

“I think it’s important that we have the Canada Grain Act to better reflect our industry today and prepare for the future,” he said. “We need to remove unnecessary regulations. There are many examples — grain grading, weighing, inspection. There are things that add cost and delays in our industry.”

But the three Prairie general farm organizations agree the CGC’s oversight is more important than ever because of the rise in non-tariff trade barriers.

AAFC wants farmer input on the review, as Michelle Bielik, director of the ag department’s crop and supply chain policy division, told Keystone Agricultural Producers’ advisory council meeting in Portage la Prairie, Man. last April 2.

“We are right now just gathering our thoughts about how we’re going to conduct our analysis,” she said at the time. “That’s why we want to hear from you about the issues you want to focus on. We are nowhere near tabling proposals and when the time comes we hope we are in a position to engage with you further.”

Much of that work would be done during the election period that fall, Bielik said at the time. “Ultimately our goal is to have a set of legislative proposals to include as part of the minister’s next mandate.”

Although Bibeau confirmed Thursday that AAFC’s review continues, there’s no specific reference of it in her mandate letter from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

On the matter of Miller’s retirement announcement, Bibeau said Miller “has been dedicated to the grain sector for over 35 years, and felt it was time for her to retire.

“During (Miller’s) time at the CGC, she has helped modernize the organization and begin the review of the Canada Grain Act. In order to ensure an orderly transition, Ms. Miller will be in place (at the CGC) until June 2020.”

Miller, Chorney and McKague were all appointed to their positions by the federal government in early 2017, after having applied to serve.

Miller’s 35-year career in agriculture included 25 years with the federal government. She also worked for Cargill and was president of the Canola Council of Canada at the time of her CGC appointment.

— Allan Dawson is a reporter for the Manitoba Co-operator at Miami, Man.

The post Grain Commission’s chief announces retirement appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

However, before a change can be made the Canada Grain Act has to be amended and that’s up to the minister of agriculture and ultimately Parliament, Chorney said on the sidelines of the Keystone Agricultural Producers advisory council meeting here Aug. 9.

“We have ideas on how we could move forward, which we will come back and consult about,” Chorney added.

“A lot of work has been done by our staff to show how that could benefit and provide better payment security and take cost out of the system. So we’re open to looking at it as well, but we need an act change.”

Currently licensed grain companies must post security to cover what’s owed to farmers. But sometimes the security falls short and farmers aren’t fully compensated.

The current system costs about $9 million a year and it’s presumed the cost is passed back to farmers, Chorney said.

“Over 20 years, every 18 months we have a $1-million to $1.5-million default,” he said. “So we’re paying $9 million a year to solve a $1-million problem every 18 months. That’s not efficient. It works, but is it the best path forward?”

The post A cheaper CGC producer protection plan appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

Effective Aug. 1 the CGC will cut its fees for official export inspection charge from $1.70 per tonne to $1.35, and the weighing charge to seven cents per tonne from 16 cents, the CGC said in a news release July 12.

Most of the CGC’s revenue comes from those two fees — a saving, when combined, of 44 cents a tonne or 24 per cent versus the current charges.

The CGC proposed the reduction following industry consultations this spring. Implementing it Aug. 1 brings in reduced fees eight months sooner than scheduled, capping the CGC’s budgetary surplus and saving farmers millions of dollars.

Two supplementary fees for overtime related to official grain inspection services are being eliminated, at least until the fees are reviewed for the next five-year fee period starting April 1, 2018.

“We (grain) commissioners are pleased because the new fees are set at a level that shouldn’t result in any excessive surplus from this time forward,” CGC assistant chief commissioner Doug Chorney said in an interview. “Pure cost recovery is the intent of this fee level.”

Changes to the CGC’s user fees, implemented April 1, 2013, after the federal government ordered it to be self-sufficient, were not scheduled to occur until the current five-year fee schedule expired April 1, 2018. However, the federal government decided to act sooner in the wake the CGC’s growing operating surplus, which as of December 2016 was $114.5 million and is currently $121.8 million — nearly double the $63.5 million the CGC needs to operate annually.

Assuming the CGC inspects 34.4 million tonnes of grain, the lower fees will save the grain industry $10 million for the 2017-18 fiscal year and $15 million in 2018-19 fiscal year. (The difference is the reduced fees start Aug. 1, 2017 and the current fiscal year started April 1, 2017.)

Although grain companies pay the CGC’s inspection and weighing fees, it’s widely believed the cost is passed back to farmers.

More flexibility in future

The CGC has already consulted with the grain sector on new user fees to take effect April 1, 2018 and is recommending they start with the new, reduced levels, Chorney said.

“But in the future we are hoping to have a formula approach, year by year, so we will be able to adapt to the changing production and exports in real time or an annual basis,” he said.

“If there’s a drought… or if there is a bumper crop we’d like to be able to adjust our fees to reflect that.”

When the CGC implemented higher fees it expected to inspect, on average, 23.3 million tonnes of grain exports a year, which had been the 15-year average. But following bumper crops, grain exports reached 30.4 million, 37.6 million and 38.4 million in the last three crop years.

Meanwhile, the CGC is assessing industry suggestions on what to do with the surplus, Chorney said.

“We are coming to the point where we can start considering scenarios,” he said. “Some scenarios are straightforward and could be done with proper approvals through the federal authorities and others may require the Canada Grain Act to be opened up.”

That would be the case if the money were used to set up a fund to compensate farmers when grain companies fail to pay them for their grain, replacing the current “bonding” system, which requires grain companies to post security to cover what they owe farmers.

“That is not something under our control as commissioners,” Chorney said. “That’s something the federal government would have to initiate. There is a lot to consider in the surplus discussion and not something that will be done quickly.”

The CGC says it needs a $36 million fund to cover unforeseen increases in costs or drops in revenue.

At their annual meeting in January, Keystone Agricultural Producers’ (KAP) delegates asked leadership to investigate using the CGC surplus to set up a compensation fund.

KAP’s Grain and Oilseeds Committee is also exploring whether the surplus should be used to provide more analytical grain testing in elevators, including vomitoxin and falling number levels.

The Alberta Wheat Com­mission also supports that idea. And the CGC itself has suggested it as a possibility, along with refurbishing its laboratories.

The Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association wants the surplus refunded to farmers, but CGC spokesman Remi Gosselin has said in several interviews the CGC doesn’t have the authority to do so.

“The Canada Grain Act and the Canada Grain Act regulations do not provide for refunds or rebates,” he said in an interview April 28.

“The Canadian Grain Com­mission does not have the authority to spend the accumulated surplus without approval from the Treasury Board of Canada.”

The post Grain commission fee cuts take effect Aug. 1 appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

Doug Chorney, a farmer from East Selkirk, Man., is the new assistant chief commissioner and Lonny McKague, who farms at Ogema, Sask., is the new commissioner.

Their cabinet appointments take effect Feb. 13. That’s also when Canola Council of Canada president Patti Miller becomes the CGC’s new chief commissioner.

Miller was appointed for six years, Chorney and McKague for five and four years, respectively.

All serve based on “good behaviour,” which means they can only be fired for wrongdoing.

Although appointed, they had to apply for the jobs.

The CGC, Canada’s grain industry watchdog ensuring grain quality control, has been without commissioners since Dec. 5, 2016 when Murdoch MacKay’s appointment expired.

Assistant chief commissioner Jim Smolik’s term expired Nov. 24, and chief commissioner Elwin Hermanson declined to be reappointed. His term expired Jan. 20, 2016.

All three were appointed by the former Conservative government.

In separate interviews Chorney and McKague said they will continue to farm, although McKague, says his farm, which includes about 20 purebred Limousin cows, has been scaled back.

Chorney, a professional engineer with a degree from the University of Manitoba, served as Keystone Agricultural Producers president from 2011 to 2015.

He has also been on the Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation’s board since June 2015, but resigned to take the position.

Chorney also served on many other boards and committees.

McKague was a director and a founding member of Ogema Elevator Ltd. and of Red Coat Road & Rail, a short line railway.

He is past president of the Canadian Limousin Association, the Ogema Agricultural Society and of the local Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association.

He also served as a past director of Ogema Credit Union, was a 4-H leader and ran unsuccessfully for the Liberals in the 2006 federal election.

McKague studied vocational agriculture and agriculture business management at the University of Saskatchewan.

The post Farmers Doug Chorney, Lonny McKague appointed to Canadian Grain Commission appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

The federal government on Friday announced governor-in-council appointments to the CGC for Doug Chorney, as assistant chief commissioner, and Lonny McKague as commissioner.

Their appointments, both effective Feb. 13, follow the announcement earlier this month of Canola Council of Canada president Patti Miller as the CGC’s chief commissioner, also effective on that date.

Chorney, a grain and vegetable grower who farms north of Winnipeg near East Selkirk, Man., is best known as the president of Manitoba’s general farm organization, Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) from 2011 to 2015.

Chorney, who holds an agricultural engineering degree from the University of Manitoba, was well known during his stint as KAP chief for lobbying Ottawa to address rail service issues affecting grain growers.

McKague, a farmer and Limousin cattle producers at Ogema, Sask., about 110 km south of Regina, was a founding director for one of Saskatchewan’s first rail shortlines, Red Coat Road and Rail, and a former president of the Canadian Limousin Association.

McKague has served on the boards of various farmer and cattle producer groups at the local and provincial level and was active in federal-level politics, previously serving as a constituency aide to now-Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, and as a Liberal candidate in the 1984, 2004 and 2006 elections.

The appointments for McKague, Chorney and Miller fill the CGC’s three head-office vacancies after terms of office expired for chief commissioner Elwin Hermanson, assistant chief commissioner Jim Smolik and commissioner Murdoch MacKay in January, November and December 2016 respectively.

The Winnipeg-based CGC, which has a staff of about 400 full-time equivalent employees, serves as regulator of standards and procedures for Canada’s grain handling sector and as official certifier of Canadian grain.

The commission establishes, recommends and maintains grades and standards for Canadian grain, is responsible for Canada’s system of grain grading and inspection and serves as one of Canada’s scientific research organizations on grain quality. –– AGCanada.com Network

The post More commissioners named for Grain Commission appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

Agriculture Minister Ralph Eichler on Monday named Darlingford, Man. grain grower and accountant Jim Wilson and former federal agriculture minister Charlie Mayer as the new chair and vice-chair respectively for Manitoba Agricultural Services Corp. (MASC).

Wilson, a former board chairman for Prairie grain handler Agricore United, now part of Glencore’s Viterra business, also currently serves as vice-chairman of Canterra Seeds and secretary on the board of the Canadian International Grains Institute (Cigi).

Mayer, a former grain grower and cattle producer who now lives at St. Francois Xavier, served as the MP for the Portage la Prairie area from 1979 to 1993, as minister of state for the Canadian Wheat Board and for grains and oilseeds, and in 1993 as minister of agriculture for then-prime ministers Brian Mulroney and Kim Campbell.

Eichler’s only holdover from the previous government’s MASC board is former Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) president Doug Chorney, a grain and vegetable grower at East Selkirk and a MASC director since last year.

Also joining the board are Roblin agronomist and ag consultant Karen Fatteicher; Warren seed grower Suszanne Jones, a former director with MASC predecessor Manitoba Agriculture Credit Corp.; Hemp Oil Canada agronomist Darrell McElroy; St. Eustache farmer Laurent Ponsin; and Minto farmer Diane Rourke.

Leaving the board are Grandview, Man. farmer and vice-chair Larry Bohdanovich, a member of Friends of the Canadian Wheat Board; former provincial agriculture minister Len Harapiak; former Manitoba Pork Council vice-chairman Bryan Ferriss; Beausejour farmer Mary Johnson; and Strathclair rancher Calvin Martin. Frieda Krpan, the board’s chair, resigned her post earlier this year. — AGCanada.com Network

CORRECTION, Sept. 28, 2016: An earlier version of this article incorrectly identified Diane Rourke as a farmer from Starbuck, Man.

The post Manitoba government overhauls MASC board appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

Improving rural infrastructure was clearly a top priority to the province’s producers following a discussion over resolutions at the KAP general council meeting held in Brandon.

“I know that there are roads throughout every district that people feel need to be addressed. My concern is with regards to public safety and damage to vehicles,” said Bill Campbell, District 1 representative. “The condition of these roads is an accident waiting to happen. There have been some signs put up to help identify bad areas, but my belief is that there is not enough orange paint in the hardware stores to identify all of these dangerous spots in southwestern Manitoba.”

Along with seeking infrastructure improvements, the group passed six other resolutions that the executive board will take forward.

KAP will be lobbying for weed control in areas following road construction, ensuring farm visitors follow biosecurity protocols, garnering support for the development and growth of the inland aquaculture industry and urging both the federal and provincial governments to establish a new Green Cover program to improve the sustainability of livestock producers.

“We are continuing to lobby for improvements across the board to keep farms profitable and sustainable, from better Hydro service to assisting farmers in the event they receive workplace safety inspections,” said KAP president, Dan Mazier.

KAP wants to work with Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers, and the Manitoba Corn Grower’s Association to research herbicide resistance within stacked-trait soybeans, corn and canola, to better inform KAP members about the potential effects of herbicide resistance in Manitoba.

Membership growth

Prior to passing resolutions, KAP’s executive board presented updates on membership, finances, and discussed ongoing industry issues.

District and commodity reports were presented with most reporting an average season despite a late frost, hail and dry conditions.

“I have been calling it a good, average year. We do have our problems, especially with the late-May frost,” said Mazier. “I personally had to reseed 50 per cent of my canola, but that seems to be a general theme throughout the province.”

KAP general manager, James Battershill reported membership has grown by 500.

“Our membership report tells a very positive story. At the end of June we had 3,243 members, 500 more than this time last year,” said Battershill. “I think that this is something that we should celebrate and something that speaks well for the organization as a whole.”

Over the past year KAP has doubled its efforts towards building membership, including the addition of staff member, Jacquie Nicholson, who has taken on the role of membership co-ordinator.

Resolution progress

The group reviewed resolutions from the April general council meeting, including the issues of temporary foreign workers, strengthening relationships with new and small producers, water retention research and ways to better the urban and rural connection.

KAP reports making headway in the area of fuel storage, boasting the recent announcement from both the federal and provincial governments on funds allocated to a related BMP.

“KAP successfully lobbied the province to add funding for an on-farm fuel storage BMP through the environmental farm program,” said Mazier. “A new fuel storage BMP has been announced with the application process beginning on July 13.”

The organization is also working with the minister of conservation to get a statement in writing regarding grandfathering single-walled fuel containers.

“We have been given their assurance that they will allow grandfathering but we are still waiting on a formal letter from the minister of conservation. They are expecting this BMP program to roll out over the next few years,” said Battershill.

Battershill also reiterated KAP’s ongoing support for producers facing expropriation issues surrounding Manitoba Hydro’s Bipole III.

“We are still going to keep working on this and are holding regular meetings with Manitoba Hydro, advocating for a conversation to happen,” said Battershill. “It is a challenging situation but certainly one that we are not letting die.”

Agriculture risk management task force

Former KAP president, Doug Chorney, was on hand to make a presentation regarding the province’s Agriculture Risk Management Task Force that will be actively holding public consultation meetings throughout the province over the next several weeks.

“We have experienced extreme weather events on an ongoing basis. It has been a very difficult time for producers in Manitoba and throughout Western Canada,” said Chorney. “The Ag Risk Task Force is mandated to promote new solutions and to look at where we have tools in place that maybe need to be changed.”

Chorney joins Derek Brewin, John DeVos, Frieda Krpan and Goldwyn Jones as members of the task force that is chaired by Bill Uruski.

The public consultations began in Melita on July 9 and are being facilitated in a workshop format.

“We need to have better solutions. We can’t sustain our industry without looking at a different approach. The experiences we are having with flooding and drought, year after year are just too much for people to endure individually,” said Chorney. “We all take steps on our farms to mitigate risk exposure but we can’t do it all ourselves and I think there is a good argument to be made for public policy to support farmers.”

The task force will be presenting its findings and recommendations to the minister in December.

Those unable to attend the public consultation can comment online. Online submissions will be accepted until September 30.

For further information on submissions and public consultation dates, visit the Manitoba Agriculture website.

The post Condition of rural roads a major concern at KAP meeting appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.