Stockgrowers power to persevere

the Saskatchewan Stockgrowers Association held its 109th annual general meeting and convention. This year's edition, focusing on perseverance, was held the Prince of Wales Centre in Assiniboia, SK.

Industry stakeholders and producers were invited to attend and share their perspectives on the livestock sector in the province. The event brought together attendees from across the province with several informative keynote sessions and tradeshow booths.

The Canadian Cattlemen's Association's President, Reg Schellenberg, was one of those speakers, addressing the state of Canadian beef production post-drought. Among the other program highlights were Kathy Larson's presentation on the cost of production and best practices in cow calf operations, as well as Tim McMillan's remarks on activist attacks facing Canadian agriculture.

The AGM was very productive in addressing a challenging climate that producers are facing following the last few years of drought, proposing change and resolutions. The association passed eighteen resolutions.

There was also a strong push for increased lobbying efforts to promote irrigation projects and a reexamination of the minimum gross revenue eligibility criteria to qualify for CAP programming. An important resolution involved lobbying for a long-term low-interest loan to help producers rebuild their herds following the drought of 2021.

"The severe drought has greatly-impacted herd sizes and cash flow for many cattle operations, so we have resolved to lobby all levels of government to setup a program for long-term, low interest loans to help livestock producers rebuild their breeding herds; and to ensure the enhancements to the Farm and Ranch Water Infrastructure Program ) are permanent and that funding applications are processed with greater efficiency," SSGA General Manager Chad MacPherson said.

The meeting also saw the election of several new board members, including Garner Deobald, who was elected as SSGA's new president. Jeff Yorga of Flintoft was elected first vice president, while Kelly Williamson of Pambrun, Saskatchewan, was elected second vice president.