Saskatoon June 25, 2010 – The Agriculture Council of Saskatchewan Inc. (ACS) concluded another successful Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Friday, June 18, 2010 with three new members being added to the Board of Directors, while also electing a new Board Executive. The Industry Forum following the AGM featured three speakers addressing the theme Sports Nutrition: Opportunities for Agriculture.
ACS industry members, who represent all facets of Saskatchewan’s agriculture and agri-food sector, welcomed three new Directors to the Board of Directors: Joy Smith, representing the Saskatchewan Egg Producers; Tim Wiens of the Saskatchewan Canola Development Commission; and Dan Prefontaine of the Saskatchewan Food Industry Development Centre. The new Directors will join the newly elected Executive which includes Chair Neil Ketilson, of the Saskatchewan Pork Development Board, Vice-Chair Allen Kuhlmann of the Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission and Secretary/Treasurer Jason Dean of the Saskatchewan Cattle Feeders Association. Kirk Flaman of the Saskatchewan Seed Potato Growers Association and Darrell Schneider of the Saskatchewan Food Processors Association remain on the ACS Board.
ACS also paid tribute to three retiring board members at the AGM. Valerie Pearson of the
Saskatchewan 4-H Council, who served as Chair of the Board of Directors, served on the Board
since 2004. Bob Morgan, who represented the POS Pilot Plant Corporation, served as the Vice-Chair of the Board this past year, having been elected to the Board in 2008. Murray Purcell of the Saskatchewan Pulse Growers served as a Director and was a former Chair of the ACS Board, first elected to the Board in 2003.
“The contributions of Valerie, Bob and Murray at the Board table and in committees were invaluable,” said ACS Chair Neil Ketilson. “They provided guidance as ACS transitioned from ACAAFS to CAAP, brought in programs like Levy Central and created valuable programs like the Value Chain Initiative and the Agriculture Mentorship Initiative. Their leadership allowed ACS to grow and become the industry-led organization that we are today.”
The Industry Forum was well received with three speakers talking about the opportunities the growing sports nutrition market offers Saskatchewan’s producers and processors. Michele Kuxhaus, Senior Analyst with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, presented the Global Market Overview of Sports Nutrition. Heather Hynes, a Registered Dietitian and Sports Nutrition Consultant with the Sports Medicine and Science Council of Saskatchewan, presented Saskatchewan Grown Nutrition for Optimal Performance, followed by Lucas Makowsky, an Olympic gold medal winning speed skater in the team pursuit at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games, who presented Race for the Gold.