APAS UPDATE (May 9, 2024)
1. Brad Brown joins APAS as our new Communications Manager: May 6 was Brad Brown’s first day as the new Communications Manager at APAS. Brad spent 25 years in the newspaper industry, including most of the last nine operating the Quad Town Forum in Vibank, which he founded with his wife Tracy in 2015 and sold in 2023. During his journalism career, Brad covered the 2013 Grey Cup for The Canadian Press, oversaw production of the Saskatchewan Weekly Newspaper Association’s 2019 agriculture story of the year, and received the 2021 Canadian Community Newspapers Award for national news story of the year. Brad also previously worked in communications and marketing for Great Plains College and SGI. Welcome to APAS, Brad!
2. APAS submission to CFIA’s Seed Regulatory Modernization Survey: On May 2, APAS provided feedback into the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) Seed Regulatory Modernization Survey, highlighting the importance of maintaining essential crop varieties, improving certification processes, and enhancing access to information about seed, including purity, vigour, and weed species. Click here to read the APAS submission to CFIA on this important topic.
3. Op-ed from APAS and Sask Wheat on the Canada Grain Act Summit: On May 7, APAS and Sask Wheat released a joint op-ed which summarizes some of the key issues and recommendations that were discussed at our recent Canada Grain Act Summit. The Summit was held in Saskatoon on March 26 and provided an important opportunity for producer groups to discuss critical issues related to the Canada Grain Act and the Canadian Grain Commission. Click here to read our joint op-ed with Sask Wheat.
4. Joint letter to Minister Duncan on Class 1 licencing requirements for TFWs: On May 6, APAS, Sask Wheat, and Sask Oats sent a letter to Dustin Duncan (Minister Responsible for SGI) to advocate for increased flexibility within SGI’s Class 1 licensing requirements for Temporary Foreign Workers (TFWs) that are employed in Saskatchewan’s agricultural sector. Click here to read a copy of our joint letter with Sask Wheat and Sask Oats.
5. Ian Boxall on Evan Bray’s show to discuss the Bunge-Viterra merger: On May 9, Ian Boxall (APAS President) was on Evan Bray’s radio show to discuss various issues, including the proposed Bunge-Viterra merger. This merger is a bad deal for Saskatchewan farmers, and could result in a $800 million per year blow to Saskatchewan farmers, which would be a serious economic hit to our farming community that would ripple through Saskatchewan’s economy. Click here to hear Ian’s conversation with Evan Bray from earlier today.
2. APAS submission to CFIA’s Seed Regulatory Modernization Survey: On May 2, APAS provided feedback into the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) Seed Regulatory Modernization Survey, highlighting the importance of maintaining essential crop varieties, improving certification processes, and enhancing access to information about seed, including purity, vigour, and weed species. Click here to read the APAS submission to CFIA on this important topic.
3. Op-ed from APAS and Sask Wheat on the Canada Grain Act Summit: On May 7, APAS and Sask Wheat released a joint op-ed which summarizes some of the key issues and recommendations that were discussed at our recent Canada Grain Act Summit. The Summit was held in Saskatoon on March 26 and provided an important opportunity for producer groups to discuss critical issues related to the Canada Grain Act and the Canadian Grain Commission. Click here to read our joint op-ed with Sask Wheat.
4. Joint letter to Minister Duncan on Class 1 licencing requirements for TFWs: On May 6, APAS, Sask Wheat, and Sask Oats sent a letter to Dustin Duncan (Minister Responsible for SGI) to advocate for increased flexibility within SGI’s Class 1 licensing requirements for Temporary Foreign Workers (TFWs) that are employed in Saskatchewan’s agricultural sector. Click here to read a copy of our joint letter with Sask Wheat and Sask Oats.
5. Ian Boxall on Evan Bray’s show to discuss the Bunge-Viterra merger: On May 9, Ian Boxall (APAS President) was on Evan Bray’s radio show to discuss various issues, including the proposed Bunge-Viterra merger. This merger is a bad deal for Saskatchewan farmers, and could result in a $800 million per year blow to Saskatchewan farmers, which would be a serious economic hit to our farming community that would ripple through Saskatchewan’s economy. Click here to hear Ian’s conversation with Evan Bray from earlier today.