{"id":9,"date":"2014-06-17T17:14:07","date_gmt":"2014-06-17T17:14:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/saskfsa.ca\/?page_id=9"},"modified":"2023-08-23T21:11:00","modified_gmt":"2023-08-23T21:11:00","slug":"board-directors","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/saskfsa.ca\/about\/board-directors\/","title":{"rendered":"Board of Directors"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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SaskFSA Board of Directors<\/h2>

The SaskFSA Board of Directors are collectively accountable to SaskFSA membership and their families, rural communities, SaskFSA sponsors, all stakeholders, and the future of agriculture in Saskatchewan. We are grassroots professionals that believe in providing specific solutions to agriculture water and land policy challenges.<\/p>

It is the responsibility of our board directors to advocate for progressive land and water management policy driven by agriculture landowners and supported by the citizens of Saskatchewan<\/p>

Interested in making a difference?<\/strong> Read more about what is involved in being a SaskFSA Board Director<\/a><\/p>

To nominate someone to be a SaskFSA board member please contact us<\/a>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The “Best When Managed” Team<\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\"\"<\/a>MYLES THORPE – PRESIDENT<\/b><\/h2>

Owner of Thorpe Ag Ventures<\/p>

Myles Thorpe operates Thorpe Ag Ventures, a grain farm in the Spy Hill, Sask area, about an hour SE of Yorkton. \u00a0Myles grew up on the family farm, where he became passionate about agriculture, always knowing where his career path would take him. \u00a0He bought his first \u00bc section at the age of 17, and has been invested ever since!<\/p>

Myles completed a degree in Agriculture from the University of Saskatchewan, and following that, worked in the Ag industry for nine years in various sales, management and financial lending roles. \u00a0These combined experiences have given him the drive to maximize the efficiency of all aspects on his farm, especially its most vital assets, land and water.<\/p>

Myles is the president of Saskatchewan Farm Stewardship Association. \u00a0SaskFSA advocates for progressive land and water management policy driven by agriculture landowners and supported by the citizens of Saskatchewan. \u00a0Whether it is by traditional surface methods, or by tile drainage, responsible and organized land and water management is vital to the success of individual farms, communities and the province. The importance of land and water management is often over looked. Myles advocates for SK farmers and the benefits \u00a0of a well-designed land and water management plan as he knows first-hand the economic and agronomic benefits.<\/p>

Email Myles Thorpe<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRYAN MAURER \u2013 VICE PRESIDENT<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t

\"\"<\/a>RYAN MAURER \u2013 VICE PRESIDENT<\/b><\/h2>
Ryan grew up on a grain, dairy and hog farm in the Neudorf area. In 1984 Ryan started farming alongside his parents and brothers. In 1986 Ryan bought his first land within a C&D area and soon came to appreciate the benefits of water management and efficient land. Ryan and his wife Lauren and family operate Land and Sky Grains at Grenfell SK.\u00a0<\/div>
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Ryan currently sits on 2 C&D boards as well as RM council. Ryan is past president of the local SK Wildlife Federation and past board member of the policy think tank, George Morris Center, based out of Guelph.\u00a0<\/div>
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Ryan has participated in many continuous learning events over the years either as a participant or guest speaker. Continuous learning is not only practiced in a classroom but on their farm as well.\u00a0 \u2018Best when Managed\u2019 is definitely Ryan\u2019s approach to responsibly managing an excess or shortage of soil moisture: using tile pipe, culvert sizing, control gates and temporary holding ponds to control excess moisture, while using crop and input precision practices, cover crop areas and no-till practices to manage moisture shortages and reclaim soil health.<\/div>

Email Ryan<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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\"\"<\/a>BLAIR HARRIS \u2013 TREASURER<\/b><\/h2>

Blair Harris was born in 1963 on his family’s Century farm near Yorkton and currently live 2 miles from his great-grandfathers 1887 homestead.\u00a0 Blair bought his first quarter of land in 1984 while attending the University of Saskatchewan obtaining his Degree in Agriculture. He chose to major in soil science; without the soil, there is no farming.\u00a0 His farm is located east of Yorkton along Yorkton Creek which acts as a barometer of the water level in the region.<\/p>

Blair spent 7 years working at the Sask Crop Insurance head office in Melville.\u00a0 He was responsible for developing policies and ensuring actuarial soundness of the crop insurance program.\u00a0 Blair was part of the committees that developed individual coverage programs and insurance on new crops. He was the Sask representative on the national committee to develop the Gross Revenue Insurance Program in the 90s.<\/p>

For the next 7 years, Blair worked as a Agronomist for a fertilizer company in various parts of the province, Rosetown, North Battleford, Weyburn and back to Yorkton.\u00a0 He also worked as a private Ag Consultant scouting fields in the summer and assisting farmers complete CAIS forms in the winter.<\/p>

After getting married to Dolores in 2002, Blair and his wife bought their neighbor’s farm and moved to the country. Since then, I have farmed full time, expanding and taking over management of the family farm which has grown to 3,000 acres. \u00a0While most of my land is well drained by the Yorkton Creek, he has also seen the results when it floods. They also have land that is affected by other well intentioned “Conservation” projects.<\/p>

Email Blair Harris<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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DAVID ZERR \u2013 PAST PRESIDENT<\/b><\/h2>

David Zerr is the owner of a third generation family farm that celebrated it\u2019s centennial in 1998.\u00a0 David purchased his first quarter of land in 1973 and has been on a C&D Board for 30 years, an RM Councilor for 16 years, a Board member of Smith Creek Watershed Association for 4 years and a founding member of SaskFSA — past President and currently serving as Vice-President.\u00a0 David is passionate about farming and views the work done by SaskFSA to be the most important initiative in farming today. Through lobbying and working with the Provincial Government, SaskFSA hopes to help develop policies that can work for farmers so that future generations can be involved in sustainable agriculture. \u00a0It is imperative that farmers are at the negotiating table when decisions are being made about their industry.<\/p>

David graduated from University of Regina in 1975 before traveling around the world for 7 months. He’s also had a number of seasonal jobs while farming, including:<\/p>