A new chair, vice-chair and new directors have been appointed, and one existing director extended, to the board of the Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation (MASC), Agriculture Minister Ralph Eichler announced today.
“The individuals appointed and extended on the board of the Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation will play an important role in supporting agricultural stakeholders in our province,” said Eichler. “Agriculture is a key economic driver in Manitoba and I have great confidence in the experience, knowledge and abilities of the newly formed board of MASC in helping to further grow and diversify the sector.”
The board of directors for Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation is responsible to support and encourage the sustainability, development and diversification of agriculture and the rural economy of Manitoba by providing programs and services as set out in the Manitoba Agricultural Services Act.
The new chair of the board is Jim Wilson and the vice-chair is Charles Mayer.
- Wilson operates a grain farm in the community of Darlingford. He is also a chartered accountant, previously working in public practice for 20 years with a focus on business and individual advisory and tax services.
- Mayer is a former federal minister of agriculture and a former member of the Canadian House of Commons, serving for 15 years as the member of Parliament for Portage-Marquette. He has operated a mixed farm involving cattle and irrigated crops.
Newly appointed directors are Karen Fatteicher, Suszanne Jones, Darrell McElroy, Laurent Ponsin and Diane Rourke.
- Fatteicher is co-owner of 360 AG Consulting, which provides agronomic services to producers. She has experience working in the chemical, grain and retail industries in Manitoba.
- Jones is an owner and partner in a seed farm. She formerly operated a cattle ranch for more than 30 years. Jones has held numerous board appointments including director of Marquette Co-op and Manitoba Agriculture Credit Corporation.
- McElroy is an agronomist at Hemp Oil Canada Inc. He is a former producer who was one of Manitoba’s first hemp growers when it was licensed to grow commercially in 1998.
- Ponsin is a producer and farm owner in St. Eustache. He has also served the community as a volunteer firefighter.
- Rourke is a farmer, agriculture entrepreneur and advocate for rural life. She is an active volunteer with the Manitoba Agriculture Museum and the Walk to Make Cystic Fibrosis History.
Doug Chorney has been extended as an existing director. Chorney is a grain and vegetable producer in East Selkirk. He is a former president of Keystone Agricultural Producers, serving in the role from 2011 to 2015. Chorney has been a director for MASC since June 2015.
Eichler thanked previous board members for their past service to the Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation.
Source : Manitoba Agriculture