The Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS) has returning faces along with some new ones to its board of directors following its annual general meeting. Along with changes to leadership, the farm group also passed a number of resolutions.
At its annual general meeting, current president, Todd Lewis, was elected again to the position for next year along with vice-president, Ian Boxall. New in the executive ring, is Bill Prybylski as the other vice-president replacing James Vogt; Vogt remains as an APAS representative for district one.
Steven Donald and Devin Harlick are also new to becoming APAS representatives for districts one and three respectively. To see the breakdown of the membership map, click here.
A total of 32 resolutions were passed at the meeting held at Regina, Saskatchewan. They tackle everything from requesting the Saskatchewan government to provide tax relief for provincially regulated short line railways on the purchase of fuel and other railway inputs, to speaking with SaskPower to ensure all new and replacement power lines to follow section lines rather than cutting across agricultural land on the angle to avoid a safety hazard. The full list of actions can be viewed here.
Carbon fight
It was also announced APAS is applying for intervenor status in the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal reference case on the federal carbon tax.
“APAS members believe that their perspective on the Federal Carbon Backstop policy needs to be heard,” Lewis says. “The impacts of the proposed Federal carbon pricing scheme will add direct costs to our operations without helping to solve the problems with carbon emissions.”
In its application, the farm group representing 138 rural municipalities, makes the case that rather than solving the problem, adding costs to agricultural producers could hamstring their ability to adapt to the impacts of climate change. According to the news release, Lewis says the federal government’s backstop policy also failed to recognize agriculture’s role in sequestering and storing carbon.