Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF) is announcing today the upcoming retirement of their Executive Director Garth Patterson. The organization wishes to thank Garth for his contribution as Executive Director over the past 11 years.

“Garth’s leadership has been instrumental in helping to enable WGRF to grow and evolve into the largest producer funder of crop research in Canada,” says Dr. Keith Degenhardt, WGRF Board Chair.  “WGRF averages $12.8 million annually in research funding and our research scope is vast, covering 15 prairie crops in the areas of variety development and production for both single crop and cross-cutting crop research. On behalf of the WGRF Board, I would like to thank Garth for helping WGRF deliver on it mission and vision and wish him nothing but success in his new ventures.”

“Over the past eleven years it has been an honour and a privilege to serve the Board of Directors and be part of a creative and committed team of employees,” says Garth Patterson. “I believe that WGRF has a bright future and will continue to be a leading funder of crop research and crop research capacity for the benefit of prairie farmers.”

Patterson will continue as Executive Director until December 2022. Over the next several months, the Board will be working with Ralph Kikkert at Strive to conduct a thorough search to find WGRF’s next Executive Director. WGRF’s priority is to find a dynamic leader with a true passion for its mission: Producers directing investment in crop research to benefit western Canadian grain farmers. 

Please contact Ralph Kikkert at WGRF@strive.com or 905-512-0347 if you or someone you know would consider taking on this new opportunity to further the cause for Canadian farmers and take WGRF into the future. Interested candidates can find more information here