Dave Sefton of Broadview Saskatchewan was elected as Chair of the Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF) at its annual meeting in Lethbridge on March 7, 2012. Dr. Keith Degenhardt of Hughenden, Alberta was elected as Vice-Chair. Others elected to the WGRF Executive were Gerrid Gust of Davidson, Saskatchewan, Peter Pepneck of Vauxhaull, Alberta and Bob Anderson of Dugald, Manitoba.

“I believe one of WGRF’s greatest strengths is its broad producer membership from across Western Canada. I am very honored to have been elected as the Board Chair and I look forward to helping strengthen WGRF’s position as a leading funder of agricultural research in western Canada” says Sefton.

Dave and his family farm near Broadview Saskatchewan. Dave is the representative from the Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission on the WGRF Board. He is a former WGRF Vice-Chair and has been on the WGRF Board of Directors since 2002. Dave has been actively involved in producer groups for many years holding numerous positions.

“2012 is going to be a very important and productive year for WGRF and I know we will be well served having someone with Dave’s experience and leadership as the Chair of WGRF” says Garth Patterson, Executive Director of WGRF.

The Board that over-sees WGRF is comprised of 14 producers representing the crop production sector in Western Canada and one non-voting representative from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. The 2012 WGRF Board is:

Dave Sefton, Chair – Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission
Dr. Keith Degenhardt, Vice-Chair – Wild Rose Agricultural Producers
Todd Lewis – Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan
Dr. Stephen Morgan Jones – Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada (non-voting)
Peter Pepneck – Alberta Soft Wheat Producers Commission
Martin Moore – BC Grain Producers Association
Colin Felstad – Canadian Canola Growers Association
Joe Rennick – Canadian Seed Growers Association
Don Dewar – Keystone Agricultural Producers
Bill Gehl – National Farmers Union
Bob Anderson – Prairie Oat Growers Association
Mel Stickland – Western Barley Growers Association
Gerrid Gust – Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association
Fred Grieg – Western Pulse Growers Association
Garth Butcher – Western Winter Cereal Producers

For further information, contact:

Mike Espeseth
Communications Manager
Western Grains Research Foundation
(306) 975-0365
communications@westerngrains.com

WGRF Backgrounder

Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF) is a farmer funded and directed non-profit organization investing primarily in wheat and barley variety development to benefit western Canadian producers. Through investments of over $57 million WGRF has assisted in the development and release of more than 100 new wheat and barley varieties over the past decade and a half, many of which are today seeded to large portions of the cropland in Western Canada. WGRF also invests in research on other western Canadian crops through the Endowment fund. Since 1981 the Endowment Fund has supported a wealth of innovation across Western Canada providing over $26 million in funding for over 230 research projects.