In the interest of security, directors’ personal e-mail addresses and phone numbers are no longer listed on the POGA website. To contact a board member, please send your email to info@poga.ca and it will be forwarded to the board member, as requested. You may also leave a message for a board member with Shawna Mathieson, Executive Director, at 306-530-8545. We apologize for any inconvenience.
The following are the members of the SaskOats Board of Directors for the current year:
Elwood White
Chair
P.O. Box 4
Pangman, SK S0C 2C0
Please scroll below the photos for a message from your SaskOats chair!
Landon Kuschak
Vice-Chair
PO Box 264
Ituna, SK S0A 1N0
Ryan Zuchkan
Audit Chair
Box 340
Foam Lake, SK S0A 1A0
Jessica Slowski
PO Box 356
Sheho, SK S0A 3T0
David Katerynych
PO Box 2
Richard, SK S0M 2P0
Ambrely Ralph
PO Box 84
Arborfield, SK S0E 0A0
Shawna Mathieson
Executive Director
PO Box 20106
Regina, SK S4P 4J7
A MESSAGE FROM YOUR SASKOATS CHAIR
SaskOats chair and POGA board member Elwood White, and his wife, Joy, operate CS White Farms Inc. (the ‘CS’ in the name denotes their children, Caleb and Skylar).
The third-generation farm is located at Pangman, SK, about 100 km south of Regina. It is a mixed grain and cattle operation. Elwood shares, “We farm using a combination of approaches—conventional and also a bit organic.”
Crops grown include oats, durum wheat, canola, lentils, peas, flax and barley. As to why he chooses to grow oats, he explains, “Oats have always been an important part of our farm. My father, Lewis, always knew the importance of seeding oats to be used as a cash crop, livestock feed source, greenfeed and swath grazing.”
The farm is in the Palliser Triangle Area of Saskatchewan, which is often hot and short of rainfall.
Elwood holds a degree in economics and also has significant board experience. He was an elected school trustee (2012-2020), and also sat on boards with Co-op, R.M. of Norton, Pangman School Council and Pangman Daycare.
He decided to run for a seat on the SaskOats board for several reasons. Elwood shares, “I want to help promote oats in the marketplace and the health benefits of oats for human consumption. I also appreciate the associations’ ability to directly fund research projects.”
When they are not farming, Elwood and his family enjoy hunting, camping and downhill skiing.
Regarding his decision to accept the SaskOats chair position, Elwood states, “I am honoured to be the chair of the Saskatchewan Oat Development Commission. The potential to expand the oat markets has never been greater. Research has proven oats to be a healthy food choice with many benefits, such as helping to manage diabetes and improving heart health. Oats also has huge potential as a protein source. It is a privilege to work with amazing board members and staff to help direct research and market development, with profitability for oat producers as our main focus.”
The Saskatchewan Oat Development Commission has six members on its board of directors. These individuals are oat growers within the province that have expressed interest and were voted in by other oat producers in the province.
SaskOats members are also encouraged to let their names stand for director positions. Benefits of being a director for SaskOats include:
- Identify and direct research for the benefit of the entire industry;
- Increased industry knowledge;
- The opportunity to meet a large number of influential millers, buyers, and government officials across the province, nation and globally;
- Increased information sharing with other growers to learn what other farmers are doing and have experienced;
- Professional development;
- Reimbursement for all travel, honorariums for time spent on the commissions’ projects and committees.
Please contact the POGA office for information on how to express interest.
