SaskOats Governance & Regulations

Saskatchewan

SaskOats (Saskatchewan Oat Development Commission) is regulated under the Saskatchewan Agri-Food Act and monitored by the Saskatchewan Agri-Food Council. Council members are appointed by and accountable to the Saskatchewan Minister of Agriculture. SaskOats is governed by The Oat Development Plan Regulations, 2017.

Election Process

SaskOats is governed by six farmer directors who are democratically elected by levy payers to ensure the Commission’s strategic priorities are effectively executed by the SaskOats staff. Director responsibilities include board meetings, plus participation on various committees and all directors are automatically a member of the Prairie Oat Growers (POGA) Board of Directors.

Elections for the SaskOats Board of Directors are held every two years. Farmers who have paid an oat levy within the two years prior to an election, and have not requested a refund, are eligible to run in the election. Interested producers can contact the POGA office to express interest and obtain the necessary forms for completion. Directors are elected for a four-year term and are eligible to run for a second term, for a total of eight years.

Annual General Meeting

The SaskOats Annual General Meeting (AGM) takes place each year in January unless there are extenuating circumstances. The AGM welcomes new directors in election years and includes the appointment of the auditor for the upcoming year, and reporting on the audited financials and activities of the past year as part of the annual report.

The AGM is a great opportunity for levy payers to ask questions or bring forward any resolutions (a formal motion requesting that SaskOats take action on a particular activity or issue). If a producer is interested in bringing a resolution forward to the AGM, please contact the POGA office at least 30 days in advance for further information.