Across agriculture there are a variety of association boards that are run by volunteers ranging from farmers to company presidents. These boards are integral to the agriculture world and help advocate for the industry at national and international levels, while also providing networking and training opportunities for members. However, being a member of these boards isn’t always easy.
On the April 27 episode of Seed Speaks we’re taking a closer look at what being on an ag board includes and how you can step up to the leadership challenge. We’re joined by Wayne Gale, the past chair of the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA), Mike Ammeter, chair of the Canadian Canola Growers Association (CCGA), and Ashley Knapton who is a member of various ag boards.
Gale is the past chair of ASTA and current president of Stoke Seeds, a major breeder producer of flower and vegetable seed to home gardeners, truck farmers and commercial growers, with operations in Canada the eastern United States. He’s also part of ASTA’s Leadership, Education and Development Committee (LEAD) which provides ASTA members with opportunities to expand their knowledge and gain experience in skills necessary to sustain and grow a career in the seed industry. This is done through a mix of distance learning opportunities and in-person meetings.
Ammeter is chair of the CCGA and a board member of the Alberta Canola Producers Commission. He often represents canola farmers in national policy discussions and has appeared before various committees of the Canadian House of Commons and Senate. Ammeter operates a 1,400-acre grain farm in central Alberta near Sylvan Lake and is a third-generation farmer.
Knapton is the dairy strategic accounts manager with Corteva Agriscience for Ontario and the Maritimes, and is actively involved in her family’s dairy farm in the Ottawa Valley. She sits on a wide variety of boards in the industry, including the Lanark Federation of Agriculture, Lanark County Soil and Crop, Ottawa Valley Seed Growers Association, Ontario Certified Crop Advisors and the Agricultural Adaptation Council.
Join us on April 27 at 12 p.m. CDT on Seed World’s Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn pages to watch the discussion.
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