b'ENSURING TRANSPARENCY, STABILITY FOR STAFF IS PARAMOUNT AS FORMER FCDC BECOMES WESTERN CROP INNOVATIONSWCI has a terrific staff that understands how to navigate the road ahead, says former program manager.Marc ZienkiewiczJASON LENZ AND the board of the new Western Crop Innovations (WCI) have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity ahead of them: to lay the foundation of theMark Olson is interim executive director for organization anew while managing theWestern Crop Innovations.transition of assets from when it wasKofi Agblor is the former program directorknown as the Field Crop Developmentfor the Field Crop Development Centre.Centre (FCDC).Despite the challenges ahead, hes encouraged by current progress to date.Since announcing earlier this year that the FCDC has been rebranded as WCI (a non-profit formed to take on the transition and guide the facility into the future), WCI now has an interim executive director on boardMark Olson, former interim general manager for Alberta Grainsand is currently looking ahead to planning its field day as part of AgSmart, a partnership that started last year with great success when the FCDC Field Day combined with AgSmart for the first time. John Conrad serves as assistant deputy From the outset, our priority hasminister at Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation, and played a pivotal role in the plan to been ensuring transparency and stabilitytransition the former FCDC to Western Crop for WCIs existing staff. Weve suc- Innovations.ceeded in providing them with a sense of security as they prepare for the upcoming research season, Lenz says. Lenz is also a board member for Results Driven Agriculture Research Fred Lozeman (whos been farmingsary, will be transitioned to ensure crop (RDAR). Hes served as director onand ranching in Alberta for almost 30innovations support farmers needs now numerous agriculture commissions andyears and has sat on numerous agricul- and into the future, according to the councils such as Alberta Grains, thetural boards) and DArcy Hilgartnerprovince.Western Grains Research Foundation,(who has served as chair of the AlbertaThe transition plan document was and the Canada Grains Council. HesPulse Growers Association and theprepared by John Conrad, assistant also a grain farmer and operates a cow- Alberta Grains Council). deputy minister at Alberta Agriculture calf beef operation in Bentley, Alta. As part of the WCI Transitionand Irrigation, and seeks the near-term Two other RDAR board membersManagement Plan, WCI will go throughinvestment of industry partners over the join him as the interim board for WCIa 12-month review and, where neces- next year.16 SEEDWORLD.COM/CANADA JULY 2024'