Saskatchewan Cattle Association reviews structure, communications
REGINA — The Saskatchewan Cattle Association is reviewing its governance and operations to make sure it is best representing producers.
This isn’t likely to result in changes to the representation structure based on cattle numbers, said chair Chad Ross, but it is including a look at the organization’s communication efforts, given the recent producer concerns about proposed traceability regulations.
Ross said a periodic evaluation of how an organization is doing business is necessary.
“I think it’s just healthy to make sure that we’re in alignment with our direction and doing the best for our producers,” he said in an interview.
Some tough decisions had to be made, he said.
SCA recently saw several staffing changes. Janice Bruynooghe and Sandy Russell from Spring Creek Land & Cattle Consulting have been acting interim chief executive officers as of Feb. 1.
A press release announcing the strategic review said the organization “will maintain a disciplined approach to how levy dollars are invested, with a renewed emphasis on research, communicating the outcomes of advocacy and policy work, and ensuring the relevance of these efforts for Saskatchewan cattle producers.”
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SCA represents anyone in the province who sells cattle and pays check-off levies and has spent the past few years cutting costs in anticipation of fewer levies coming in. Producers began retaining cattle last year after the sell-off that began in 2018 dropped the national herd to its smallest since the late 1980s.
The organization said it would improve how producers can have their say because their input is key.
“Producers expect to get answers to their questions and concerns as well as see the value of the work being done on their behalf, and we are committed to delivering on that priority,” said Ross.
At the same time, attendance at the fall district meetings where producers can put resolutions forward and ask questions has been low. Ross said board members want to hear what producers’ challenges are and how SCA could help with programs, regulations and government relations.
“It’s easy to have complacence, and we don’t want that,” he said.
The producer uproar across Canada over proposed traceability regulations from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, which led the regulations to be paused and organizations to eventually say they couldn’t support them, demonstrated that all involved have to do a better job of communicating. Those regulations had been in the works for years.
Ross said the review is looking at how to draw more people to the district meetings so everyone is informed.
SCA is regulated through the provincial Agri-Food Council and recently met with that board to discuss the direction it wants to go.
As of Aug. 1, 2025, the provincial levy rose 75 cents to help fund both the organization and research, and still cuts were required. The current budget was done last fall.
SCA has hired Meyers Norris Penny to go through its financial information, make sure it’s in order and provide advice.
“That’s part of the review, and then we can go through the budgeting process after that,” said Ross.
Russell and Bruynooghe are leading the strategic review and the hiring of the next CEO. Ross said it’s like “trying to find a unicorn.”
The organization is looking for someone who understands the cattle industry and can deal with the board, producers and government. He said it hope to have someone in place by late fall who can take over at the next annual general meeting in January.
Source: producer.com