The Saskatchewan Stock Growers Foundation (SSGF) held it’s 2nd Annual General Meeting on Tuesday, June 15th in conjunction with the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association (SSGA) Annual Meeting.
The SSGF was founded in 2019 with four key objectives which are: to conserve agricultural lands, to advance education, to relieve poverty and to assist victims of disasters. Many of these objectives are things that the SSGA was previously doing but being granted charitable status allows the Foundation to seek additional charitable and grant funding.
“We believe there is a great opportunity for the Foundation to fill a growing need in the ranching community for voluntary, private-sector options for agricultural land conservation,” indicated Ray McDougald, the SSGF Chairman. “As the first and only provincial agricultural land conservation organization based in Saskatchewan, the Foundation is uniquely positioned to take a leadership role in the development and implementation of innovative agriculture friendly conservation agreements.”
This past year the Foundation focused on building the organization to be able to accomplish its mission. Much of the work was focused on the development of the Weston project with significant financial support from the Weston Family Foundation.
This funding allowed the Foundation to hire its first staff members who are responsible for the delivery of the programs and initiatives to build the infrastructure as one of the few organizations able hold conservation easements in the province.
The following Directors for the Foundation were also elected at the AGM.
Dr. Cameron Carlyle
Garner Deobald
Helen Finucane
Ray McDougald
Nancy McMahon
Miles McNeil
Dr. Jeremy Pittman
Brian Weedon
Jeff Yorga
“We’re looking ahead to a busy and productive year in 2021 as we begin the real work to create partnerships with numerous organizations and develop the framework and policies that will provide producers with opportunities to create conservation easements that will help to protect our native grasslands,” said McDougald.
For more information, contact:
Wayne Hellquist
General Manager
Saskatchewan Stock Growers Foundation
(306) 539-3699
wayne@future-quest.ca
