BARRHEAD – A Neerlandia area farmer has been elected as the new chair of the Alberta Pulse Growers Commission (APG), a non-profit organization that supports more than 5,400 Alberta farmers who grow dried peas, beans, chickpeas, lentils, soybeans and faba beans.
Shane Strydhorst, who was previously the Zone 3 director on the 12-member APG board, was elected to his new position at the organization’s annual general meeting on Jan. 24. The positions of chair and vice-chair are elected from the APG board each year, and a director can serve in the role of chair for up to a maximum of three years.
Shane took over the role of chair from Robert Semeniuk of Smoky Lake, who in turn became past chair. “I’m looking forward to continuing the great work this board has started under Robert’s leadership to maximize opportunities for Alberta’s pulse farmers,” Shane said, in a release.
In an interview, Shane said he farms just northwest of the hamlet of Neerlandia and his operation is about 1,500 acres in size. The release notes that he grows peas, faba beans and other crops alongside his wife Sheri.
Though he was born in Ottawa, Shane indicated he grew up working on the farm alongside his father and uncle. “I always knew it was what I wanted to do,” he said.
He served on a zone advisory board for three years before joining the provincial APG board in 2021.
As noted on the organization’s website, the APG collects a refundable levy based on 0.75 per cent of the cash sale of pulse crops in the province. Shane said they direct the funds from that levy towards doing research, such as tackling issues like root rot in peas and adapting new pulse crop types to grow in western Canada
He said they also do a lot of work on advocacy, trying to get better recognition from the federal government especially for the contributions farmers make to the environment and economy.
“Everything we do (at APG) is focused on benefiting our farmers,” he said. “There’s a lot going on. It’s a pretty steep learning curve once you get involved at a higher level, but it’s very rewarding too.”
Besides himself, Shane noted the APG has a few more connections to the Barrhead area, as a couple of past chairs (Richard Krikke and Rick Mueller) hail from the region.
Also, his wife Sheri and Ken Lopetinsky conducted research for the organization between 15 to 25 years ago “that has contributed quite a bit to the knowledge base we have now.”
Finally, he noted that the late Clifford Cyre, who farmed in the Barrhead area before passing away in 2021, was instrumental in having faba beans commercialized in western Canada. He was recognized posthumously in 2022 with the Alberta Pulse Innovator Award for his work
Incidentally, Shane is also a director with Pulse Canada and will be travelling to Ottawa this week to have some “significant meetings” with federal officials in an effort to raise awareness about agriculture and pulse crops specifically.
“It will be my first time doing such an event. I look forward to ... representing farmers and doing our best to have our voice heard,” he said.
On a final note, Shane encouraged other farmers to get involved in crop commissions like the APG because it is a great way to help shape the agriculture industry.
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