Prairie Oat Growers Association(POGA) is a voluntary organization of prairie oat growers established to promote the interests of oat growers and oat marketing. POGA was formed in 1998 out of the former Alberta Oat Growers Association. It consists of producers, and associate members from the handling, milling and supply sectors.

The overall objective of the organization is reflected in its mission statement:

Our mission is to develop and support partnerships in the agricultural industry that will enhance the profitability of oats for the grower and increase its value to the customer.

The mission statement translates into POGA activities with strong emphasis on:

• Production and agronomic research;
• Communicating research results to farmers;
• Supporting market development initiatives;
• Networking with participants in research, processing and handling;
• Representing oat growers' views in policy development and regulatory matters.

POGA, primarily through its board of directors, has developed and maintains a close working relationship with the research community that works on oats for food and for feed, and with the processors-buyers who use oats for the Canadian and U.S. food market.

POGA is organized around a board of directors that is fully reflective of its prairie-wide membership. The board of directors consists of five members from each province and two ex-officio members.

Each province has a vice-president who is elected at the annual general meeting, as are the president and vice-president. The head office of POGA is in Saltcoats, SK. Since its inception, members of the board of directors have covered their own expenses and time for attending meetings and conducting most of the affairs of the organization.

POGA has accomplished a great deal in raising awareness of the oat industry, in establishing valuable lines of communication across the industry, and in promoting the interests of oat growers.

Oat production continues to expand, particularly in the eastern portion of the prairies where there is direct access to the processing sector in the northern plains of the United States. U.S. oat production, located mostly in the northern plains states, has declined steadily since the 1960s providing an excellent opportunity for prairie producers to meet the demand in the United States.

Until recently most of the processing was done in the United States but that function is also moving steadily and significantly onto the prairies. In many respects the growth in oats production and processing has been one of a few real success stories of prairie agriculture and food over the past decade or so.

POGA activities:

Producer Meetings -- As POGA matures, it is developing a program for linking oat growers with their buyers and the research community which supports oat production. The program began with the commitment to distribute a periodic newsletter, The Oat Scoop, with timely information on events, developments, research findings, and some market information.

The second phase of linking producers with their market and research environments is a series of producer informational meetings held in winter at a time when market conditions for the new crop are beginning to form. These meetings include presentations from oat researchers and processors, and usually include some market analysis. Oat buyers and dealers are encouraged to attend bringing producers and buyers in contact at a time when production planning is underway.

Meeting Attendance -- Another function performed by board members is representation of oat growers at major industry and government meetings. The meetings circuit is, of course, where most of decisions are made influencing how the production, research, marketing, and regulatory systems will work. If oat growers are to get their share of consideration when the money is being distributed or rules are being changed, oat growers have to be at the table and the need to be heard. Our ability to be at those tables is restricted by limited resources, but we do attend a number of important committees, and we comment on proposals as they circulate electronically.

Research Priorities and Funding -- Another high priority of POGA is assuring that oat production research is maintained in the ever-increasingly competitive world of scarce research dollars. We support the research community through attendance at demonstration days across the prairies, by invitations to producer information days, by recognition in written submissions, and by reviewing research proposals that are circulated.

This priority, and moving market development initiatives higher on the activity list, are two of the fundamental activities critical to meeting the organization’s objectives. POGA must to direct and support a larger research and market development capability for the entire industry.

Annual General Meeting -- The annual general meeting is held in early December and rotates among the three provinces. The AGM is a significant milestone in POGA’s operation. It is used to promote the organization, forms part of the producer information strategy, and provides the opportunity for members to bring their views to the board face-to-face. The AGM is also where the executive is elected.

POGA Board of Directors:

Bill Wilton, President
38 Rainbow Cove, Winnipeg MB R2J 3Z5
204.253.6211
Cell 204.795.0572
peggy@mts.net

Al Lyons, Past President
43 MacAlester Bay, Winnipeg MB R3T 2X6
204.261.7869
Fax 204.269.7774
a_lloyns@shaw.ca

Willy Zuchkan, VP*
Box 340, Foam Lake SK S0A 1A0
306.272.4681
Fax 306.272.4406

Lorne Floyd, MB VP
Box 606, Arborg MB R0C 0A0
204.376.2878
Fax 204.364.3040
lnlfloyd@mts.net

Richard Pedde, SK VP
Box 178, Indian Head SK S0G 2K0
306.695.3719
pedde@sasktel.net

Dwayne Anderson, Director**
Box 23, Fosston SK S0E 0V0
306.322.4415
Cell 306.322.7788
anderson.farm@sasktel.net

Tyson Becker, Director*
Box 1264, Yorkton SK S3N 2X3
306.782.3220
Cell 306.621.6778
tysonb@imagewireless.ca

Jack Shymko, Director*
Box 327, Ituna SK S0A 1N0
306.675.4419
Fax 306.675.6020
Jack.shymko@sasktel.net

Michael Spilchuk, Director*
Box 730, Ituna SK S0A 1N0
306.795.2941
Fax 306.795.2796
mkspilchuk@sasktel.net

Gordon Trenholm, Director
520 Horton Ave, Winnipeg MB R2C 2G6
204.222.0372  
gordonandlynda@shaw.ca

Lorne Kyle, Interim Director
Box 37, Oakbank MB R0E 1J0
204.822.4396
Fax 204.822.8550
lcrdkyle@cici.mb.ca

Bob Anderson, Interim Director
Box 248, Dugald SK R0E 0K0
204.853.7989
Fax 204.853.7368
j.anderson@uwinnipeg.ca

Tom Hewson, Member-at-Large
RR 1, Langbank SK S0G 2X0
306.538.4572
Fax 306.538.4467
hewws@sasktel.net

Robert Elmy, Member-at-Large
Box 477, Saltcoats SK S0A 3R0
306.744.2779
Fax 306.744.2410
robert@friendlyacres.sk.ca

Richard Nordstrom, Member-at-Large
Box 237, Viking AB T0B 4N0
780.336.4875
Fax 780.336.4030
tholak@telusplanet.net

Ken Perreault, Member-at-Large
Box 368, Castor AB T0C 0X0
403.882.2250
Fax 403.882.2250
kenp@telusplanet.net

Edgar Scheurer, Director
Box 11 Grp 18 RR1, Dugald MB R0E 0K0
204.853.2023
Cell 204.281.0465
escheurer@mts.net

POGA Office
306.744.2775
Fax 306.744.2770
Box 158 Saltcoats SK
POGA@imagewireless.ca
Jack Dawes, Secretary-Treasurer, Cell 306.621.9535

*Director – Saskatchewan Oat Development Commission
**Interim Chair – Saskatchewan Oat Development Commission

Oat Buyers Important Link

SODC interim chair Dwayne Anderson of Fosston says the directors are well aware of their responsibility to producers for the wise stewardship of their money. “Because the check-off is refundable, we know that in the long-term producers will either give us their vote of confidence by leaving their funds within the check-off or they will withdraw it. We plan to treat them like investors in a company they own and will work to earn their trust.” 

A few companies have chosen not to have their names listed, but SODC appreciates their co operation in collecting the check-off and that of the companies listed below.

AGRICORE UNITED PO BOX 6600 WINNIPEG
C B CONSTANTINI LTD 730-1508 W BROADWAY VANCOUVER
CAN-OAT MILLING PO BOX 1299 MARTENSVILLE
CAN-OAT MILLING PO BOX 520 PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE
CARGILL LIMITED 300-240 GRAHAM AVE PO BOX 5900 WINNIPEG
DELMAR COMMODITIES LTD 915 NAVIGATOR DR PO BOX 1055 WINKLER
FILL-MORE SEEDS INC PO BOX 70 FILLMORE
GRAIN MILLERS CANADA CORP 1 GRAIN MILLERS DR PO BOX 5040 YORKTON
LINEAR GRAIN INC 67 CENTER AVE W PO BOX 219 CARMAN
NEWCO COMMODITIES LTD PO BOX 717 COALDALE
NORTH EAST TERMINAL LTD PO BOX 177 WADENA
NORTH WEST TERMINAL LTD PO BOX 1090 UNITY
PARRISH & HEIMBECKER LTD 1400-201 PORTAGE AVE WINNIPEG
PATERSON GRAIN 22ND FLOOR, 333 MAIN ST WINNIPEG
PEARMAN FEED & GRAIN 323 NEMEIBEN RD SASKATOON
PIONEER GRAIN 2800-1 LOMBARD PLACE WINNIPEG
SASKATCHEWAN WHEAT POOL INC 2625 VICTORIA AVE REGINA
SCOULAR CANADA LTD 205-200 RIVERCREST DR SE CALGARY
SEDLEY SEEDS LTD PO BOX 70 SEDLEY
SEED-EX INC PO BOX 238 LETELLIER
HORIZON MILLING GP 95 33RD ST EAST SASKATOON