GARY STANFORD A new season in an agricultural life By Victoria Russell Communications Specialist f you’re on Twitter, you might know Ihim as “Senator Stanford.” And while he isn’t actually a senator, Gary Stanford has certainly done a lot for farmers. For the last several years, Stanford has successfully balanced his responsibilities as president of the Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) with his role as a board member for the Alberta Wheat Commission (AWC), while managing his farm and family life in Magrath, AB. Stanford recently stepped down from his role with the Grain Growers. Following his three- Gary Stanford prepares for an interview on the Trans-Pacific Partnership for Business News Network. year term as president, and three years as vice-president before that, it’s clear to the shift from the single desk to AWC spoke with Stanford to learn that he has established himself as a the open market, Stanford was busy more about some of his most memo- key player responsible for shaping meeting with the federal government rable experiences as president of the the Canadian agriculture industry by and the Canadian Wheat Board, GGC. advocating for farmers on Parliament advocating for change. Stanford has Hill and around the world. travelled all over the world—includ- AWC: What is it about politics that The GGC plays a key role in federal ing stops in Switzerland, Singapore motivates you to get involved, espe- grain advocacy efforts, with a mandate and other parts of Asia—to work with cially knowing that your advocacy to influence federal policy on behalf of his peers to build new markets for work through the GGC will keep you independent grain farmers and their Canadian grain. He was involved in away from the farm? associations, including AWC. Located advocating for legislation to strength- Stanford: I have a specific apprecia- in Ottawa, its leadership regularly en plant-breeding programming tion for ag politics. Meeting with all meets with parliamentarians in an while protecting plant breeders’ the ministers and MPs on the Hill, it’s effort to represent the farmer voice rights, which eventually made its an opportunity to represent farmers and provide direction for national way through the House and Senate. and help set the future direction for policy that supports a competitive and He’s done hundreds of interviews, agriculture. I helped set up the five sustainable Canadian grain industry. including several on Business News committees of the GGC that still make Throughout his tenure with the Network, making him one of the most up its structure today. Those com- GGC, Stanford was involved with recognizable faces in Canadian agri- mittees—transportation, safety nets, some of the most influential policy culture, while helping to shed light on marketing and trade, sound science files that have shaped the modern the challenges and opportunities our and sustainability, and research—they era for the grain industry. Leading up industry faces. represent the major policy issues albertawheat.com today in ag, and I’ve been totally immersed in each one. AWC: Is there a particularly memora- ble time when you had to go the extra mile for farmers? Stanford: When I was in Singapore presenting to the Asian buyers at the Global Grain conference, the Aus- tralians spoke before me. This was just after the difficult winter we had in December 2013 with the transpor- tation backlog that cost farmers so much. They were slamming Canada, calling us unreliable since our grain wasn’t getting to our customers on From left: Tom Steve (AWC’s general manager), Erin Gowriluk (AWC’s policy and government relations time. I was the last to speak and it manager) and Gary Stanford before meeting with the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, federal minister of was too late to change my slides. agriculture and agri-food. But I’m a proud Canadian farmer and I couldn’t believe everyone was my wife, Diane, sometimes joins me what’s happening before it comes talking about us that way. I spent when I travel so we’re not apart all the out on the news. extra time talking about how we were time. She’s really supportive of all the going to work with our government things I’m doing. AWC: You have more time on your to fix this. After all, we grow the best hands now that you’ve moved on grain in the world. After I spoke, the AWC: You’re very active on Twitter, from your role with the GGC. I know representative from Global Grain where most people know you as your responsibilities on AWC’s board came up to me and said they’d never @senatrstanford. Tell me about how keep you busy, but are there any new seen someone silence a room like that started, and what motivates you projects you’re working on? that before, and they asked me to to be so engaged online. Stanford: It’s nice to be home a bit come present in Geneva to help Stanford: About three years ago, more often. I’ve been really involved build the Canadian wheat markets at FarmTech, a few people from the lately in helping with a pilot project there. younger generation were asking going on in the Magrath/Cardston what exactly I do. They asked me area. They’re working on building an AWC: How did you balance farm to communicate with them better agriculture-focused high school pro- life with your commitment as GGC about my work, and suggested I use gram where the curriculum would pre- president? Twitter. I said, “What’s Twitter?” They pare young people for a career in ag, Stanford: All the travelling I do helped me set up my @senatrstanford whether it’s as a farmer, an agronomist sometimes makes me wonder if I’m account—it was just a joke at the or an agribusiness person. Whatever letting the farm fall down and if I’ll be time. But one time in Ottawa I was the path, this program would prepare able to keep it profitable. But at the meeting with some actual senators. I them for it. The intent is to encourage same time, it gives my two sons the told them my Twitter handle was just similar programming in other Cana- opportunity to do more day-to-day tongue-in-cheek, and asked if they dian jurisdictions to inspire students’ operations so they can eventually were offended. They told me that interest in working in agriculture, even take it over. Also, getting to know the not only do they follow me, but that if they weren’t raised on a farm. CEOs of grain companies and crop they respect what I say, and that the On behalf of Alberta’s wheat farmers, science companies, it’s a real benefit whole “Senator Stanford” thing was AWC would like to thank Gary Stanford for to see what the future holds and what kind of funny. I tweet all the time; in all of the work he’s done to help strengthen new products are coming into the an agricultural world, it’s a way to the Canadian agriculture industry. We’re market. Even though I’m away a lot, connect with other farmers, but also fortunate to have him on our board for a these relationships actually benefit researchers, crop science companies while longer, as he’s truly an asset to our my farm management. And of course, and politicians. Sometimes I know industry and a pleasure to work with. albertawheat.com THE MINDSET OF SAFETY Farm safety organizations in other jurisdictions were consulted for advice Start small, keep it simple and let it grow on approaches and programs that proved successful on their farms and ranches. Insights gained from the gap analysis, needs assessment and By Donna Trottier, P. Ag consultations were used to develop a Farm and ranch safety extension co-ordinator at AgSafe Alberta work plan and farm safety strategy for the AgSafe Alberta program. In Alberta, because of the introduc- safety education and awareness tools, tion of the Enhanced Protection for resources and services. The aim is Farm and Ranch Workers Act, there to provide industry-led guidance to are many farmers who are aware of farmers and ranchers who are seeking safety legislation, but there is still a lot to enhance safety practices on their of uncertainty surrounding the rights farms and ranches. AgSafe Alberta will and responsibilities of farmers. Recent provide farm safety programming that discussions with farm owners and will enable, empower and encourage operators, commodity group directors, Alberta farmers and ranchers to estab- leaders and other Canadian provin- lish sound on-farm safety programs cial farm safety associations revealed and practices that will enhance the an array of barriers to implementing protection of people on the farm structured safety programs on the while supporting farm productivity. farm. When implementing the farm What do the statistics tell us? safety strategy, AgSafe Alberta will offer Between 1990 and 2013 there was adaptable programming and design an average of 18 agriculture-related approaches to help farmers and ranch- arm and ranch safety has always deaths per year in Alberta. Even one ers overcome these barriers. Fbeen a top priority for the agricul- is too many, so what steps are need- Preventing agriculture-related ture community in Alberta. Farmers ed to create a culture of farm safety in injuries is complex because there are a and ranchers take the safety of their Alberta? variety of factors that contribute to the farms, their families and their employ- In the fall of 2016, I was hired as risk of getting injured.
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