Sask Wheat has announced the upcoming retirement of long-serving general manager, Harvey Brooks.
Brooks has served as the GM for Sask Wheat since 2014 and has seen the development of the organization from a start-up commission to its full operations today. During Brooks’s tenure, Sask Wheat has matured into a major research funder on behalf of Saskatchewan wheat producers.
Sask Wheat’s full research portfolio has now reached $52 million of funding to facilitate more than $200 million in 209 research projects.
“Harvey has been instrumental in carrying out the policy decisions of the board of directors of Sask Wheat. He has represented Saskatchewan wheat producers in important policy debates such as the Canadian Transportation Act review, and currently on the Canadian Grain Act Review,” says Sask Wheat chair Brett Halstead. “Harvey’s depth of experience in the grains industry and producer relations has been extremely important in representing Saskatchewan wheat producers’ interests during the periods of significant change.”
“Sask Wheat has been very fortunate to have Harvey as its general manager from our initial growth stage up to our current operations, which encompass research funding, agronomy extension, policy development and communications,” says Sask Wheat director Bill Gehl. “Harvey provided an experienced hand in developing a strong team at Sask Wheat that is implementing the vision and strategic direction of our producer-elected board of directors.
”Brooks was instrumental in the formation the Canadian Wheat Research Coalition and having Sask Wheat take on the administration of the Canadian National Wheat Cluster, which facilitates a $25 million collaborative research effort.
During Brooks’ tenure, the CWRC also assumed joint funding of the Core Wheat Breeding Agreements for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and three Prairie universities, an investment of approximately $34.6 million. These have been major accomplishments for western Canadian wheat commissions.
Brooks will remain with Sask Wheat until mid-October, 2021. The board has just begun searching for a new executive director.
