The board of the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association has announced the election of Levi Wood as president.
Wood farms with his father on a fifth-generation farm at Pense.
Wood replaces Kevin Bender who announced he was stepping down as president at the a convention in January. Bender served as president for the past four years and remains on the board as a director.
"It's a great privilege to serve as president of the Wheat Growers," says Wood. "The organization has a proud history and an impressive record of accomplishment. I'm honoured to follow in the footsteps of Kevin and others who have helped build a strong and profitable industry."
Wood holds a commerce degree from the University of Saskatchewan and an MBA from the University of British Columbia. He returned to farming in 2007 after previous work as a foreign exchange trader. Last fall, Wood represented the Wheat Growers on a trade mission to Japan and China.
Bender has been at the helm of the Wheat Growers since January 2009. During the past four years the Wheat Growers have played a key role in achieving several policy goals, including grain marketing freedom, reforms to the Canadian Grain Commission and improved trade relations with U.S. farmers, according to Wheat Growers press release.
The release states the Wheat Growers will continue to work on policy issues to enhance the prosperity of prairie grain farmers, including work to create a more attractive investment climate, further Canadian Grain Commission reforms, trade agreements and a science-based regulatory approval system for seed and other farm inputs.
"It's a great time to be a young farmer in western Canada," says Levi. "I look forward to leading the Wheat Growers and working with others to help build an even brighter future for prairie grain farmers."
