Hello,

My name is Dean Roberts and together with my wife and two kids, we operate our family farm near Coleville, Sk. Our two kids love spending time on the farm and enjoy the freedom and unique experiences that come from growing up on a farm. In the future, I hope they appreciate how fortunate they have been.

After high school, I attended the University of Saskatchewan where I received a Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering. All through school I loved farming and knew that it was the career for me. While at the U of S, I was fortunate to be able to purchase some land and start farming. My first crop was in 2004 and half of it stayed out over winter; a challenging start.

We currently grow wheat, flax, lentils, chickpeas, and canola as our main crops. I think it is important to challenge the status quo from time to time to continue improving our processes. One of my favourite activities over the summer is attending field days to see what is developing in the world of agronomy and what I can change on our farm to do better.

I bring past board experience which I think is an asset to SaskOilseeds. I have served on the board of directors for Synergy Credit Union and have chaired both the Human Resources and Audit Committees. This exposure has given me experience around regulatory compliance, governance, and strategic planning among many others.

I am also a former councilor for the RM of Oakdale. My time on council taught me about the need for stakeholder engagement to truly understand where people are coming from and what their concerns are. Our area has had a lot of oil and gas development and it creates many challenges and opportunities for our region. Finding balance for all parties involved can be a challenge.

As a current director on SaskOilseeds, I have had the privilege to participate in many meetings on farmers behalf. I have met with officials in Ottawa and Regina to tell them about our concerns with rail transportation, market access with key trade partners, the effects of carbon tax legislation on farmers profitability, right to repair legislation, capital gains taxes, bio-fuel policy, and the list goes on. They might not always make the changes we are asking for, but I think it is important that a strong farmer voice is heard at the table so that we can continue supplying the world with our top-quality grains and oilseeds.

I believe producer groups have a strong role in advocating for Saskatchewan farmers. I have never been one to hold back my opinion and will continue to do so for Saskatchewan oilseed growers.