What is the Farm Leadership Council (FLC)?
How did the idea for the FLC originate?
What type of relationship will the FLC have with Viterra?
What type of relationship does the FLC intend to establish with prairie producers?
Who is eligible to be a member?
What will be the role of the delegate in FLC?
How will the electoral process work?
Where will the FLC be located?
For those producers who had strong sentimental ties to Viterra as a co-operative, will the FLC provide a suitable replacement?
How many elections will be held?
How do I vote?
Who is my delegate?
Can members attend the Annual Meeting?
What is the Farm Leadership Council (FLC)?
- A producer-led organization funded by Viterra that will provide educational and training opportunities to help producers maximize the value of their operations.
- It will support producer innovation and leadership in prairie communities through professional development initiatives.
Vision: “Improving the business of farming”. - An exciting opportunity for farmers to become involved from the “ground up” to make this organization relevant and meaningful.
How did the idea for the FLC originate?
- A key component of Viterra’s re-capitalization initiative last spring was to create a meaningful role for its grassroots membership.
- The Viterra places a high value on its relationship with prairie producers and felt it critical to create a forum for producers and Viterra to interact at the corporate and local level on all matters of importance between them.
What type of relationship will the FLC have with Viterra?
- The goal is to create a mutually beneficial relationship that will:
- Allow Viterra to tailor programs and products that meet the unique needs of prairie farmers; and
- Allow the FLC and its membership to gain insight into the requirements of destination customers, both domestic and international, in order to maximize the value of their operations.
- To be achieved through continuous collaboration by both groups at the corporate and local level on all matters of importance to them.
- Corporate collaboration will be facilitated at the Board level; FLC will annually nominate a minimum of four directors and two alternates to be included on Viterra’s Board of Directors slate.
What type of relationship does the FLC intend to establish with prairie producers?
- Today’s agricultural landscape is highly competitive; in order for the FLC to flourish, it must provide programs that producers believe will have a positive impact on their operations.
- Through its delegate body, the FLC will determine the needs of its membership and provide value-added educational and leadership opportunities that producers want.
- Examples: commodity marketing sessions, grain industry tours etc.
Who is eligible to be a member?
- Individuals who were Viterra members on February 17, 2005 automatically became members (no subscription required).
- For those who were not Viterra members on February 17, 2005 and who are actively engaged in farming for commercial purposes can become members by filling out subscription forms available through Viterra facilities or by contacting the FLC.
What will be the role of the delegate in FLC?
- Delegates will act as ambassadors for FLC and play a vital role by gathering and relaying producer feedback, which will help the FLC Board determine farmers’ needs going forward.
- Promoting the FLC to prospective members will be equally important; this will require delegates continually educating themselves not only with respect to FLC policies and programs, but to the agricultural landscape in general.
How will the electoral process work?
- There will be sixteen membership districts, based on Viterra’s Area boundaries; the delegate body will be comprised of 80 members, five from each district.
- Delegate elections: occurs every 2 years
- Board elections: occurs every year
- The founding meeting of all delegates occurred December 14, 2005 and the FLC Board was elected.
Where will the FLC be located?
- The FLC is located in Viterra’s Head Office.
For those producers who had strong sentimental ties to Viterra as a co-operative, will the FLC provide a suitable replacement?
- FLC is a co-operative and will function in similar ways as the previous democratic structure.
- By nominating a minimum of four Directors on Viterra’s Board of Directors slate, prairie producers will have a voice in the company’s direction.
- Based on the co-operative spirit, the FLC will be a producer-led organization providing other producers with opportunities to enhance their education and leadership skills.
- Producer feedback at the local level will be instrumental in guiding Viterra’s decisions going forward in terms of the products and services it provides.
- As with all democratic structures, the strength of the FLC will derive from frequent participation and collaboration of a dedicated membership.
How many elections will be held?
- The number of elections to be held will be determined by the number of candidates who put their name forward in each district.
- Each district will have five delegates representing its members; if more than five candidates put their names forward, an election will be held. Otherwise candidates will become delegates by acclamation.
- If an election in a membership district is necessary, members within that district will receive a package containing candidate bios, ballots and return envelopes; instructions will be provided as to how ballots should be completed.
- Members may contact the FLC directly to obtain information on their delegates and Director.
Can members attend the Annual Meeting?
- The Annual Meeting is closed to members. However, members are strongly encouraged to contact their delegate or Director to identify and discuss ideas/issues/concerns.
