The 2024 nomination period for delegates positions on our four crop committees took place from July 2 – Oct. 1, 2024.

In total, 16 farmer members were nominated for 17 available delegate positions across the four crop committees and were thereby elected by acclamation. Among those 16 delegates, eight are new to their respective committees.

Read on to learn more about the newest additions to our crop committees:

Corn 

Craig Riese (St. Andrews, MB)

Craig Riese farms in the St. Andrews and Selkirk area with his wife Crystal and two sons. Together they operate Westphalia Farms Ltd., where they grow corn, soybeans, wheat and canola. They added corn to the rotation in 2016 and currently grow about 800 acres.

Riese’s past and current industry involvement has included serving as a delegate and director with Keystone Agricultural Producers, as well as a delegate with Manitoba Pork. He has found corn to be a great addition to his farm and continues to learn and adapt to the challenges that come with its nature as a late-season crop.

Patrick Gamache (Laurier, MB)

Patrick Gamache is a sixth-generation farmer who farms in Laurier with the help of his parents, grandfather and employees. Currently, their main crops are wheat, canola, soybeans, edible beans and corn, but they have also grown rye, barley, oats and meadow fescue. Apart from grain farming, Gamache was also a seed grower and co-owner in an ag retail business for several years, in addition to working with cattle. He is passionate about agriculture and aims for perfection on his farm.

Gamache attended the University of Manitoba, where he received is agriculture diploma. He has volunteered with Agriculture in the Classroom – Manitoba, does community work in his hometown and has been a volunteer firefighter for 11-plus years. He is looking forward to being more involved with Manitoba Crop Alliance. 

Flax

Myles Kubinec (Holland, MB)

Myles Kubinec farms with his wife Anastasia and his father-in-law in Holland, growing both commercial and pedigreed seed. He is originally from a mixed operation in Alberta and received a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Alberta. Kubinec and his wife have three sons that are also involved in the operation, when they’re not keeping their parents running to sports.

Amanda Ellis (Wawanesa, MB)

Amanda Ellis is co-owner/operator with her husband Simon of Black Creek Farm Ltd. and Ellis Seeds, a third-generation, 1,500-acre seed farm and retail. They grow flax, wheat, oats, peas, soybeans and canola, as well as the occasional “project” crop, such as hemp or millet.

Ellis has a diploma in business-finance from Assiniboine College and previously worked in finance at a Credit Union. She is interested in being involved in the agriculture industry, often volunteering for pilot projects and research studies. These have included participating as a panellist for University of Manitoba agriculture presentations and co-hosting farm tours for students and the public.

Ellis believes there is great market potential for flax, with growing demand in health food and pet food, as well as opportunity for research and the development of new, higher-yielding varieties. She is enthusiastic and curious to see what she can learn from and share with the flax crop committee.

Sunflower

Andrew Saramaga (Hazelridge, MB)

Andrew Saramaga is a fourth-generation farmer who works with his dad and a few employees in the Hazelridge area. Together they grow a variety of crop types, including corn, soybeans, spring and winter wheat, canola, sunflowers and various forage seeds.

Saramaga received his degree from the University of Manitoba. From there, he got involved in the early days of soybean production and marketing. This led to an opportunity to get involved with the former Manitoba Pulse Growers Association (now Manitoba Pulse & Soybean Growers), where he chaired the association for two years.

Saramaga’s farm has been growing sunflowers for about 15 years, starting with confection types and moving to black oil types in the last few years. He is excited to bring his experience to the sunflower crop committee and help further the sunflower industry in Manitoba.

Wheat and Barley

Carly Owen (Killarney, MB)

Carly Owen farms with her husband Cody at his family farm, Chatham Seeds, in Killarney. The Chathams are seed growers and continue to produce top-of-the-market wheat varieties. Owen was born and raised in Carman and has been involved in the agriculture industry since she was a student.

Owen obtained her agriculture diploma and bachelor of science in agriculture at the University of Manitoba. She has had job roles in research as a technician in small-plot work and breeding, worked at Paterson Grain as a sales agronomist and spent the last seven years as an independent agronomist at Field 2 Field Agronomy. She also holds a designation in the Prairies as a Certified Crop Advisor.

When she’s not working, Owen enjoys golfing and a little bit of curling in the winter. She believes Canada is a top wheat-producing nation and would like to see us continue to grow the best wheat in the world.

Marcus Loeppky (Niverville, MB)

Marcus Loeppky farms in the Niverville area, where he grows wheat, oats, canola, soybeans and corn on approximately 4,800 acres with his cousin Paul. He has been married for 20 years to his wife Candice and they have two girls, Taylor (14) and Morgan (11).

Ty Ballard (Bield, MB)

Ty Ballard has been a dedicated grain farmer growing wheat, peas and canola for many years on his family farm, Rockin’ Cattle Company Inc., in Bield. He believes the increasing global demand for wheat and barley is a good opportunity for Manitoba farmers to heavily contribute to the industry and grow the market for the crop. He also believes wheat and barley are excellent choices to have in any crop rotation for a high-yielding crop.