Board Meetings

• Minister Pillai (responsible for agriculture), representatives from Wildlife Branch, and the acting director of agriculture joined the board meeting to review new updates about the management of elk herds in the territory, especially those in the Takhini Valley
• The annual population census of elk will take place this month
• YAA is preparing to work with Yukon Archives to donate several boxes of documents as well as photo albums. This work was prompted by the work of Sally Robinson who is curating an exhibition about Yukon agriculture, which will take place at Arts Underground in the summer of 2021
• Yukon’s chief veterinary officer also joined the meeting to discuss the Sheep and Goat Control Order, related to a request for more information
• Wendy Morrison joined the meeting in her role as a consultant who is training YAA in preparation for the negotiation of a new Transfer Payment Agreement
• The board decided to renew current Custodians of YAA’s rental equipment have
• A committee has been formed to start drafting YAA’s new strategic plan. The current plan expires this year. The board is asked to contribute to the development of a member survey, which will be managed by Stratus Ag Research
• Mario reported back to the board about discussions at the Agriculture Industry Advisory Committee held in December
• On behalf of YAA membership, board members who are not connected to abattoirs or butchers will complete a questionnaire about meat processing. It will be submitted to Jesse Walchuk by January 29th. Board members whose businesses are connected to abattoirs will be submitting individual responses.
• The Fairgrounds Use Policy Committee will be meeting soon to respond to two requests for the use of YAA’s fairgrounds in the summer of 2021. A draft policy has been completed. The committee will finalize the policy and report back to the board in February
• This meeting was Jennifer Hall’s last board meeting. The board thanked her for her dedication to YAA and five years of service. Jennifer’s last day is January 28th.

• Welcome Cathy Stannard! Cathy was elected to the board at the November 2020 AGM. She starts a two-year term.
• YAA has been working with consultant Wendy Morrison of YZED Projects to prepare for YAA’s new Transfer Payment Agreement. Thank you to NGO Training Fund and Volunteer Bénévoles Yukon for financially supporting the project.
• YAA formed a hiring committee to manage the recruitment of an Interim Office Manager to replacement the outgoing executive director. After working through a strategic planning process this spring, the board will commence a recruitment process to hire a permanent executive director.
• In October, YAA’s governance committee has updated the Board Policy Manual with new updates about committee composition, conflict of interest, equipment rental bookings, reporting requirements of the executive director and some other minor amendments.
• YAA board approved the policy updates.
• A survey will be drafted prior to the commencement of strategic planning. Stratus Ag Research has offered to manage the survey process in return for adding a question with a request contact information from respondents.
• The land development committee is starting to work out a budget for 2021 projects related to the fairgrounds.
• Klondike Farmers Forum requested YAA’s help to book the mobile abattoir for two weeks in 2021. Two – one week bookings. Currently the mobile abattoir goes to Mayo and Dawson for one week a year.
• Ongoing discussions about the management of elk.
• Request for Minister Pillai to attend January board meeting with an update.

• YAA held its 2020 Annual General Meeting on Friday, November 6th
• All materials associated with the AGM are posted in the ABOUT (Governance and AGMs) section of this website, including: draft minutes: AGM reports, materials and presentations; resolution to amend the bylaws; special meeting that followed the AGM to resolve an election issue. CLICK HERE.
• YAA has received a new Certificate of Status and is in good standing with Corporate Registries

• Meetings always start with conflict of interest statements, approval of agendas and minutes.
• The board approved that two old laptops would be given away to a needy farm family. Please send a note to the office about how your children could use the computer for online school activities.
• Executive director reviewed the status of past actions and motions, reported that publications have been moved to the EMR Library, ED has been in meetings about Yukon Grown, Land Matching Programs, additional items were discussed later in agenda
• Equipment rentals for 2019-2020 season: Plow – 0 days, Drill – 5 days, Aerator – 7 days, Mower – 9 days, Spreader – 13 days
• Policy will be developed to confirm billing schedule for rentals. [Governance committee met on Oct 19th and updated policy manual.]
• Sea cans will remain at Mandalay Farm until June 2021.
• Discussion about the continued preparation of the fairgrounds for use in 2020-2021, and the need to develop a Terms of Reference for the Land Development Committee. No update about the Fairground/Arena Use Committee.
• Update from the Klondike Farmers Forum about the upcoming abattoir project – thank you to Community Development Fund and City of Dawson.
• Discussion about the letter that was sent from YAA to Minister of Community Services about the commercial waste issue that is impacting farms on the northern periphery of City of Whitehorse. YAA will follow-up with commercial waste companies who have serviced farms on North Klondike Highway and will contact Government of Yukon about fee structures.
• YAA will follow-up with Land Branch regarding the Hot Springs Road Property Re-Zoning Application
• Strata Research has offered YAA the opportunity to have a membership survey completed – part of YAA’s membership of Canadian Federation of Agriculture.
• Sent Wayne Grove $6,000 to put towards his legal fees relating to elk-ag conflict.
• AGM will take place on November 6th at the Gold Rush Best Western. Online attendance will be available.
• No November meeting. Next meeting is December 9th.

• The YAA Board did not meet in July. In August, there was an informal evening gathering out at the fairgrounds.
• Thank you to Yukon’s NGO Training Fund for their generous funding of a project related to budgeting and human resource planning.
• Thank you to Mammoth Agency for presenting a summary of the Yukon Grown Marketing Strategy that has been developed for Government of Yukon. The board looks forward to future meetings and discussions.
• Thank you also to Chelsea Jeffery of the Energy Mines and Resources Library for reviewing all of YAA’s Online Resources database and printed publications. The EMR Library is now managing YAA’s publications and we will be re-directing inquiries to the library.
• Thank you to the equipment committee and custodians. The new online equipment rentals program is working very well. Members can book equipment directly online (https://yukonag.ca/infrastructure/equipment/)   and then arrange with Three Slaves Farm for pick-up.
• The fairground arena bleachers and community use building are finished. Tours have been offered to anyone who is interested in seeing the facilities.
• Klondike Farmers Forum have received funding from Government of Yukon’s Community Development Fund for a planning project for abattoir facilities.
• The board discussed the proposed Steven’s Lake Gravel Pit and will also be investigating the Waste Collection issue that is affecting farmers with property outside of the City of Whitehorse periphery.
• Preparation is underway for YAA’s AGM – November 6, 6pm, at the Best Western Gold Rush Inn.
• The board discussed the elk-ag conflict hunt and progress to date. Also discussed was Wayne Grove’s campaign to raise awareness about his upcoming court case and his campaign to change the wildlife act.

• September 8 – Call for Nominations. This year the president, the secretary-treasurer and three director positions are open for nominations.
• October 7 – Deadline for Nominations. Nominees who would like to stand for election for one of these positions must have submitted a statement of intent to the YAA office by this date.
• October 16 – Notice of Special Resolution. A proposed bylaw change will be distributed to members.
• October 19 – Election Ballot Sent to Members. If an election is required, the ballot will be circulated to members. Members can mail in the ballot or can vote in person at the AGM.
• November 6 – Annual General Meeting. This year’s AGM will be held at the Best Western Gold Rush, starting at 6.00pm. COVID-19 regulations require that room capacity is limited to 40 people. Zoom log-in will also be available for those who cannot attend in person. Notices to attend in person will be sent out in early October.

• THANK YOU! to Graham Lang (Lamarche, Lang and Barrett) who helped YAA with our new online equipment rental contracts
• THANK YOU! to Cathy Grasholm for completing a conceptual design sketch for the fairgrounds
• THANK YOU! Economic Development and Community Development Fund for funding to support the planning of an abattoir in the Dawson City area – the project will be co-managed with the Klondike Farmers Forum 
• THANK YOU! Highways and Public Works for the donation of outhouses and garbage receptacles to the agricultural fairgrounds. Thank you also to Steve Mackenzie-Grieve for delivering them to the fairgrounds.
• Completion of the bleachers at YAA’s agricultural fairgrounds
• Cancellation of the 2020 Yukon Farm Fair that was to take place at the fairgrounds in August
• Formation of a committee that is compiling ideas for the management of the fairgrounds
• Approval to draft a Special Resolution to amend YAA’s bylaws relating to AGM quorum
• Decision to continue with one membership category
• Initial discussion about YAA’s involvement in Ag Branch’s YUKON GROWN initiative
• Continued discussion about the management of Yukon’s elk herds and elk-agriculture conflict
• Next board meeting is either August 12th or September 9th

Through a competitive process, the two construction projects on YAA’s agricultural fairground property were awarded to Eldorado Logbuilders. By the end of the summer, arena bleachers as well a community use building will be ready for use. In addition, the board and other volunteers, as well as sponsors, are preparing the two parking lots and the roadway in and out of the fairgrounds. We are developing highway signage and directional signs on the property too. The board looks forward to hosting an open house and future agricultural events at the fairgrounds as soon as possible!

In April, the board approved a new Terms of Reference document for the equipment committee, which will oversee and manage the 2020 rental program. Thank you to Don Coates, Michel Duteau, Wayne Grove, Bernard Luken, Hank Sippel and Darrin Sinclair for their support of this program. Through a competitive process, the Equipment Custodian Contract was awarded to Gerry and Ann-Marie Stockley. Click here to see the new online bookings system. The development of new procedures are underway and the committee welcomes feed-back for the purpose of streamlining the efficiency of the program.

YAA has managed an equipment rental program for over 10 years. The equipment was initially housed on individual farms and each piece of equipment had a Caretaker. In 2016, the equipment was moved to a central location on the North Klondike Highway. YAA signed a contract with a Custodian. The Custodian contract expired in late 2019. In addition, YAA members have asked for an opportunity to compete for the contract. As a result, YAA is now accepting proposals from individuals or businesses that have an interest in the management of the rental equipment.

Click here to review the full Request for Proposals document.

Click here for further details about YAA’s equipment and rental program. 

Proposals must be submitted to office@yukonag.ca by noon on Friday, May 1, 2020.

The YAA Board has updated the terms of reference for YAA’s Equipment Committee and is putting a call out for more committee members.

If you are interested in joining this committee, please click on this link ToR_Equipment Committee_2020 to review the terms of reference and then send a statement of your interest and availability to the YAA office – office@yukonag.ca – by Wednesday, April 22, 2020.