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Board of Directors

Lynn Jacobson - President Enchant, AB Phone: (403) 739-2153 Email: ljacobson@afaonline.ca Bio: Lynn Jacobson is a fourth-generation farmer from Enchant, Alberta, where his family has operated their farm since the early 1900s, beginning with his great-great-grandfather’s original homestead. Lynn’s lifelong commitment to agriculture and producer representation began with his election as a delegate to the Alberta Wheat Pool for District 108, covering Hays, Vauxhall, Retlaw, Enchant, and Travers. In 1998, he was elected to the Alberta Soft Wheat Commission and went on to serve as President in 2001. When the Alberta Soft Wheat and Alberta Winter Wheat Commissions merged in 2012 to form the Alberta Wheat Commission—now known as the Alberta Grains Commission—Lynn served five years as a board member, helping guide its formation and policy direction. In 2000, Lynn joined the board of the Wild Rose Agricultural Producers (now the Alberta Federation of Agriculture), where his leadership and advocacy earned him the role of President in 2012. That same year, he joined the Board of Directors for the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, ensuring Alberta producers had a strong national voice. Appointed in 2017 to Alberta’s Agricultural Products Marketing Council, Lynn served two consecutive terms, contributing to the oversight and strategic growth of the province’s agricultural marketing systems. For Lynn, being involved in producer organizations has been both personally fulfilling and profoundly impactful. The relationships built and the policy advances achieved—at both federal and provincial levels—underscore his belief in the power of collective advocacy. He remains passionate about ensuring producers are actively represented through a strong, united farm organization that speaks for all sectors of Alberta’s agriculture industry.	Keith Degenhardt - First VP Hughenden, AB Phone: (780) 856-2383 Email: kdegenhardt@afaonline.ca Bio: Keith holds a degree in Plant Pathology from the University of Saskatchewan, where his graduate research focused on canola diseases. Following his studies, he spent five years with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada as a research scientist, concentrating on cereal crop diseases. In 1983, Keith and his wife, Terry Lee, transitioned to full-time farming, developing a successful pedigreed seed and cow-calf operation. Today, they are in the process of transferring the family farm to their son, Kerry, and his family—continuing a proud multi-generational agricultural legacy. Throughout his career, Keith has remained deeply involved in agriculture at local, provincial, and federal levels. His engagement with Alberta’s general farm organization began in 1987, and he currently serves as 1st Vice President of the Alberta Federation of Agriculture (AFA). He is also a member of the Plant Breeders’ Rights Advisory Committee to the Federal Minister of Agriculture, has chaired task teams for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s Working Group on Modernization, and serves as a Director with the Western Grains Research Foundation. As a Select Seed Grower and long-standing member of the Canadian Seed Growers’ Association since 1973, Keith brings both scientific expertise and practical farm experience to his advocacy work. Keith has a lifelong passion for agricultural policy and research, believing that farmers benefit most when both are advanced together. He views the Alberta Federation of Agriculture as a vital voice for producers—championing policy improvements, research investments, and innovation to strengthen the future of Canadian agriculture.
Justin Schwab - Second VP Ryley, Alberta Phone: (780) 672-6068 Email: jschwab@afaonline.ca Bio: Born and raised in the Camrose area, Justin Schwab has been part of Alberta’s farming community for as long as he can remember. Growing up, he was active in 4-H and spent countless hours on his uncle’s farm, helping with cattle and learning the fundamentals of grain production—experiences that shaped his lifelong connection to agriculture. As a young adult, Justin broadened his horizons by traveling the world and working as a commercial diver, taking on projects across Asia and Canada’s Northwest Territories. Though his career took him far from home, the rhythm of the farm always drew him back for seeding and harvest seasons. In 2019, Justin realized his dream of purchasing his own farm—marking the beginning of his next chapter as a full-time producer. That same year, he married his wife Courtney, and in 2022, they welcomed their daughter Laken. Today, Justin operates a grain farm while continuing to work alongside his uncle in a mixed farming operation. Dedicated, community-minded, and forward-thinking, Justin is passionate about building a sustainable future for Alberta’s agricultural sector and the next generation of farm families.	John Sloan Grand Prarie, Alberta Phone: (780) 856-2230 Email: jsloan@afaonline.ca Bio: Dr. John Purdie Sloan farms Golden Acres Grains Inc., his family’s operation in Alberta’s Central Peace Region. The farm, established in 1981, produces approximately 1,100 acres of Synergy malt barley and 1,100 acres of hybrid canola. Early on, the Sloan family transitioned from traditional tillage to a one-pass direct seeding system, and all crops are now straight cut at harvest without the use of pre-harvest herbicides—a reflection of John’s commitment to sustainability and innovation. Born and raised on his family’s Kirktonfield Dairy Farm near Dumfries, Scotland, John earned a B.Sc. (Hons) and Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of St. Andrews, where he studied mathematics, physics, and chemistry. He completed postdoctoral research at the University of Utah under Dr. Cheves Walling and began his teaching career in Canada in 1979 as a lecturer in organic chemistry at the University of Calgary. Shortly after, he joined Grande Prairie Regional College (now Northwestern Polytechnic), where he taught for 45 years. A long-standing member of the American Chemical Society, John is active in the Agrochemicals and Agriculture & Food Chemistry Divisions, reflecting his deep interest in the intersection of science and agriculture. Beyond Alberta, John and his family have been leading educational and agricultural projects in Kenya since 2011 through Peace Farms, which operates six school farms and six smallholder farms near Lake Victoria. The initiative introduces Alberta farming methods—adapted to local conditions—to over 3,000 students, whose crops support local school lunch programs. John believes that farming is a noble profession, and that the future of Alberta’s agricultural sector depends on supporting new generations of farmers and leaders. He is passionate about the Alberta Federation of Agriculture’s mission and its ability, under the guidance of Executive Director Aaron Stein and the Board, to effectively represent and advance the interests of producers across the province.
Bill West Lethbridge, Alberta Phone: (403) 634-0279 Email: bwest@afaonline.ca	Graham Gilchrist Leduc, Alberta Phone: (780) 986-4180 Email: ggilchrist@afaonline.ca Bio: Graham Gilchrist is a Professional Agrologist with more than 35 years of experience serving the needs of rural Western Canada. As the owner of Gilchrist Consulting & Investigations, Graham provides specialized expertise in farm management, governance, land access, and oil and gas development. In addition, as a licensed investigator, he assists farms and their legal advisors in building strong, evidence-based cases and supports rural organizations in strengthening their governance practices. Graham also serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Biological Carbon Canada, a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing greenhouse gas markets and carbon opportunities for Canadian farmers. Before launching his consulting firm, Graham spent 25 years in the Alberta civil service, where he rose to serve Albertans as the Assistant Farmers’ Advocate and Assistant Property Rights Advocate. He also contributed five years of service as an administrative judge with Alberta’s Municipal Government Board, adjudicating complex municipal and land-related matters. Graham holds licenses to practice agrology in Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan, and is a registered investigator in Alberta. Proud to serve as an independent director of the Alberta Federation of Agriculture, Graham brings a deep understanding of rural policy, regulatory frameworks, and farm advocacy—helping ensure that Alberta producers have a strong, informed voice in both provincial and national agricultural discussions.
Kerry Degenhardt Hughenden, Alberta Phone: (780) 856-3389 Email: kdegenhardt1@afaonline.ca