Harrison named legislative secretary in cabinet shuffle
June 7, 2022, 3:44 pm
Kevin Weedmark
In last week’s provincial cabinet shuffle, Cannington MLA Darryl Harrison was named Legislative Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture, responsible for value-added agriculture and livestock engagement.
He told the World-Spectator he was honored to be chosen.
“I got a call yesterday, before the press release went out and it was a complete surprise to me. I had no idea it was coming, it was all news to me. An opportunity like that is a real honor, it’s an opportunity you just don’t say no to and I look forward to working with Minister Marit and the ministry staff.
“I will be working on primarily livestock engagement and value added agriculture. I think agriculture is a very rewarding industry like no other.
“I am looking forward to the opportunity and I was already booked to go to the stockgrowers’ AGM in Assiniboia so this will just fit into that.”
Harrison said he will be working with Agriculture Minister Dave Marit on key files.
“As the Legislative Secretary I will be primarily focused on livestock engagement and value added agriculture. I am a stockgrower myself with a cow-calf operation. I am assuming that has led to this opportunity and I can’t wait to meeting some of my colleagues on the beef side. I will be working with and substituting in for the Minister on occasion, and we’ll see where it goes.
“I will be working with the Minister and his staff. You certainly have a greater opportunity to have meetings with the Minister. Cabinet meetings I believe would just be by request.
“The Stockgrowers AGM is the first on the list. I’ll be working with livestock related industries and associations, meeting one-on-one with their executive, going to public meetings and AGMs. Those meetings will be an opportunity for me to go out and listen to the people with their boots on.”
He said there are several current issues around value added agriculture.
“In the area of value added agriculture, canola crushing took the lion’s share of the announcements last year. I think the demand for clean energy, and bio-diesel took the lead, but there is certainly more to it than canola crushing and we are finding their are all kinds of pulses and cereal grains, development in agriculture. The industry has grown so much.
“I quite often reference Dr. Red Williams who came to a Stockgrowers meeting in Alameda once and he was talking to us about getting us as close to the kitchen table as we possibly can, to retain as much as that value you make on your farms and ranches, and I think that is important.
“The more value we can add right here in Saskatchewan, the better it is for the people of Saskatchewan and the economy.”
