Alanna Koch took a leave of absence from her current position to focus on the campaign
By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content
Farms.com
A veteran of Saskatchewan’s political and agricultural sectors is running for leadership of the Saskatchewan Party.
Alanna Koch, who served as deputy minister to former premier Brad Wall, made the announcement Monday morning at a farm near Regina.
“The leader of this province needs to have a deep understanding of what matters to Saskatchewan people and that’s what I bring to this race,” she said in a statement today.
Koch’s involvement in agriculture is deep, as past roles include the president of the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance and the executive director of the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association.
She also served as Wall’s deputy minister of agriculture from 2007 until she became the deputy minister to the premier.
And when Koch became the deputy minister in 2016, she was the first woman to hold that position.
In 2011, she was named to the Saskatchewan Agricultural Hall of Fame. Along with her husband Gerry, she farms near Edenwold, Sask.
Koch’s vision of Saskatchewan is one that includes its producers, “really ensuring that agriculture can drive the economy,” she told 620 CKRM News on today.
“Doing all we can to ensure Saskatchewan has a competitive business climate… (and) making sure that we are doing all we can in international markets to ensure we can move away trade barriers.”
Her unique experiences in life make her an ideal candidate to lead the Saskatchewan Party, she said.
“I’m a mother (and) I’m a farmer,” she said in her statement. “I have stood up for farmers and the agriculture industry. I’ve helped open doors so our farmers can sell their beef, wheat and canola all over the world.”
Koch is the fourth person vying for the leadership. Minister of Social Services and Minister for the Status of Women Tina Beaudry-Mellor, Deputy House Leader Jeremy Harrison, and lawyer Gordon Wyant have already entered the race.
Parks Minister Ken Cheveldayoff is also expected to announce his leadership bid on today.
A new leader will be elected Jan. 27.