Alberta Pulse Growers (APG) welcomes Nevin Rosaasen as its new Policy and Program Specialist tasked with strengthening APG through policy development and serving as a resource for pulse producers.

“We are elated to add a Policy and Program Specialist position to better serve growers and the pulse industry,” said APG Executive Director Leanne Fischbuch. “Nevin’s knowledge, experience and enthusiasm for both the policy and extension components of this position will serve him well as APG’s first Policy and Program Specialist.”

Rosaasen is a fourth generation farmer from Preeceville, SK. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with a major in Agronomy and minor in Agricultural Economics from the University of Saskatchewan. He was the principle on-farm manager before returning to graduate school in 2008 where he pursued a Masters in International Trade Policy from the Monterey Institute of International Studies. Prior to joining APG, Rosaasen served in various positions with Alberta Agriculture, Canadian Wheat Board, and the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean.

“I’m excited to join an innovative team that is dedicated to growing Alberta’s pulse industry,” Rosaasen said. “Of all the crops produced in the province, I believe pulses have the greatest opportunity for expansion. I intend to help producers use economics to make agronomic decisions on their farms and, ultimately, put more dollars in their jeans. Arming producers with the tools to make these decisions will bring me a sense of accomplishment in my role at APG.”

Rosaasen has always promoted pulses like field peas, dry beans, faba beans, chickpeas and lentils to producers as an important part of crop rotation, as well as including pulses on his family’s farm. In addition to canola, wheat, barley, oats, flax, grass seeds and other specialty crops, the Rosaasen family grows yellow peas, green peas and faba beans which gives APG’s newest staff member insight into the benefits, and sometimes challenges, facing pulse producers.

“Alberta producers have yet to realize the full potential of including pulses in their crop rotation,” Rosaasen said. “There are agronomic benefits of diversifying the crop rotation to break disease and pest cycles of our two main crops. Farmers who include pulses also have the economic advantage of decreased fertilizer bills, reduced risk and diversification of their crop marketing portfolio at the same time.”

Rosaasen will represent the Alberta Pulse Growers at regional and national level working groups advocating for policy that will enable, encourage and enhance the environment for pulse production in Alberta.