Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers (MPSG) held its annual general meeting at Crop Connect in Winnipeg this week, highlighting its strategic plan for 2016.

Chair Kyle Friesen says they're focusing on research that farmers can really implement on their own farms.

"We're going to continue working with our growers to do a lot of on-farm research so they can get a real good feeling about how the research actually is affecting their farm and how it can assist them in making better management decisions on the crops they're growing," he says. "Along with that, we're doing a lot of, I guess, forward-thinking research, looking at what new varieties are out there, how they're going to benefit our growers, and really what the opportunities are in the future."

The board of directors election results were also announced at the meeting, acclaiming Albert Turski of La Salle, Ben Martens of Boissevain, and Andy Scheurer of Duglad to their positions.

However, Friesen, who's been involved with MSPG for six years, won't be returning as chair for 2016.

"When I started on the board we were looking at like 200,000 or 300,000 soybean acres, and I guess a pretty 50/50 balance between soybeans and the other pulses that we represent, and over the last five years that definitely has shifted to the vast majority being soybeans," Friesen says. "I think a critical consideration for the board going forward is we can't lose sight of the other crops we represent and what new potential pulse crops are coming in the future."

The board of directors hasn't announced its executive and committee positions for 2016, but will be deciding things at a board meeting in March.