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Executive and Executive Director

Executive Director Aaron Stein Calgary, Alberta Phone: (403) 789-9151 or (403) 400-0961 Email: astein@afaonline.ca Bio: Aaron is a passionate advocate for Alberta’s farmers and ranchers, bringing more than 25 years of leadership experience across Canada’s agriculture, energy, and life sciences sectors. As Executive Director of the Alberta Federation of Agriculture (AFA), Aaron is dedicated to ensuring that Alberta’s producers have a strong, respected, and independent voice in shaping the policies that affect their livelihoods. Aaron’s roots in agriculture run deep. Over the course of his career, he has worked in AgTech, BioTech, Oil & Gas as well as sales and marketing roles focused on the Agricultural Sector. His aim is to work closely with producers, commodity groups, and policymakers to strengthen farm organizations, advance rural economic development, and open new market opportunities for Alberta-grown products. His work focuses on farm income stability, trade advocacy, agri-innovation, biofuel expansion, water security, and workforce development — key pillars for a resilient agricultural future. Before joining AFA, Aaron built and led several organizations that intersected with agriculture and sustainability, helping producers and agri-businesses access investment, technology, and international markets. His expertise in business development, governance, and stakeholder engagement has helped connect Alberta’s primary producers with the tools and partnerships needed to thrive in an increasingly global and competitive agri-food economy. At AFA, Aaron champions policy reform, producer representation, and collaboration across all levels of government and industry. He works closely with provincial and national partners — including the Canadian Federation of Agriculture — to ensure that Alberta producers’ perspectives guide decisions on issues such as grain policy, environmental regulation, and farm labour programs. Aaron believes that the strength of Alberta’s Agriculture lies in its diversity — from grains and oilseeds to livestock and emerging sectors like biofuels — and that producer-driven leadership is essential to keeping the province’s agricultural voice united and effective.	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.
1st Vice President Keith Degenhardt Hughenden, Alberta Phone: (780) 856-2383 Email: kjdegenhardt@afaonline.ca	2nd Vice President Justin Schwab Ryley, Alberta Phone: (780) 608-9887 Email: jschwab@afaonline.ca