He said prices for corn and barley have risen C$5 to C$8 per tonne over the last few weeks, citing them for November-December at C$285/tonne delivered Lethbridge, with the January-February-March prices for both at C$290.

“The (U.S.) corn market has come up, but it’s stabilized right now,” Haley said, while noting there’s also been a change in the Alberta cattle industry.

“We have a more traditional fall where calves are starting to move the last couple of weeks, he explained, noting last year, “the calf run was pretty much over by now.”

However, he said the feedlots are well covered and reluctant to acquire anymore feed at this time.

Meanwhile, with the declines in the Canadian dollar Haley suggested there could be an increase in barley exports. Should that lead to pricier barley he warned the switch back to corn in the cattle rations would be very quick.

As for feed wheat, Haley said business is scarce as it’s going for C$305 to C$310/tonne. The only orders are occasionally to poultry farms, hog producers and feed mills.

“The quality is too good, and the export market is competing very well with feed,” he explained.

The post Feed Grain Weekly: Barley, corn in southern Alberta on par with each other appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

The new board – elected at Alberta Grains’ annual general meeting January 31 – includes Tara Sawyer of Acme as chair, Scott Jesperson of Spruce Grove as first vice-chair and Devin Hartzler of Carstairs as second vice-chair. 

Sawyer has served as chair of Alberta Grains’ interim board of directors since the commissions formerly amalgamated in August 2023. Jesperson and Hartzler also served on the interim board and as directors of Alberta Barley and Alberta Wheat respectively. 

“I am honoured by the board’s vote of confidence in my ability to serve Alberta’s wheat and barley farmers as chair,” said Sawyer. 

“There is so much opportunity in the industry as a whole and as a board. We’re leveraging that to ensure wheat and barley remain a top choice for farmers and end-users alike. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to serve as the first chair for Alberta Grains.” 

Regional directors were elected at a series of regional meetings held throughout November 2023. Here are the results.

• Region 1: Dean Hubbard, David Bishop. 
• Region 2: Devin Hartzler, Tara Sawyer. 
• Region 3: Stewart Oke, Dick Wymenga. 
• Region 4: Shawn Jacula, Brent Christensen. 
• Region 5: Scott Jespersen. 
• Region 6: Greg Sears, Tasha Alexander.

The amalgamation process began in 2017 when the two commissions implemented a shared management structure after formal consultations with the province’s wheat and barley producers. 

In October 2022, Alberta wheat and barley farmers voted overwhelmingly in favour of combining the commissions. 

According to a January 31 Alberta Grains news release, the grower organization’s 2024 focus is on supporting research projects intended to improve crop management, reduce input costs and minimize environmental impact, as well as increase yield and grain quality.

The post Familiar faces loom large in new Alberta Grains board of directors appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

The farmer organizations released the new moniker in the run-up to their merger, which will be effective with the start of the 2023-24 crop year. The merger aims to “…build on the strengths of both organizations to create a unified voice…” the groups said in a media release.

“Our new organization will be focused on delivering value to our farmers and other stakeholders while contributing to the growth and sustainability of the grain industry in Alberta,” said Greg Sears, AWC chair.

The commissions began the merger process in 2017 by implementing a shared management structure. 

The post Alberta Grains to be post-merger name appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

Applicants need to send a one-page summary of their research project and how it “could be beneficial to barley producers and the industry.”

Preference will be given to projects that align with the cereal group’s research priorities. For more info, go to the Alberta Barley website.

The application deadline is May 31.

The post Barley scholarship on offer  appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

Steve, chief operating officer Syeda Khurram and FarmCash program manager Hasan Kazmi were all dismissed on April 26. The two cereal groups didn’t announce the dismissals, and when the news broke two days later, only said there had been “a change in direction of its senior leadership team” without naming the three individuals.

Alberta Barley chair Tara Sawyer later said the boards of both farm groups “confirmed the change” but would not be releasing any additional information.

“As our board deliberations are confidential in nature, we do not discuss or comment publicly on the nature of these meetings,” Sawyer said in an email.

In a separate statement, Alberta Wheat chair Greg Sears acknowledged the situation was challenging.

“These events have caused emotional and mental hardships on many, and for that we feel a responsibility to correct course and work with new leadership that promotes a positive culture that continues to serve the needs of our stakeholders, delegates and farmers,” Sears stated in an email to The Western Producer.

The unexpected ouster prompted many questions, with veteran insiders such as former Alberta Wheat chair Gary Stanford getting numerous calls.

“I got a phone call that said Tom and Syeda were let go, and I said, ‘what happened?’ and they said it’s confidential,” the Magrath-area producer said a few days after the news broke.

“I don’t know what happened. I’ve been trying to figure it out myself. I’ve had lots of people phoning me and people from other farm organizations asking what happened. I wish I knew myself.

“I don’t know if it was staff or board members in conflict, I don’t know. But something major must have gone down. You don’t get rid of the bosses unless something happened.”

In a later interview, Stanford said he hadn’t learned anything more and had not been able to contact Steve.

Kevin Auch, another former Alberta Wheat chair, said the whole thing was surprising.

“I don’t know what to say besides that,” said the Carmangay area farmer. “It’s one of those things you don’t expect.”

That may have been true for Steve himself.

On the day he was dismissed, he gave a lengthy interview to CTV news show Alberta Primetime discussing — in his typical down-to-earth and calm manner — a host of topics from the effect of the public service strike on grain exports to spring seeding and moisture conditions.

Steve has regularly been praised over the years by members of the two farm groups for his management skills and leadership qualities.

He featured prominently in a recently released Alberta Wheat video celebrating its 2012 founding. In the video, Steve talks about his involvement in a host of initiatives, including helping the group become a national player in development of farm policy following the end of the wheat board; a major expansion of funding for farm research; and merging first the offices and support staff and then the management teams of the two groups.

Steve was hired by Alberta Wheat in 2014 and became general manager of both groups in 2017. He previously ran the Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission and worked for Viterra and Agricore United.

The two commissions are set to formally amalgamate on Aug. 1 and one source said Steve was set to retire once the amalgamated organization was up and running.

Alberta Farmer attempted to reach Steve and Khurram but was unsuccessful.

The paper also asked to view minutes of recent board meetings of both Alberta Wheat and Alberta Barley, but that request was declined. Agricultural commissions are required to provide meeting minutes to the Alberta Agricultural Products Marketing Council but “there is no requirement to post these publicly,” a government official said.

Wheat and barley producers need to continue to have confidence in the boards, said Auch.

“I guess things happen and the board must have had their reasons. You just need to trust the board and that they knew what they were doing. I’m sure they didn’t take that decision lightly.”

Meanwhile, the amalgamation will go ahead on schedule, said Sears.

He and Sawyer are now effectively the senior decision-makers in the two organizations and are listed on the staff pages of their websites. The duo, along with Alberta Wheat vice-chair Jason Lenz and second vice-chair Shawn Jacula, also sit on an executive council overseeing the soon-to-be-merged groups. The executive council along with the two boards are working “to ensure a smooth course of business while a thorough search for a replacement is conducted,” the groups said.

Sears said the FarmCash program is operating well and there are no known issues with it. It is audited regularly, most recently in the year ending Jan. 1, 2022.

The post Silence follows in wake of ouster of farm groups’ senior managers appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

The interim board, which will take over regional governance duties in conjunction with the Aug. 1 amalgamation, features 12 directors: six for wheat and six for barley.

“I think the people that have been chosen to sit on that interim board are definitely committed to making the organization work and are willing to put in the work required to establish the organization,” said Greg Sears, chair of the Alberta Wheat Commission and a director for the interim board.

The members on the Alberta Wheat Commission side of the board include Dave Bishop (Region One), Dean Hubbard (Region One), Devin Hartzler (Region Two), Jason Lenz (Region Three), Shawn Jacula (Region Four) and Greg Sears (Region Five).

The Alberta Barley members include Sean Stanford (Region One), Tara Sawyer (Region Two), Roy Newman (Region Two), Connie Matson (Region Three), Clint Jacula (Region Four) and Scott Jesperson (Region Five).

The regions listed reflect the current boundaries for both organizations. Regions for the amalgamated group have not yet been defined.

Until Aug. 1, the current Alberta Barley and Alberta Wheat Commission boards will continue to act as official directors of their respective organizations but will work with the interim board to develop a direction for the new group.

“The existing board is still the board, absolutely,” said Tara Sawyer, a director at large for Alberta Barley. “We are still two separate entities so we are still running two separate boards making separate decisions.”

The interim board will see a reduction in number of directors, including the elimination of director at large positions.

The current AWC board includes five regions with one director at large for a total of 11 directors. The Alberta Barley board has six regions with three directors at large for a total of nine.

“The region map (for the interim board) will be very similar to the Alberta Barley map with two directors from each region to make up the 12,” said Sears.

“There will not be at this point any directors at large because we believe there will be sufficient representation with that number of directors at the table.”

The interim board will serve from Aug. 1 through the election of a new board in the fall and until the new organization’s AGM in December or January.

“The marketing council regulations that we function under require that a permanent and elected board be in place within a year of inception, so that means we’ll have the elections in roughly November, which will provide us with that permanent elected board effective the end of the year,” said Sears.

The marketing council supervises the governance and operations of marketing boards and commissions under the provincial Marketing of Agricultural Products Act, which provides the framework for organizations such as the Alberta Wheat Commission and Alberta Barley.

Rebranding the organization

Preventing confusion around rebranding is a major challenge for the interim board, said Sawyer.

Although the amalgamated commission has a new name that the board hopes to announce in May, it will need to make sure all stakeholders know it’s the organization taking over from the Alberta Wheat and Barley commissions.

“We need to make sure that government and everybody knows it’s still us. If nothing else, our stakeholders have to understand that there has been a name change and how that might impact them. Everybody needs to know, for their levy dollars, that this is the new name going forward.”

A more general challenge is to continue as a strong voice for both crops on national organizations while in the new, pared-down mode.

“In a lot of those instances we’ll be going down to just one representative for each commodity where often we have two reps for each commodity. We need to continue to be that strong voice and advocate for wheat and barley,” said Sawyer.

One of the primary reasons for amalgamating the two groups is the development of a “merit-based” funding philosophy for research. It will be the job of the interim board to figure out what “merit-based” means in this context and to make sure wheat and barley get equal time in the research department.

“We plan to do a strategic plan where those type of parameters will really be set up to make sure that even within that merit-based process, barley and wheat will each get their moment,” said Sawyer.

“A lot of Albertans grow both crops. We care about both of those commodities and expanding them and improving them so that our producers see that benefit.”

The formation of the amalgamated commission depends on approval by the Minister of Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation. The commissions hope to get this approval by June, but Sawyer said a provincial election could result in some speed bumps.

There are three sets of regulations — plan, commission and bylaws — that must be presented to farmers for feedback, sent to the marketing council for approval and ultimately sent to the minister for sign-off.

The commissions presented their draft plan regulation in a virtual town hall March 15.

“Basically, we have to get all that official stuff done. That ministerial approval is what we really need in order to meet that Aug. 1 deadline,” said Sawyer.

The post Cereal commissions near merger with interim board announcement appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

Three directors were acclaimed to the board of Alberta Wheat: Dean Hubbard of Claresholm in Region 1 along with Greg Sears of Sexsmith and David Bartlett of Fairview in Region 5.

For Alberta Barley, Dick Wymenga from Leslieville is returning as director in Region 3 as is current chair Tara Sawyer of Acme as the director-at-large. In Region 4, Clint Jacula of Derwent was acclaimed as a director.

Members of the two groups recently voted to merge, which will reduce the number of directors and reps, but the amalgamation isn’t expected to occur before summer.

The post Last separate elections for cereal groups appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

“There’s still time to cast your vote and make your voice heard as to whether or not you support the Alberta Wheat Commission and Alberta Barley amalgamating into a single crop commission,” the two farm groups said in a release.

Voting will remain open until noon on Nov. 1, and eligible producers should have received a letter and voting PIN that allows them to vote online or by telephone. Those who didn’t receive the letter and PIN, should call 1-844-807-5762 or email plebiscites2022@mnp.ca.

Those who grow both crops (and have paid a checkoff in the last two years) will actually get to cast two votes as each crop commission is required to have its own plebiscite. Farming corporations, cooperatives or partnerships will have one vote on behalf of their legal entity.

Farmers are eligible to vote if they have paid a levy on wheat or barley sales from Jan. 1, 2020 to April 30, 2022 — even those who have requested refunds.

The two groups first amalgamated their administrative teams and then their senior management (which cut costs by $400,000 annually) in 2017. Their boards then put forward the idea of a merger, set up a committee to study the matter in depth, held producer consultations at regional meetings and finally put the idea to successful votes at their annual general meetings last winter.

The organizations have previously said a merged board would have 12 directors, two from each of six regions in the province. Each region would also elect four delegates apiece.

More information is available at alberta.ca/wheat-and-barley-plebiscite.

The post Wheat and barley farmers urged to vote on proposed merger appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

Alberta Wheat needs two directors and three representatives in both Region 1 (southern Alberta) and Region 5 (north-central). Meanwhile Alberta Barley is seeking director candidates for Regions 3 and 4 as well as a director-at-large from either Regions 1, 2, 5 or 6. There are 23 delegate positions open in the six regions.

Nomination papers for both organizations must be submitted by Oct. 31. If needed, elections will be held at regional meetings in November.

For details, go to albertawheatbarley.com (the website has both wheat and barley sections) and click on the ‘about’ tab.

The post Plenty of ways to serve cereal groups appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

Those who grow both crops and have paid a checkoff in the last two years will get to cast two votes because each crop commission is required to have its own plebiscite. The vote will be held online, starting Oct. 3 and ending Nov. 1.

However, the deadline for registering to vote is Sept. 16. Voting info packages should arrive in farm mailboxes in the first week of September and if they don’t, producers should contact the Alberta Agricultural Products Marketing Council at 780-427-2164 or af.marketingcouncil@gov.ab.ca. The council provides oversight of crop commissions and authorized the dual plebiscites.

“The commissions strongly encourage barley and wheat farmers to participate in the plebiscites, which will determine our future,” Alberta Barley chair Tara Sawyer said in a release.

The proposed union of the two farm groups comes after a long courtship.

They first amalgamated their administrative teams and then their senior management, which cut costs by $400,000 annually. Their boards then put forward the idea of a merger, set up a committee to study the matter in depth, held producer consultations at regional meetings and finally put the idea to successful votes at their annual general meetings last winter.

“Since the two commissions have been operating with a joint management structure for five years, we are eager to hold the plebiscites in October so farmers can determine our future direction at this pivotal time,” said Alberta Wheat chair Greg Sears, who also encouraged every cereal producer to cast a ballot “even if it’s from the combine.”

The organizations have previously said a merged board would have 12 directors, two from each of six regions in the province. Each region would also elect four delegates apiece.

Here are some additional details on the vote:

— farmers who grow both barley and wheat crops will have two votes.
— farming corporations, cooperatives or partnerships will have one vote on behalf of their legal entity.
— after receiving a letter and voting info from the marketing council and MNP in early September, producers will receive a second letter that includes a voting PIN (personal identification number) that they will need to vote online.
— farmers who grow both wheat and barley crops will only receive one letter from marketing council and one voting PIN, but will be able to submit one vote for each crop.

The post Long-contemplated merger of cereal groups comes to a vote appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.