Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta’s ag societies got their wish in last month’s provincial budget — stable funding from the province. The government pledged to give the 283 primary and seven regional agricultural societies $11.5 million per year for the next three years. “This longer-term commitment ensures that agricultural societies can plan ahead and budget for the facilities, events, […] Read more
Ag societies get their funding wish
Alberta names civil engineer as new deputy ag minister
Reading Time: < 1 minute A civil engineer and 28-year veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces is the province’s new top agriculture bureaucrat. Andre Corbould took over from Beverly Yee as deputy minister of Agriculture and Forestry earlier this month. He has previously been deputy minister with several ministries, including environment, labour, transportation, and municipal affairs, as well as chief […] Read more
Veterinary association lambastes province over ‘intrusion’ on fees
The organization is upset with consumer protection bill that would allow vets to advertise their fees
Reading Time: 2 minutes For the second time in two months, the association representing Alberta’s veterinarians is crying foul and accusing the NDP government of taking short-sighted actions with no consultation. Proposed changes “constitute alarming overreach and intrusion into the veterinary profession’s ability to self-regulate and were made without consultation,” the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association said in a press […] Read more
Long-running cattle checkoff battle may be coming to an end
An agreement on an industry development fund is key to a tentative deal between Alberta Beef Producers and cattle feeders
Reading Time: 3 minutes It’s not finalized yet, but the organizations representing cattle producers and feeders say they’re close to creating a fund to advance the province’s beef sector — and ending a nearly decade-long checkoff. “The Alberta Beef Industry Development Fund is a concept that would be able to be implemented with a non-refundable service charge,” said Rich […] Read more
Buckle up — workplace safety rules may be in for a rough ride
Mandatory seatbelt use is among several ‘pretty big’ regulations that don’t make sense, says the AgCoalition
Reading Time: 5 minutes Over the objections of its farmer members, a committee has recommended the province make seatbelt use mandatory in tractors, combines, and other farm equipment. Forcing farmers to buckle up is just one — although likely the most controversial — of 142 recommendations from four “technical working groups” established to turn Bill 6 into actual occupational […] Read more
Vets decry province’s plan to redirect school funding to Calgary
Province will pull funding from Saskatoon’s veterinary college to expand its Calgary counterpart
Reading Time: 2 minutes The Alberta Veterinary Medical Association says the province is making a mistake by pulling its $8 million in annual funding from the University of Saskatchewan’s Western College of Veterinary Medicine to expand the vet school at the University of Calgary. The association said it supports the expansion of U of C’s veterinary medicine program to […] Read more
Alberta Beef Producers applauds return of non-refundable checkoff option
The Alberta government will allow commodity commissions to hold a plebiscite on whether checkoffs should be refundable or not
Reading Time: 3 minutes The return of a non-refundable checkoff is welcome news for Alberta Beef Producers, which loses nearly one-quarter of its annual service fees to refunds. “We’ve always believed that decisions about funding a commission should be made by producers,” said executive director Rich Smith. “What (the provincial government’s) announcement does is really allow producers to make […] Read more
ALMA still taking proposals
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency will soon disappear but the organization is still taking funding applications from businesses, researchers, and others in the industry “With our budget of $24 million, we encourage industry to continue submitting proposals and applications directly to ALMA throughout the transition,” president and CEO Gordon Cove said in a news […] Read more
Bill 6 controversy flares again
The province plans to hand-pick who it will consult with
Reading Time: 2 minutes A coalition of Alberta farm groups wants the provincial government to put the brakes on its proposed Bill 6 consultation model. In mid-February, the province held a two-week nomination process to gather names for six separate working groups to consult on Bill 6, the controversial Enhanced Protection for Farm and Ranch Workers Act. The problem […] Read more
Alta. to tweak farm worker bill for ‘clarity’
With consultations only just out of the gate and the legislation awaiting second reading, the Alberta government already plans to amend Bill 6, its farm and ranch worker protection bill, for “greater clarity.” While not mentioning recent vocal protests over the bill, provincial Labour Minister Lori Sigurdson announced Tuesday the bill will be amended to “make clear what […] Read more
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