The Western Grains Research Foundation has a new chair. Laura Reiter, a farmer from Radisson, Sask., northwest of Saskatoon, was elected to the post following the first meeting of the new board following the organization’s 2023 annual general meeting. Reiter is a producer and trained agrologist who has spent time working in research and in […] Read more
Former Sask Wheat chair to lead WGRF board
Kevin Auch remains foundation's vice-chair
Alberta Wheat says goodbye to two founding board members
Kevin Auch and Greg Porozni have been on the commission’s board since its inception five years ago — and have jumped a few hurdles along the way
Reading Time: 5 minutes They say time flies when you’re having fun. But as two longtime Alberta Wheat board members prepare to say goodbye to the commission they helped build from the ground up, another saying seems just as fitting. It’s never too late to make up for lost time. “There was a void for a long, long time,” […] Read more
Ottawa urged to quickly pass transport bill
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Alberta Wheat Commission is urging the federal Liberal government to quickly pass Bill C-49, which will overhaul the Transportation Act. In a presentation to the standing committee on transport earlier this month, commission reps also recommended amendments to make interswitching more effective and requiring railways to provide more detailed volume forecasts and operational plans […] Read more
Ottawa still considering eliminating deferred grain cash tickets
Alberta crop commissions say federal finance officials don’t understand the serious impact of eliminating the tax break
Reading Time: 2 minutes Ottawa is extending the public consultations on the “potential elimination” of deferred grain cash tickets by two months. But Alberta farm leaders say federal finance officials have “little understanding” of the importance of the income tax break and “the far-reaching implications if farmers were to lose access to this tool.” “We believe that the government […] Read more
Alberta Wheat fighting to keep tax deferral
Ottawa is missing the point when it says grain farmers shouldn’t get a special tax break, says Alberta Wheat chair Kevin Auch
Reading Time: 3 minutes A tax break for grain farmers that Ottawa is considering taking away is deserved and benefits the entire grain sector, says the chair of the Alberta Wheat Commission. “I guess we are asking for special tax treatment but it’s because of our special circumstances,” said Kevin Auch. Following its recent budget, the federal government said […] Read more
Province needs to soften the carbon tax blow
‘Team Alberta’ is pitching enhanced carbon credits
Reading Time: 4 minutes The carbon tax has kicked in, but producers are still trying to figure out its impact — and what can be done to ease the hit on the bottom line. “Everything we buy — whether it is in inputs, fertilizers, freights, parts, machinery — all of those service providers to us are all impacted. Their […] Read more
‘Modernize’ grain grading, says Alberta Wheat
farm group says farmers would make more if Canadian grain Commission changes grading for sprouting and fusarium damage
Reading Time: 4 minutes Alberta Wheat wants the Canadian Grain Commission to “modernize” its grading system, saying it doesn’t align with market demands of international buyers. “It all comes down to wanting more objective measurements for quality standards,” said Kevin Auch, chair of the Alberta Wheat Commission. “We’ve got some pretty good grading standards — don’t get me wrong […] Read more
Wheat rep nominations open
Nomination forms must be received in writing by Oct. 31
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Alberta Wheat Commission is seeking two directors and three regional representatives in both Regions 1 and 5. Directors provide leadership, make decisions on behalf of producers, and implement the commission’s strategic direction by working with the management team. Regional reps serve on committees and provide input to the board. “It is a real privilege […] Read more
Weather woes not the only concern
The grain transportation system is far from fixed, poor quality will have continuing repercussions, and the world is awash in grain
Reading Time: 4 minutes All that rain and its effect on crop quality is top of mind for Alberta farm leaders, but lurking just behind is the prospect of the railways seizing up again in the face of a huge harvest. “It looks like there’s a lot of crop out there — I’ve heard estimates that this might be […] Read more
Food development centre gets $10-million boost
Crop commissions welcome funding to expand the Leduc food development facility
Reading Time: < 1 minute A $10-million expansion of the food development facility in Leduc is being welcomed by the provincial wheat and barley commissions. “We hope this capital injection will be a catalyst for further innovation from the Food Processing Development Centre,” said Alberta Barley chair Mike Ammeter, who farms near Sylvan Lake. The centre and Agrivalue Processing Business […] Read more
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