Newly formed Alberta Grains elects its inaugural board

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It will be a busy year for the 18,000 wheat and barley farmers and its new board, but Alberta Grains is up for the challenge, says its chairman.

Alberta Grains, formed in 2023 from the merger The Alberta Wheat and Barley Commissions elected their first board of 12 directors representing the province's six growing regions last week in Calgary.

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“We know that depending on where the province is, there may be different concerns, different priorities, so we need to hear from everyone,” board chair Tara said. Sawyer previously served as interim chair of Alberta Grains until the Jan. 31 election at the annual general meeting.

A top priority for Alberta Grains this year will be adopting a three-year strategic plan to set the direction for the new organization, Sawyer said.

In addition to their work on the board, the directors also have their own businesses.

Sawyer, who farms near Acme, said the lack of moisture this winter is a concern, especially given the drought of the past three years in many parts of Alberta.

“There's a lot of concern that it's going to be a fourth year,” he said. “I don't have a lot of snow on my lawn for my husband to tunnel through the yard this year, which I expect.”

Investing in research remains a major focus for Alberta Grants, which makes up the largest portion of the funds manufacturers give to the organization, he said. Sawyer. Breeding research was a top priority among responses to a survey sent out by the Alberta Grains Research Division last November.

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“Given the current climate, there is no doubt that drought tolerant varieties will always be available. It is no different from years with a lot of moisture. When it comes to weather-related things, that's why we need to grow well,” Sawyer said, adding that many research projects are underway.

Last month, Sawyer was part of an overseas trade mission where he and other delegates talked to buyers about Canadian wheat. Delegates visited Nigeria, United Arab Emirates, Singapore and Malaysia.

“Having a farmer on this mission, explaining what we're going to do, to protect Canadian wheat, that's been a really valuable thing,” Sawyer said.

Advocating on behalf of its members is part of what Alberta Grains does, and recently the organization was “strongly involved” in passing Bill 234, which exempts farmers from paying a carbon tax on grain drying and drying. heats barns and greenhouses. The bill, which was sent back to parliament, stalled after being passed in the Senate late last year.

Working with national farmer advocacy groups, Alberta Grants asked farmers to provide receipts showing the tax's impact on their farms, Sawyer said.

“It affects us in a number of ways,” Sawyer said of the carbon tax. “This bill would really help.”

Alberta Grains board member Dean Hubbard, who represents Region 1 in southern Alberta, said he supports the merger of the Alberta wheat and barley commissions, saving Alberta farmers money.

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