Agriculture

There are over 70,000 farmers in Alberta. Half of them need a second job to make ends meet.

Farming and ranching helped build our economy and attracted early immigrants to the area. In 2007, Agriculture accounted for $5-billion of Alberta’s GDP. While our economic focus has shifted to oil and gas over the past few years, this important industry must not be forgotten.

Government policy must consider all producers, both large and small when developing its agricultural policy. The family farm must remain viable. However, without support small agriculture practices will become obsolete, leaving Albertans with fewer options for local food.

Wheat Board:

The PC government has spent over 1.1 million taxpayer dollars on their ill-advised campaign to end the Canadian Wheat Board’s (CWB) single-desk system, which provides fair, stable pricing and ensures high standards for most farmers. Most farmers strongly support keeping it in place, but the Conservative government, bending to pressure from larger agricultural corporations, is openly opposing it. Two-thirds of board members are democratically elected.

Farm Debt:

Farm debt continues to balloon. In 1997 Alberta farmers had borrowed $7.6 billion and by 2007 that number was $11.9 billion. (Alberta Agriculture and Statistics Canada)

Livestock Crisis:

Farmers and Ranchers have faced catastrophe after catastrophe in the last ten years. Having survived the BSE crisis, where the lion’s share of provincial dollars went to the big packers and feed-lots, farmers have faced drought and a reduced pork market following the H1N1 outbreak.

Farm-workers’ Rights:

Alberta’s farms are becoming more and more industrialized. Large packers and feedlots are moving growing and as a result, so are the numbers of employees that they hire. These workers are still not covered under WCB. Alberta’s Occupational Health and Safety legislation must be rewritten to protect the rights of agricultural workers.