Farmers seek independent Alberta wheat commission
Following the formal demise of the Canadian Wheat Board last month, Alberta producers have said they’re overwhelmingly in favour of creating an all-wheat commission for the province.
“To date, producer support for forming the proposed Alberta Wheat Commission is at more than 80 per cent,” said Kent Erickson, co-chair of the steering committee to form the new Alberta Wheat Commission.
Committee members have been travelling the province to discuss their plans for the commission with wheat producers. They have attended a number of regional and annual general meetings for producer groups such as the Alberta Barley Commission, the Alberta Canola Producers Commission and Alberta Pulse Growers Commission.
“In southern Alberta, we have about 99 per cent acceptance,” said steering committee co-chair Lynn Jacobson. “Wheat producers are very interested in how they will benefit from the commission’s leveraging of check-off dollars to increase research and development.”
Financial forecasts for the proposed commission estimate annual revenue of $3.5 million based on a refundable check-off rate of $0.70/tonne.
In current plans being shared with wheat producers, $3 million a year would go to research and market development priorities.
By leveraging check-off funds with funds from organizations focused on wheat research and market development, such as the Western Grains Research Foundation and the Alberta Crop Industry Development Fund, up to $12 million of wheat-specific research could result.
“Wheat producers are also impressed that the Alberta Winter Wheat Producers Commission and the Alberta Soft White Wheat Producers Commission are leading the efforts to form the new commission,” Jacobson said.
“This shows the commission is not government driven. It’s producer driven and supporters are saying time has come for this type of organization.”
The steering committee hopes to receive government approval for the proposed commission this spring a potential startup date of Aug. 1.
Wheat producers can voice their opinions of the proposed Alberta Wheat Commission through a survey posted at www.albertawheat.com
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