A group of Alberta farmers is working to launch an all-wheat commission in the province.
The not-for-profit commission, which is expected to be up and running by Aug. 1, 2012, would represent producers of all wheat varieties, replacing all other commissions.
“Alberta needs to have an organization like this to come to the table to be able to say what producers want,” said Kent Erickson, the co-chairman of the all-wheat commission’s steering committee. “We’re responding to a gap in Alberta’s crop sector and the need for greater investment in research for plant breeding and agronomics in wheat.”
In 2008, the Alberta Winter Wheat Producers Commission (AWWPC) resolved to look at producer interest in creating a commission. The next year, market research conducted among more than 300 wheat producers found 58 per cent supported the creation of such an organization.
The steering committee was formed in December 2010 and has since developed preliminary plans for the commission.
There are 21 agricultural producer groups in Alberta representing everything from beef to barley. Although winter wheat and soft wheat account for just five per cent of the wheat grown in the province each year, its producers have their own representation.
There has never been an all-wheat commission in Alberta, despite the fact wheat is one of the province’s important crops, accounting for about 7.6 million tonnes of production on about 6.6 million acres.
Demand for wheat worldwide is increasing, yet production is going down as some farmers find largest profits elsewhere.
“For several years, we’ve seen significant challenges in wheat production. Across Western Canada wheat production is declining while worldwide demand is growing,” said Erickson, who farms 5,000 acres near Wainwright. “It’s crucial for Alberta producers to be competitive if wheat is going to remain a profitable and preferred crop.”
And that is just what the new commission aims to do.
Farmers will have a stronger voice, while leadership will improve demand, agronomic competitiveness and profitability for Alberta wheat producers. The commission will also contribute to policy development and advocacy initiatives that strengthen capacity and encourage investment in the wheat industry, according to Erickson.
Although any discussion about wheat in Western Canada inevitably leads to the controversial Canadian Wheat Board and the federal government’s plans to strip away its monopoly, the steering committee is purposefully separating itself from the politics.
The steering committee is non-partisan and will not replace any of the CWB’s or Western Grains Research Foundation’s current responsibilities and activities, said Erickson.
Plans are to model the proposed commission after other provincial organizations. Members, made up of producers, will elect directors and delegates to oversee the commission’s strategic plans.
The proposed group would be funded through refundable check-off dollars, in this case a proposed 70 cents per tonne.
This money would replace the check-off AWWPC and Alberta Soft Wheat Producers Commission members currently pay to their respective organizations.
“Our strategic plan conservatively forecasts revenues of about $3.5 million within three years of startup. We estimate $3 million a year would be directly invested in strategic priorities to provide substantial value to our producers,” said co-chair Lynn Jacobson.
The steering committee will begin meeting with wheat producers in the coming months to gauge their support and respond to feedback before seeking approval for the commission from the minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, according to Erickson.
The steering committee is seeking funding from various sources and will announce its plans in early November for a series of meetings and workshops this winter.
