Members of the Alberta Wheat and Barley Commissions have voted to amalgamate, officially, as one single entity going forward.
On Nov. 2, the commissions announced that a majority of their eligible members who voted during the online plebiscite throughout October had approved the formal amalgamation of the two bodies.
The two commissions represent all the barley and wheat growers in Alberta, and work to influence government policy and advocate for the interests of their members.
Amalgamation was not a new idea for the commissions, according to Tom Steve, general manager for both commissions, who spoke to the Rocky View Weekly back in September. He confirmed at an administration level, the two advocacy organizations have been amalgamated since 2017, and share a common management team under two separate boards.
“That (unity) was the vision of the two boards from early days,” Steve said. “I was appointed as the interim general manager of Alberta Barley in September of 2017 after the departure of the general manager of the time.”
The preliminary results from each online plebiscite indicated 89 per cent of barley farmers and 88 per cent of wheat farmers were in support of forming one commission.
A total of 1,569 votes were cast over the month of October in both plebiscites – 606 from barley voters and 963 from wheat voters. Both plebiscites saw a 6.1 per cent participation rate from eligible voters.
According to the Alberta Wheat and Barley Commissions, the plebiscite results are to be considered preliminary for 15 business days, when the time to contest the results will have expired.
They also said barley and wheat farmers can expect an update on the next steps in the process to form a single crop commission at the six regional meetings held throughout the province this November, and at each commission’s annual general meeting in December for the Alberta Barley Commision (ABC) and in late January 2023 for the Alberta Wheat Commission (AWC).
The plebiscite results would have to be formally ratified at both meetings prior to proceeding forward with amalgamating the two boards into one.
“A clear direction was provided by both wheat and barley farmers on the preferred path forward for the organizations,” said Tara Sawyer, chair of ABC. “We look forward to informing our farmers on the next steps in the process at our winter meetings.”
“This process has been five years in the making, complete with striking of a sub-committee comprised of both wheat and barley farmers, formal consultations with farmer stakeholders and culminating with two plebiscites,” agreed Greg Sears, AWC chair. “Both commissions have done their due diligence to ensure this is the right direction for our members and are eager to engage farmers on the path forward.”
