The Government of Alberta is helping farmers by modernizing rules, reducing red tape and creating new research opportunities.

Seed growers in Alberta will soon have access to more seed varieties and cereal research. Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Devin Dreeshen has signed a ministerial order removing Fusarium graminearum (fusarium) from the Pest and Nuisance Control Regulation, bringing Alberta in line with best practices from other provinces.

Fusarium is a fungal disease of cereal crops that affects grain development and quality. Removing it from the regulation will allow Alberta to modernize to managing the disease, rather than having zero tolerance for it.

Regulating fusarium has failed to stop its spread, which has increased across the province over the past 20 years. The Alberta Fusarium graminearum Management Plan, published in 2002, does not account for recent advances in seed treatment options that can lower detections, bringing them close to zero.

Grasslands are one of the most common habitat types in the world and one of the most threatened. An opportunity exists for corporations to manage privately owned grasslands in nature-friendly ways that will realize multiple values for many stakeholders, including benefits to climate change mitigation and adaptation, stormwater run-off, cost savings and aesthetics.

New white paper Native Grasslands Conservation

Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA) is calling for proposals for the challenge, which will accelerate innovation in support of long-term competitiveness and stimulate growth in the critically important agriculture, agri-food and forestry sectors.

Projects that result from this challenge will lead to job creation, attract local and international investments and open up new markets.

A total of $40 million will come from the TIER Fund—a key part of Alberta’s climate response, funded by industry—­to support the challenge. These investments will be used to aid recovery, strengthen existing industries and help create new opportunities from small and medium enterprises across these sectors.

The $40 million will help farmers, ranchers, industry, and innovators navigate the economic repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing market implications. These innovations will lead to positive impacts, such as lower production and processing costs for food and fibre and natural solutions to remove carbon from the atmosphere.

The application deadline is Aug. 27, at 5 p.m. MT. Visit eralberta.ca for more information and eligibility criteria, or to sign up for an informational webinar to be held on June 29.

Related information

• Emissions Reduction Alberta

Farmers can connect directly with food service and retail operations to get more farm-fresh food on Albertans’ tables through an enhanced online tool.

Agriculture and Forestry provided $81,000 to the Alberta Farm Fresh Producers Association (AFFPA) through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership to enhance its online producer directory.

The grant allowed AFFPA to expand its directory to include more producer profiles and build awareness of the high-quality farm-fresh food Alberta is known for. The site will now give retailers, wholesalers, restaurants and the food service industry more opportunities to connect with farms.

With the recent increase in demand for local food, the province’s restaurants and stores have looked for new ways to bring more locally grown and produced food to Albertans.

Site enhancements include:

• Additional and more detailed product categories.
• Identification of additional certifications and licensing.
• More marketing channels for producers to include food service and retail.
• Improved search and mapping capabilities.

The AFFPA will also be offering complimentary memberships for farmers and ranchers for 2020 and 2021.

“Alberta’s farmers grow the best food in the world. We’re proud to work with the AFFPA to help get our high-quality, locally sourced food into more kitchens across Alberta.”

Devin Dreeshen, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry

“AFFPA is excited to partner with the provincial and federal governments to further promote Alberta local food. With increased connections between Alberta producers, processors, retail and food service, more Albertans will be able to enjoy the great locally produced and processed food.”

Willard de Wilde, president, Alberta Farm Fresh Producers Association

“This initiative will help solidify the connections between the agriculture producers who want to direct market and their potential customers. It will also heighten the image of this segment of the industry, highlighting what products are available from Alberta producers.”

Rod Bradshaw, Beck Farms

Quick facts

• AFFPA is a voluntary membership, non-profit organization representing direct market growers across Alberta.
• Local food sales from farmers markets and through direct-to-consumer channels have more than doubled since 2008 and exceeded $1 billion in 2018.

In response to COVID-19, the Government of Alberta has created a new Agriculture Training Support Program to help employers in the food supply chain provide necessary training to new Alberta employees.

The program is intended to offset costs for COVID-19 safety and training, including the costs for personal protective equipment and to remove any barriers to get Albertans safely working.

“To all Albertans interested in work, jobs in the agriculture sector are dynamic, employ a range of skillsets and help to support your communities. These investments, provided by both levels of Government, will give Albertans the opportunity to train and transition into these rewarding jobs.”

The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

By providing up to $5 million in support to farmers, agri-businesses and food processors, the program helps offset the cost to train new employees safely in new agri-food roles. The program will support training for as many as 2,500 new jobs in Alberta.

“Alberta’s agriculture and food sector rely on thousands of people working every day to help keep food on our tables. As we see record high unemployment in Alberta due to a global economic slowdown and COVID-19, we need to ensure unemployed Albertans have the opportunity for domestic jobs instead of hiring workers from overseas.”

Devin Dreeshen, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry

The maximum government contribution under the program is $2,000 per new employee, up to a maximum of $50,000 per employer. Grants will be administered on a first-come, first-served basis until available program funding is fully allocated.

for more, go to https://www.alberta.ca/release.cfm?xID=71300983A43C2-052C-9669-7A9B903D1A9CFD39