EDMONTON — Holding a barley market plebiscite and resolving grain transportation issues were among the resolutions passed at the recent Unifarm meeting.
The Alberta lobby group, which acts as a general farm organization, is at a crossroads. Only 2,500 farmers are members and 10 commodity groups send delegates to the annual meeting. But president Roy Jensen detected an upbeat atmosphere at the annual meeting where members showed their determination to rebuild the organization.
With a budget of about $400,000 for the coming year Unifarm will have to do more with less. That won’t stop it from approaching government about a broad range of issues that affect farmers every day, he said.
Read Also
The Western Producer Livestock Report – August 28, 2025
Western Producer Livestock Report for August 28, 2025. See U.S. & Canadian hog prices, Canadian bison & lamb market data and sales insights.
One resolution at the meeting urged the federal government to go ahead with a plebiscite regarding Canadian Wheat Board jurisdiction over barley sales to the United States. Agriculture minister Ralph Goodale told the delegates in a speech telecast by satellite that he is still cool on the idea since he’s not sure how it would be conducted or if it would be effective.
Future of Crow Benefit
Other resolutions talked about the method of payment of the Crow Benefit. Unifarm made a presentation to the federal panel looking into the subsidy’s future with the understanding that the money will be paid to farmers. A resolution was carried saying that farmers should get the payment on the basis of cultivated acres.
Resolutions about income safety nets that were approved supported the concept of insurance based on income rather than commodity coverage. Another resolution asked for adequate government support programs for the grains sector until new safety nets are designed and all conditions are known in the marketplace under new trade agreements like NAFTA and GATT.
Sugar beet growers asked Unifarm for support to preserve the Canadian sugar industry now that the North American Free Trade Agreement and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade are signed.
Unifarm has also been asked to lobby the provincial government to allow all-terrain vehicles on roadways for farm purposes. One delegate explained many ranchers use these machines instead of horses to move cattle. If they are not allowed to cross roads they are useless, he said.
A resolution was passed asking the federal government to consider directing some of the money from its proposed infrastructure program to pay for rural needs. Ken Graumans, of Seven Persons, suggested some of this money could be used to upgrade rural roads, improve railways and rehabilitate irrigation canals.
