EDMONTON – There may be a truce in the dual marketing war between the Alberta and federal governments with the appointment of a new provincial agriculture minister.
“Every time we spend valuable time debating we’re losing markets,” said Ed Stelmach.
In the wake of the latest federal government plebiscite results, showing 63 percent of farmers want to retain the Canadian Wheat Board’s export monopoly of barley, Stelmach said the provincial government will now concentrate on developing feed barley markets within the province.
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“If the level of livestock production is increased, very little barley will leave the province,” said Stelmach after he was sworn in as agriculture minister.
“I support the expansion of barley markets here in Alberta. Our goal is to have very little go out of the province, except malt and seed.”
Stelmach replaced Walter Pas-zkowski who was agriculture minister for four years. Paszkowski is now transportation and utilities minister.
Fought for dual market
During Paszkowski’s term, he made clear his desire for a dual marketing system for farmers. He held a provincial barley marketing plebiscite and was key in two court cases fighting the Canadian Wheat Board.
Stelmach said he will review the government’s position on the court cases.
A former hog producer from Lamont, east of Edmonton, Stelmach is beginning his second term as MLA. During the last term he was chair of the Alberta Agriculture Research Initiative committee and he plans to increase the budget for agriculture research.
