Alberta farmers can expect to initially pay less for a carbon tax under the federal government if the provincial program is scrapped, but costs will creep up in the future. The carbon tax will remain in Alberta no matter who forms the next provincial government, but the costs of the tax will depend on who’s […] Read more
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Farm safety laws, carbon tax on the block as Alberta’s UCP elected
The United Conservative Party will be Alberta’s new government, receiving a majority mandate from voters Tuesday night. The party, with premier-designate Jason Kenney at the helm, will send at least 60 MLAs to the legislature this spring with a strong rural voice. “Our province has sent a message to Canada and the rest of the […] Read more
Alberta Party focuses on research, value-added
Farmers can expect an elected Alberta Party government to tweak farm safety legislation, as well as kickstart a fund to bolster research. The party’s agriculture platform, released April 8, says the party aims to grow Alberta’s agriculture industry by $1 billion through new programs and policies. The Alberta Party said it would create an agriculture […] Read more
Farmers want assurances on crude-by-rail plan
Farm leaders are still wary of Alberta’s plans to move more oil by rail, hoping whoever wins the election will be able to prove grain movement won’t be affected. The deal, which would see the province move 120,000 barrels per day by mid-2020 with smaller shipments beginning in July, came up during the campaign last […] Read more
Landowners want action on abandoned wells
Political parties spend little time during the election campaign talking about how to deal with growing problem
BAWLF, Alta. — Bill Leithead stops beside an abandoned oil well site near his home in Camrose County, lamenting the problems the industry has caused for farmers over the past few years. The site is on land owned by his neighbours, Larry and Linda Nikiforuk, who happened to drive by as Leithead discussed the challenges. […] Read more
Beef grade face lift proposed
Imagine beef on grocery store shelves rated similarly to hotels: five stars for excellent or three stars for OK — that’s what a group of University of Alberta students are proposing. The capstone project, led by the fourth-year agriculture undergrads, looks to slowly change beef grading in Canada, moving to a five-point system that scores […] Read more
NDP vows to extend AFSC financing
Alberta farmers can expect a re-elected NDP government to streamline farmland approvals and allow the Agriculture Financial Services Corp. to extend financing for non-traditional crops and livestock. The measures, unveiled in NDP leader Rachel Notley’s platform March 31, hope to lure voters despite rural support remaining generally low for the party. The NDP platform said […] Read more
Alta. leaders debate rife with attacks, but no clear winner
Alberta party leaders offered their best sales pitches last night to lure voters, but it’s clear no one came out on top as the true winner. The leaders debate largely saw NDP Leader Rachel Notley and UCP Leader Jason Kenney attack one another’s platforms, though they occasionally explained their visions for the province. The leaders […] Read more
Carbon tax remains thorny subject in Alberta
Most farmers are opposed to the levy because they consider it a cash grab, but a few say they don’t mind paying it
Jordan Schuurman has a different take than most farmers on Alberta’s carbon tax. The Edmonton-area dairy farmer doesn’t mind paying the levy, but he makes it clear he’s no environmental activist and is generally wary of government programs. But, he said, his solar panels that were partly funded by the contentious tax have been helpful […] Read more
Farmers pitch better research collaboration
Alberta producer groups are hoping whichever party comes into power this April will better collaborate with farmers on research, making the issue one of their top priorities this election campaign. Leaders say they are concerned research could be headed in the wrong direction, pointing to recent changes in government policy, decreased funding and the disbanding […] Read more
