It will be a while before farm groups can assess Alberta’s new agriculture minister.
“We don’t know what this fellow’s like. It came out of the blue. We were surprised. There were other people in cabinet with quite a bit of farm background,” said Clif Foster, general manager of the Alberta Barley Commission.
They’re hoping to soon meet Ed Stelmach, the new agriculture minister, to get a sense of where he stands on the barley marketing issue, said Foster.
While former minister Walter Paszkowski was sympathetic to the commission’s desire for a dual barley market, there seemed to be little action, he said.
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“They seemed to support a voluntary board, but they could have done more to make it happen. Maybe this fellow will do more to make it happen.”
Whatever Stelmach’s stand on the barley marketing issue, he’ll be a “breath of fresh air” compared to the previous minister, said Alberta Soft Wheat Producers Commission chair Art Eckert.
Paszkowski painted himself into a corner on dual marketing and in dealing with the federal government. He was no longer flexible, said the Duchess farmer. “Our premier Ralph Klein must have recognized the need for change.”
But Eckert said what he appreciates most is the announcement Stelmach wants to work more closely with federal agriculture minister Ralph Goodale.
Roger Charbonneau, chair of the Alberta Pork Producers Development Corporation, said his group looks forward to working with the new minister. It had good relations with Paszkowski despite the fact he eliminated single-desk selling of hogs without a vote by producers.
Saskatchewan agriculture minister Eric Upshall said he has yet to meet his new Alberta counterpart, but wished him well in his tenure.
“Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, because of our size and similarities with agriculture, we have to work together as much as possible to use our combined size in trade policy.”
It may have seemed like Upshall and Paszkowski were continually at loggerheads over issues, but Upshall said they had a “pretty decent relationship.
“We agreed to disagree on many issues. Our personal relationship wasn’t affected by what we disagreed with on policy.”
More flexible position
Alan Holt, president of the Wild Rose Agricultural Producers, said from what he’s read the new minister seems more flexible when dealing with the wheat board.
“We’re hoping he’ll take a little more open view on that situation.”
The Alberta Cattle Commission and the Alberta Cattle Feeders Association saw Stelmach at an informal meeting last week.
“I’m very impressed. I think Stelmach is going to be an excellent complement to what Walter achieved,” said cattle commission president Larry Helland. “I really came out of that meeting more encouraged when starting with a new minister than ever before.”
