Alberta growers vote for merger

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Published: December 1, 2022

There were 15,658 wheat and 9,655 barley producers eligible to vote. Out of that, 963 wheat farmers participated in the plebiscite, with 88 percent indicating they were in favour of amalgamation. Meanwhile, 606 barley farmers voted 89 percent in support of the measure. | File photo

Alberta’s wheat and barley commissions are on the road to formally becoming one organization after a majority out of only 6.1 percent of eligible farmers voted in favour of amalgamation.

The low turnout came about despite two online plebiscites that were separately held from Oct. 3 to Nov. 1 for barley and wheat producers, said Tara Sawyer, chair of Alberta Barley. The fall harvest wasn’t a factor because they were given a month to vote, she said.

“And we made it as easy as possible. I mean, you could have voted from your tractor seat, and it only took me less than two minutes.”

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Many farmers also harvested their crops early in Alberta due to unusually warm weather this fall, she said.

“We were done in September on my farm, and we haven’t had that in a very long time.”

There were 15,658 wheat and 9,655 barley producers eligible to vote. Out of that, 963 wheat farmers participated in the plebiscite, with 88 percent indicating they were in favour of amalgamation. Meanwhile, 606 barley farmers voted 89 percent in support of the measure.

Sawyer said the important thing is the people who did vote gave a clear signal they want amalgamation to proceed.

“And you know, personally I don’t really look at it necessarily as a low voter turnout … I think the people who have been engaged in the process, and wanted to, voted.”

Eligible farmers were those who remitted checkoffs or received refunds in the last two years to Alberta Barley or the Alberta Wheat Commission. Many people grow both crops, making them eligible to vote twice.

An online survey conducted in 2021 found farmers were about two-thirds in favour of amalgamation, Tom Steve, general manager of the Alberta Wheat Commission and Alberta Barley, said during an earlier interview.

Although his role at Alberta Barley was originally intended to be temporary, he has held the position at both commissions since 2017. It resulted in the two boards of directors being served by a single management team, creating savings up to $40,000 per year as of 2018 that were largely related to salaries, he said.

Sawyer said a joint subcommittee will be formed in December to start drafting new regulations and bylaws for the new commission. A new name will likely be decided in January, along with recommendations for an interim board that will be decided by the council, she said.

She expected the process will be complete by March, with new regulations then submitted to the province for final approval.

The process must be completed before a provincial election slated for May 29. The new commission is expected to begin its operations effective Aug. 1, she said.

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Doug Ferguson

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