Agriculture held its own in the March 16 Alberta provincial budget with $1.1 billion allocated to the department.
Some farm leaders praised an increase of one percent over the last budget, but they also raised concerns about funding for agricultural research and the effects of the carbon tax.
Gary Stanford, past-president of Grain Growers of Canada and director of the Alberta Wheat Commission, said he was glad the agriculture budget was maintained.
However, absence of funding beyond 2018 for the Alberta Crop Industry Development Fund raises questions about adequate funding for agricultural research in general.
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“Another thing that I’m quite concerned about, that I’ve talked to the minister about, is research for the agriculture sector in the future, funding the Alberta government part of research stations and also making sure that we have agricultural research stations and good people to work in the research stations,” said Stanford.
Farm leaders had a conference call with Agriculture Minister Oneil Carlier after the budget.
Stanford said the minister was asked about potential assistance for farmers who still have about one million acres of unharvested crop to bring in this spring before the next crop can be planted.
“It didn’t sound like there will be any extra money,” Stanford said.
He also expressed concern about the overall budget’s deficit figure, estimated at $10.8 billion, and a provincial debt that could reach $45 billion next year.
“It will put pressure on farm incomes if the debt continues to grow,” said Stanford.
Added AWC chair Kevin Auch: “It concerns me a little bit that the government has focused on sustainability, which is fine, but part of sustainability is also financial sustainability. We have to get this spending in order so we can be sustainable in our economic future as well.”
The impact of the government’s climate leadership plan on agriculture must also be carefully monitored, farm leaders said.
The budget included $3.8 million for the On-Farm Energy program, which encourages farmers to employ more energy efficient methods.
New in the agricultural budget is $25 million in each of the next three years for the Alberta Small Brewery Grant Program, which could benefit the barley industry by increasing demand for malt.
“That’s quite a ways downstream,” said Auch.
Other parts of the agriculture budget included $40.3 million for food safety and animal health, $28.7 million for agriculture environment and water, $19 million in capital grants for irrigation rehabilitation and ongoing funding for ag societies, regional exhibitions and ag service boards.
