EDMONTON – The past-president of Alberta’s general farm organization says the province’s agriculture minister has told him the government will allow the group to have a checkoff only if it conforms to the provincial position on the Canadian Wheat Board.
Bill Dobson said he’s frustrated with the Alberta government’s fixation with the wheat board’s marketing monopoly despite the dozens of other issues facing Alberta farmers.
“After all the issues we deal with, they’re still obsessed with one issue,” Dobson said during his address as outgoing president of Wild Rose Agricultural Producers.
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He said Alberta agriculture minister George Groeneveld cancelled a December meeting to talk about allowing WRAP to have a voluntary checkoff, but in a later phone call with Dobson, said WRAP would have to promote marketing choice at the CWB if it is to receive check-off funding like other provincial agriculture associations.
“I was told, ‘if you change your position to conform to the provincial government, we’ll have time to talk about it,’ ” Dobson said.
“I have to admit I became very frustrated.”
During his four years as president of WRAP, Dobson said he tried hard to raise the credibility of the organization in the eyes of farmers and the government by rationally approaching all agriculture issues, including the wheat board’s export monopoly.
WRAP is not opposed to a more open market, he said, but its policy is that farmers should choose, not government.
With a $250,000 budget, Dobson said it’s difficult to raise the organization’s profile.
For years WRAP has lobbied the provincial government to allow the organization a $5 to $10 voluntary checkoff on farm licence plates to create a stable funding base.
While a checkoff seemed close with some agriculture ministers, it’s never been approved. Dobson has worked with three provincial agriculture ministers in his four years as president.
“The government of Alberta needs to understand the value of farmers’ comments and come up with agriculture policy democratically,” he said.
Dobson set five goals for his tenure when he was elected president:
- Move from associate member to full member in the Canadian Federation of Agriculture. WRAP is now a full member, but at a smaller membership fee.
- Adequately staff the organization’s office. Executive director Rod Scarlett is still the only staff member but receives administrative help through collaboration with other groups.
- Ensure the bills were paid, which was done.
nBecome a credible organization in the eyes of the provincial government.
Dobson said this goal remains elusive. While the province will talk to smaller commodity groups about possible new programs, it never asks WRAP.
“Just one time in four years I would have liked to have a phone call from the minister before bringing in a new program. They couldn’t do it,” he said.
- Double the group’s membership, which wasn’t achieved. About 85 percent of WRAP’s funding comes from farmer members. Convincing more farmers to pay a $130 fee was time-consuming and was a full-time job for volunteers.
Dobson said he plans to spend time catching up with the jobs he’s neglected over the past four years when he returns to his Paradise Valley farm. It will also be the first time in 23 years that he hasn’t been involved in an organization.
“I’m looking forward to the pressure being off. If I’m at the CFA table I’m expected to know as much as everyone else.”
