Resolutions passed at the recent Alberta Agricultural Service Board (ASB) conference should help improve the agriculture industry in this region and across the province, say officials.
In all, 12 resolutions were considered at the conference, which was held in mid-January and was attended by several members of the Mountain View County agricultural service board.
Brian Rodger, chairman of the local board, said he was pleased with several of the resolutions, including one regarding proposed tax changes that could impact farms and farm families.
The resolutions were officially released by the provincial ASB last week. Those resolutions include the following:
• One resolution passed called on Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, and the premier, to "advocate for the family farm and small businesses of Alberta to revoke the proposed tax changes in the ‘Tax Planning Using Private Corporations' document released by the federal Department of Finance."
The background note accompanying the resolution stated, in part, that "The proposed changes threaten the viability of farmers and their family farms and have potential implications for the amount of tax farmers pay and could penalize farmers for trying to keep family farms within the family by establishing farm corporations."
• Another resolution passed saw Alberta agricultural service boards request that the funding provided by Alberta Agriculture and Forestry align with the provincial government's fiscal year of April 1 until March 31 to ensure that rural municipalities are able to maintain their extension and education programs while retaining professional staff.
The background note accompanying the resolution stated, in part, that, "Every three years when the grant funding program expires, municipalities will need to apply and wait to hear if and when the funding is available, leaving some municipal employees in limbo while waiting to hear if their grant was successful in getting funding."
• Another resolution passed called on Alberta Agriculture and Forestry to advocate for "clear and concise labelling and testing of products claiming organic authenticity" and that "testing by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency be increased to assure all products sold in Canada with organic claims are relevant."
• Another resolution passed called on Alberta Agriculture and Parks to "immediately implement a permanent program, with adequate allocation of staff and funds, for weed control on vacant public lands within green areas as part of a comprehensive framework to address invasive species in Alberta."
The background note accompanying the resolution stated, in part, that, "weeds are known to disrupt and potentially destroy natural habitats, putting wildlife habitat at risk."
• Another resolution passed called on the government to "enhance predator compensation program that could utilize trained municipal problem wildlife staff to assist in the confirmation of livestock loss, both livestock death and livestock injury in a timely and prompt manner."
• Another resolution passed called on the province to "review its poultry products regulations to allow farm direct marketers to use their own uninspected eggs in the processed products, provided these products are sold directly to the end consumer and that the farm direct marketer follow standard food safety handling procedures."
The background note accompanying that resolution stated, in part, that "the local food movement is growing in Alberta and local producers are marketing protein and baked goods directly to consumers through U-pick operations, farmers' markets and community supported agriculture."
• One resolution that was defeated called on Alberta Agriculture and Forestry to amend the Agricultural Pests Act and applicable regulations to require all persons to report any instances of Norway rat and wild boar when at large, as well as clubroot, to the local authority.
The background note accompanying that resolution stated, in part, that the new notification rules would "improve the local authority's ability to deal with these (pests), and benefit the people, agriculture industry and enhance environmental protection of the province."
The passed resolutions will be used by the provincial ASB to lobby the government for related action.
"Resolutions bring forward issues to make suggestions or recommendations for future action to bring about desired change," county administration said in a briefing note that came before the recent MVC agricultural service board meeting.
Chairman Rodger said he was pleased with the recent ASB conference and believes it was worthwhile attending.
"There was an excellent delegation of speakers," Rodger said. "There was a great presentation about the TB outbreak in southeastern Alberta and how it was handled from the start of the original cow herd to how these producers coped with the loss of their entire cow herds.
"All the presentations were applicable to the entire agricultural and rural communities of Alberta."
