The Mountain View County agricultural service board (ASB) has been given an update on a resolution in support of the General Store on Ropin’ the Web farm community support resource. The review came during the board’s recent meeting in council chambers.
The local ASB board has joined other boards across the province in voicing concerns with the province’s decision to remove the general store feature, which farmers and ranchers have used in their operations.
At the recent ASB meeting, members instructed administration to bring forward a draft resolution regarding the matter to put before the 2019 provincial ASB conference.
The resolution calls on the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to “ensure all information and services previously provided through Ropin’ the Web be reinstated with easy accessibility on the Alberta.ca website."
The general store on the Ropin’ the Web site “provided relevant and reliable information from knowledgeable specialists and experts and a general store for agriculture and forestry related supplies and services.”
The background information accompanying the resolution states, in part, that, “Ropin’ the Web became the trusted website for data and information to support producers, agricultural and agri-food related businesses and their networks. The site contained risk management decision-making tools, opportunities, services and programs in the primary and value-added agricultural sectors.
“Municipalities continue to hear from producers that the loss of the Ropin’ the Web site is a major challenge for their continued operations. The site provided a variety of valuable services to producers that cannot be replicated by the new direction to use Kijiji or Facebook marketplace.”
The Mountain View County and Clearwater County ASBs have sent letters of concern to the minister of Alberta Agriculture and Forestry regarding the matter.
The board was also given an update on the upcoming Alberta Open Farm Days taking place Aug. 17-18.
“For 2019, there are 11 participating host farms,” administration said. “This is the highest number of participants to date. In 2018, there were nine farms participating.”
In other board news, members approved $4,500 in funding for a riparian fencing/watering project on the NW 19-31-04-5, as well as $510 for annual payments for the maintenance of this project from the 2019 Alternative Land Use Services (ALUS) budget.
The board also approved funding for the eco-buffer/shelterbelt project on the NE 16-32-01-5 for $130 to annual payments for the maintenance of the project from the 2019 ALUS budget.
