About Us Lobbying

Organizational Structures

General farm organizations throughout Canada work on behalf of all farmers and ranchers to address issues and needs that are of a comprehensive nature. They do not participate in the marketing or sale of agricultural products.

Alberta needs to catch up with other provinces and have their proper place in Canada regarding primary producer representation at the federal level. It is unacceptable that we, as Albertans, have allowed a situation to develop whereby federal agricultural policy is often determined by strong farm organizations from every other province in Canada. Considering the many issues facing the primary agricultural industry, we believe it is definitely the time for the Alberta government to rethink how Alberta’s general farm organizations are structured and funded. Serious discussion needs to be undertaken immediately to determine how stronger, adequately funded, democratically-driven general farm organizations can better represent Alberta producers at the federal level.

Alberta farmers have always recognized the necessity for general farm organizations, however, they have not been able to effectively develop a means by which stable funding can be collected from Alberta farmers to support such producer groups. To this point in time, Wild Rose Agricultural Producers and other general farm organizations in Alberta have had to rely on a voluntary individual membership structure that requires considerable human resources to make one-on-one personal contact to solicit membership. It has proven difficult for such a voluntary system to raise adequate funds needed to effectively operate general farm organizations in this province. This has resulted in Alberta, the richest province in Canada, having the most poorly funded general farm organizations. More financial resources are needed now for Alberta to have strong general farm organizations that can take a lead in the development of national and provincial agricultural policy.

Other provinces in Canada have recognized the value of the delivery of farm programs through their farm organizations. Farmer-driven solutions with government backing ensure that programs are acceptable to producers and delivered in an efficient manner. This is a concept that we have barely touched in Alberta but we believe has tremendous potential. Adopting this practice could also enable the ministry to realign resources in an effective and efficient manner.