Policymakers Join Farmers in the Field
To Talk Challenges, Opportunities in Alberta’s Crop Sector
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By Jasen Aussant l Senior Policy & Markets Analyst, Alberta Grains
On July 8th, elected officials and agricultural stakeholders gathered near Airdrie for a farm tour hosted by Team Alberta Crops—a collaboration between seven provincial crop commissions: Alberta Grains, Alberta Canola, Alberta Pulse Growers, Alberta Sugar Beet Growers, Potato Growers of Alberta, Alberta Beekeepers Commission, and the Alberta-British Columbia Seed Growers. Together, these organizations represent over 20,000 Alberta farmers and work collectively to bring forward a unified voice on shared on-farm issues.
The event welcomed MLAs from across the province, municipal councillors, Agricultural Service Board members, and industry representatives. MLA Jennifer Johnson (Lacombe–Ponoka) brought greetings on behalf of Premier Danielle Smith, recognizing the immense economic value that Alberta’s crop producers bring to the province.
Hosted at Chitwood Farms, the day featured a guided tour and discussion sessions covering key priorities: international trade and market access, regulatory hurdles, environmental sustainability, and competitiveness through innovation. These policy pillars reflect some of the top concerns facing Alberta farmers this year, and each session offered insights directly from producers about how policy decisions impact day-to-day operations.
The Q&A sessions were a highlight, providing an open forum for farmers to speak directly with policymakers about the realities they face—from inconsistent rail service and regulatory bottlenecks to the challenges of water management and the need for investment in research capacity. Farmers also shared forward-looking ideas for how government can support resilience and long-term prosperity in the sector.
The farm tour underscored the strength of collaboration and the benefits of farmer-led discussions on policy issues. By working in unison through Team Alberta Crops, stronger connections between producers and decision-makers are developed while ensuring that policy conversations are grounded in firsthand experience. Events like this help bridge the gap between the field and the legislature and affirm the crop sector’s vital role in building Alberta’s economy.
Team Alberta Crops is a collaboration between seven of Alberta’s producer groups: Alberta Beekeepers Commission, Alberta Canola, Alberta Grains, Alberta Pulse Growers, Alberta-British Columbia Seed Growers, Alberta Sugar Beet Growers and the Potato Growers of Alberta. We work together to advance grass-roots policy and advocate on behalf of Alberta’s crop and beekeeping sectors.
