Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has named her new cabinet, and it includes a new agriculture minister. RJ Sigurdson, the MLA for Highwood, has been appointed Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation, replacing Nate Horner, who was named Minister of Finance and President of the Treasury Board. Horner had served as the province’s ag minister since late… Read More
Tag: Devin Dreeshen
Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Manitoba have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to work collectively on improving transport and logistics of economic goods across the region. Ministers for highways and transportation in all three Prairie Provinces say they will focus on four key areas Improve efficiency of inter-provincial highway and rail networks; Encourage the federal government… Read More
Alberta Agriculture and Forestry Minister Devin Dreeshen is resigning from cabinet, following allegations made against him related to excessive alcohol consumption. The former minister made the announcement via social media November 5. “This morning, I offered Premier Jason Kenney my resignation as Minister of Agriculture and Forestry and he has accepted,” Dreeshen wrote. He went on… Read More
Alberta Agriculture and Forestry Minister Devin Dreeshen has appointed longtime agriculture advocate Kelly Smith-Fraser as chair of Agriculture Financial Services Corporation’s (AFSC) board of directors. Smith-Fraser, an Alberta cattle producer with years of experience on multiple boards, brings a wealth of knowledge, proven leadership, and a passion for agriculture to the role. She has previously… Read More
The Government of Alberta is making $136 million available under the AgriRecovery program, a joint program between the governments of Alberta and Canada, and has asked the federal government to provide an additional $204 million for a total relief package of $340 million. Earlier in the day, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Marie Claude Bibeau… Read More
Ministers of agriculture from federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) governments across Canada discussed how to respond to the drought and wildfires in Western Canada on Thursday, in what may have been their final meeting before a federal election, if one is called in the coming weeks. The ministers also continued their discussions on changes to… Read More
The Alberta government is partnering with the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, Alberta Beef Producers, and Alberta Cattle Feeders’ Association to undertake a competitiveness study that will provide strategic insights and data for the beef cattle industry. Announced July 14, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Devin Dreeshen says that collaborating with industry is vital to growing and… Read More
The governments of Canada and Alberta are supporting the Alberta Hemp Alliance (AHA) with a one-time grant to establish a provincial industry association for hemp processing. The AHA will receive more than $300,000 over two years, through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP). The grant will help AHA build capacity to fulfil its mandate as the… Read More
Provincial governments across Canada are consulting with farmers and the agriculture industry as they prepare to hammer out a new five-year federal-provincial-territorial agricultural policy framework. The Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) — the $3 billion 5-year investment by federal, provincial and territorial governments — is set to expire in 2023. While federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau… Read More
The most recent meeting of the Federal-Provincial-Territorial (FPT) ag leaders came to a conclusion Thursday without a consensus on Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) Marie-Claude Bibeau’s proposed AgriStability changes. Devin Dreeshen, Minister of Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, says that the conclusion of the FPT meetings was a good deal for farmers, but the… Read More
Alberta pork processing plants have been impacted by COVID-19 outbreaks and control measures, and as a result plants have closed or reduced slaughter capacity. Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Marie-Claude Bibeau announced today that the AgriRecovery Framework will kick-in for Alberta, with up to $3 million available to assist hog producers impacted by processing shut… Read More
Reforming business risk management (BRM) programs, such as the AgriStability program, has been top of mind for many across the agriculture industry. Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau proposed changes to the program at the federal-provincial-territorial agricultural ministers’ meeting in November, which the federal government says would increase AgriStability payouts by 50 per cent, but the… Read More
Farmers in Alberta will see a significant reduction in their crop insurance premiums for the 2021 growing season. Announced January 25 by the Alberta government and the Agricultural Financial Services Corporation (AFSC), a 20 per cent reduction will save farmers more than $55 million on their crop insurance premiums this year. Minister of Alberta Agriculture… Read More
The federal-provincial-territorial (FPT) meeting concluded last week with a press conference hosted by Ontario’s Ag Minister, Ernie Hardeman, and the federal minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Marie Claude Bibeau. At the meeting, Bibeau presented the federal government’s offer to fund changes to AgriStability — but, according to the provinces, it was the first time they’d… Read More
Alberta’s agriculture minister says his federal counterpart’s proposal to move ahead with changes to AgriStability at the annual agriculture ministers’ meeting was “set up to fail.” Reforming business risk management, specifically the AgriStability program, was the top item on the agenda heading into the annual federal-provincial-territorial agriculture ministers meeting, which wrapped up with a final… Read More