Albertans have always been proud of our Western heritage, and we enjoy a fine tradition of farming and ranching across the province.  To this day, Alberta is still a world-class producer of Agriculture products, and, after energy, it is our second-largest industry.

Unfortunately, excessive regulation and barriers have burdened Alberta’s agriculture sector and made it unreasonably difficult for producers to market their goods. Prices influenced by foreign government subsidies rather than supply and demand economics, as well as provincial regulation instituted by the current PC government, have increased input costs, undercut crop prices, and limited access to foreign markets.

The current provincial government has failed to ensure that our farmers and ranchers have the environment they need to succeed in the international marketplace. A Wildrose government will work with Alberta’s agriculture industry to aggressively address these issues. We will work constructively with industry, the federal government, and foreign governments to minimize and eliminate regulation, open access to new markets, and immediately address emerging problems.

COMPETITIVENESS AT HOME AND ABROAD

  • Repeal bills 19, 24, 36, and 50 to protect property rights and create a stable and predictable business climate for ranchers and farmers
  • Ensure the safety of production activities and products, along with environmental sustainability, while keeping the regulatory burden on producers low
  • Give producers the freedom to sell their products when and where they want by supporting the federal Conservative government’s  move to eliminate the Canadian Wheat Board monopoly
  • Lobby the federal government to place much more emphasis on accessing international agricultural markets during trade negotiations

 

LONG-TERM STABILITY IN AN UNPREDICTABLE INDUSTRY

  • Reform provincial agricultural insurance and disaster relief programs to deal effectively and fairly with legitimate production and/or income loss
  • Implement targeted relief programs for disasters, rather than unsustainable long-term support programs which distort production and impede access to overseas markets
  • Work with the federal government to introduce tax reforms including effective income and savings provisions, such as an income averaging trust account
  • Introduce policies and programs that ensure adequate supplies, storage, and efficient use of water for all Albertans