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By Curtis Galbraith

Agriculture

Sexsmith farmer named Alberta Wheat Commission chair

Feb 3, 2022 | 2:44 PM

The new chair of the Alberta Wheat Commission (AWC) says there are three areas he wants to focus on.

Sexsmith farmer Greg Sears was named to the post at the AWC’s recent annual general meeting in Edmonton.

He says one of those areas he’d like to focus on is how research is handled and funded.

“With the provincial government basically changing the way research is funded, forming RDAR which is Results Driven Agriculture Research, I think there is a lot of transition work still to be done on that front,” Sears said.

“How things are funded, how extension is done, exactly how research is managed right from the work on the research site to how it is communicated to farmers, so it gets put into use.”

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Sears says there is also work to be done on policy items related to environment and climate change and how federal policies like fertilizer curtailment and carbon taxes impact farmers.

He adds there are a few things being done already.

“There is some work nationally with some organizations to understand how agricultural practices and some of the best management practices that farmers do on their land help in sequestering carbon or how we can reduce the carbon footprint of our operations.”

There is also continued work on a potential merger between the Alberta Wheat Commission and Alberta Barley.

“We will have a lot of work this year managing our way through first deciding if an amalgamation makes sense to our membership and if that’s the choice that is taken, on the best way to bring those two commissions together and provide the appropriate governance structures and get that all pulled together,” he explained.

Both groups passed resolutions to have a farmer plebiscite on amalgamation at their respective annual general meetings.

Sears previously served two years in the same role with the Alberta Canola Producers Commission.

He thinks his previous role gave an “understanding of what lies beyond the farm gate.”

“Be it the functioning of our logistics, the value chain that takes the grain from our bins and either gets it to export or processes it for consumers, understanding of how those systems come together in the big picture.”

Sears adds his previous role also help him to understand the finances and governance of commissions like these.

Sears says commissions are also working on how they engage with producer members in getting input and getting them to attend events. He adds COVID has meant challenges for groups in connecting with producers.