Hearing From the Ag Community on the Canada Food Guide

Earlier this week, Associate Ag Critic, John Barlow, requested the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food undertake a study of the Canada Food Guide, and hear specifically from agriculture and agri-food stakeholders.

Barlow also requested, the Committee report the findings before the release of Part 1 of the new dietary guidance policy report.

He says, to shut out the agriculture sector during the development of an important document like the Canada Food Guide is being willfully blind to the inevitable impacts on the very farmers, ranchers and producers who are responsible for the food we consume.

On December 12th, the other Associate Ag Critic, Luc Berthold, put forward a similar motion to the Health Committee.

The Health Committee did complete the study, but in a release from John Barlow's office they say, the Liberal government denied the participation of witnesses from the agriculture sector in the study.

 Earl Dreeshen, M.P. for Red Deer-Mountain View, is also calling on the government for action with Barlow and Berthold.

 

Petal to the Metal for New Business

Business is blooming for Sarah Adams in Vulcan, AB.

She purchased a farm last year, and is set up for her first big growing season of flowers this spring.

Adams says, typically flowers like to be harvested when it's cool, and are harvested by hand.

She says, she has about 5.5 acres she's cultivating, and a green house set up to extend the growing season four to six weeks.

To Adams' knowledge, she is the only flower farm south of Calgary.

 

New Directors for the Alberta Canola Producers Commission

The Alberta Canola Producers Commission has two new Directors.

Andre Harpe of Valhalla Centre will be replacing Greg Sears in Region 2, and Ian Chitwood of Airdrie will be replacing Steve Marshman in Region 8.

Region 2 is in the Grand Prairie area, and Region 8 is the area Northeast of Calgary.

The announcement follows the Commission's 28th Annual General Meeting held last week at the FarmTech Conference in Edmonton.

 

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