Alberta Barley announces new executive, amalgamation resolution passed at AGM

(Kara Oosterhuis/RealAgriculture)

Tara Sawyer of Acme, Alta., is returning as Alberta Barley’s chair, with Roy Newman of Blackie, Alta. taking the place of vice-chair.

The new executive was announced at Alberta Barley’s annual general meeting in conjunction with the Prairie Cereals Summit.

Also passed at the meeting was a resolution that calls for a farmer plebiscite on amalgamating with the Alberta Wheat Commission (AWC).

The passed resolution follows six months of the commissions conducting farmer consultations on amalgamation. The directive to consult with farmers came from a motion passed at both commissions’ AGMs in 2019.

“Exploring the concept of amalgamation has been a large focus for both boards this year,” says Newman. “We have fully capitalized on efficiencies and cost savings by sharing staff and there are even more savings to be realized. The commissions have consulted both memberships and have seen wide-spread support for progressing to the next step – a farmer plebiscite.”

In order for Alberta Barley to request a farmer plebiscite to the Alberta Agricultural Marketing Council as per the resolution, AWC must also pass the same resolution at their AGM in January of 2022.

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