By Alex McCuaig

Calgary Bus Trip

Several ag meetings taking place, stressing importance of sector

Jan 13, 2020 | 5:45 PM

Medicine Hat, AB – The crops and pasture of southeastern Alberta might be covered in a blanket of snow and a bone-chilling cold is keeping farmers and ranchers indoors but a number of ag sector meetings are taking place this month, highlighting the importance of the industry to the province.

The Medicine Hat and District Chamber of Commerce will be joining their counterparts in Calgary as that city’s chamber hosts the Canada’s Agricultural Summit on Thursday with room available for those wishing join the chamber’s delegation to attend the day-long conference.

“I think everybody could see and has seen demonstrated over the past while the importance of the agricultural community to our local economy in particular,” said Lisa Kowalchuk, chamber executive director. “When you look at the boom bust cycles of the oil and gas economy, the agricultural community and that industry in particular has been a stabilizer.”

Kowalchuk said having a unified voice in the industry to ensure the agricultural sector remains competitive is important while educating Albertans on the contributions to the province is critical.

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Last week, the province launched a survey for those in the ag sector to share their thoughts on what direction provincially-lead research should take.

Something Kowalchuk is stressing those in the industry take part in.

“I think there is very much a focus that it needs to be industry led, which is something the chamber regularly advocates for,” said Kowalchuk.

Next week, the annual conference of Alberta agricultural service boards will be celebrating the 75^th anniversary of the rural agencies tasked with dealing with local issues pertaining to the industry.

Among the resolutions they will be discussing this year is a motion to incorporate agricultural education into the provincial school curriculum, developing an emergency grazing reserve for ranchers affected by fires or floods and several others.

The chamber will be hosting its own Ag Forum on Feb. 11.