October is amalgamation voting month for Alberta barley and wheat farmers

October 2022 is an exciting month for Alberta Barley and the Alberta Wheat Commission (AWC) as long-awaited plebiscites on amalgamating the two commissions are being held during the month of October. The votes are being conducted at the request of the commissions by the Alberta Agricultural Products Marketing Council (Marketing Council) as returning officer and the third-party election advisor MNP as deputy returning officer.

Alberta barley and wheat farmers who have paid checkoff in the past two years are being asked to determine the future of the organizations by voting on whether they support or do not support Alberta Barley and AWC formally amalgamating to form a single crop commission. The convenient, online voting platform opened at noon on October 3, 2022, and will close at noon on November 1, 2022.

“The commissions have been operating with a joint staff for five years, and last year we consulted with our farmer membership to gauge the appetite on the next step – formally amalgamating the two commissions,” says Tara Sawyer, Alberta Barley chair. “We had excellent engagement from our membership on the topic last year, and it is even more critical now that farmers engage by participating in the October plebiscites.”

Since the two commissions are established via separate Plan Regulations under the Marketing of Agricultural Products Act and are separate legal entities, two plebiscites are required: one for barley growers, and one for wheat growers. Eligible farmers received plebiscite information to their mailboxes in September, along with a second letter at the beginning of October which contains their unique voting PIN that allows for access to the voting platform.

“We recognize that this is a busy harvest season, Alberta barley and wheat farmers will have nearly one month to participate, and the online platform allows for easy and convenient access,” says Greg Sears, AWC chair. “As long as farmers have their voting PIN, they can vote from any electronic device. We encourage farmers to cast their electronic ballot, even if it’s from the combine.”

The plebiscites are being held in October to allow for a fulsome discussion of the results with farmers during regional meetings in November. Farmers should note that the online plebiscites close at 12:00 p.m. on November 1, 2022.

For more information on the current amalgamation plebiscites taking place including support contact information, or to review the frequently asked questions, visit albertawheatvotes.com or albertabarleyvotes.com.