The 2025 ASB Gopher Impact Survey, responding to Federal MP John Barlow, aims to compile evidence on the pest damage caused by Richardson's Ground Squirrels to inform agricultural policy. Farmers are encouraged to submit damage photos, with a target of 200 responses, to prompt timely government action for affected Prairie producers.
Alberta Launches Regulatory Dialogue Portal for Water Management
Alberta Environment and Protected Areas (EPA) has officially launched the Regulatory Dialogue Portal, a new online tool designed to improve communication and responsiveness around regulatory approvals under the Water Act and the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act (EPEA). This initiative responds in part to Resolution 6-23, passed by Alberta’s Agricultural Service Boards (ASBs), which called …
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**Updated**AgKnow: Transforming Mental Health in Alberta’s Farming Community
AgKnow, the Alberta Farm Mental Health Network, emerged from agricultural resolutions to support mental health in rural communities. In 2023, it initiated community engagement, offering free therapy sessions. Despite funding challenges in 2024, the community raised over $180,000 for services. AgKnow aims for operational stability and diverse funding to thrive.
Richardson’s Ground Squirrel Update
**Updates** ASBPC meets with SARM on April 22, 2025 Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM) SARM has been actively advocating for the reinstatement of strychnine for gopher control through multiple channels, including meeting with Pesticide Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) in Ottawa multiple times before strychnine was deregistered in 2023. They found PMRA to be unresponsive …
ASBPC Hosts RDAR Delegation
Meeting Highlights: On March 17, 2025 the ASBPC hosted CAO Mark Redmond and Vice Chair Josie Van Lent. This is the first time since 2022 that the ASBPC has hosted RDAR. Organizational Overview RDAR (Results Driven Agriculture Research) was established in 2019 with four research pillars: profitability, productivity, competitiveness, and sustainability Has invested $110 million …
Update Resolution 5-24: Wild Boar and the Alberta Agricultural Pest Act
On March 24, the ASBPC was given notice that the Government is considering changes to the wild boar industry, and was invited to join ADM Conrad for a one-off special meeting on April 15, 2025 to discuss further. Earlier on March 24, wild boar producers and farmers who have worked with Agriculture and Irrigation in …
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Land and Properties Rights Tribunal Engagement OPEN!
Resolution 12-23 : ASBs can support this resolution by participating through the online survey. This is the first review of the LPRT since 2018. Yesterday the Government of Alberta announced the opening of public engagement aimed at Improving land and property rights services. "Engagement from landowners, developers, industry and municipalities will strengthen the operations of …
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Declaration of Agriculture Disaster – Extreme loss of honey production
ASBs in the north are declaring Agriculture Disaster due to poor Canola crop in the Peace region. MD of Smokie River's letter to the Honourable RJ Sigurdson states: "...losses between 60% to 90% of average annual production..." "Agronomic and environmental factors played a role..." Regions of the Peace experienced a significantly shorter flowering period and …
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Update – AgKnow
Resolution E2-23 In June of this year AgKnow, Alberta Farm Mental Health Network sent letters of urgent need to stakeholders including the 69 ASBs in response to a challenge issued by Wheatland County to support the initiative with letters of support and modest donations to help bridge the funding gap between grants. Since then ASBs, …
Strychnine and Richardson’s Ground Squirrels
Resolution 11-23, Resolution 7-24 Strychnine is no longer registered for use on Richardson's Ground Squirrels and some ASBs are concerned that populations are again on the rise. Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) is the agency of Health Canada "responsible for the pesticide regulation in Canada. Created in 1995, this branch of Health Canada consolidates the …
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