Alberta Barley is proposing to increase its service charge to $1.20/MT at its Annual General Meeting, Dec. 8, in Banff, AB. The proposed change would take effect Aug. 1, 2017.
Currently, the Alberta Barley provincial check-off is $1/MT. In addition, there is a $0.04/MT check-off collected through the Western Wheat and Barley Check-off (WWBCO), a five-year, temporary check-off program created and implemented by the federal government in 2012. The program collects check-offs on wheat and barley across the Prairies and in the Peace Region of British Columbia. The WWBCO comes to an end Aug. 1, 2017. Commissions across the Prairies have formed in order to provide value to their barley and wheat farmers.
The board of directors has proposed to increase the provincial rate of $1/MT to $1.20/MT, which will also allow for the continued funding of the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre, previously funded through the WWBCO. Financial modelling was studied and considered for how to continue to provide value to our members and the rate of $1.20/MT was determined to be the best path forward.
Market development, agronomic research and new variety development are core priority areas for Alberta Barley. These important portfolios carry inflationary costs year after year that have continued to reduce Alberta Barley’s buying power, as the check-off has remained unchanged for seven years. As has been discussed with farmers at regional meetings this fall, good work is underway, and there is more to do to improve the profitability of Alberta barley producers.
Source : Albertabarley