Press Releases

Amalgamation voting now open for Alberta wheat and barley farmers

September 29, 2022

October 3, 2022 (Calgary, Alberta) – Today and throughout the rest of October, Alberta barley and wheat farmers can vote on whether Alberta Barley and the Alberta Wheat Commission (AWC) should formally amalgamate to form a single crop commission. The Alberta Agricultural Products Marketing Council (Marketing Council), in collaboration with third-party election advisor MNP and the two commissions, is holding two online and telephone accessible plebiscites with both opening at noon today and closing on November 1, 2022, at noon.

Farmers, who have paid a levy on wheat or barley sales from January 1, 2020 to April 30, 2022, including farmers who have requested refunds, will receive a voting PIN in the mail they can use to cast their vote online or over the phone. The voting platform, accessible on computers, tablets and smartphones, as well as telephone, gives wheat and barley farmers the ability to determine the future direction of the commissions.

“Electronic voting provides barley and wheat farmers the chance to vote from anywhere – including the cabs of their combines,” says AWC chair Greg Sears. “We hope for a strong voter turnout thanks to the ease of voting platform supporting both online and telephone, ensuring farmers’ voices are heard.”

Voting will be open for a month-long period to give wheat and barley farmers ample time to provide their input.

“It’s critical to have as many farmers as possible engaged in the vote,” says Alberta Barley chair Tara Sawyer. “With the month-long voting period, wheat and barley farmers throughout the province have equal opportunity to engage in the two plebiscites.”

Additional details on the plebiscites include:

Farmers who grow both barley and wheat crops will have two votes (one for each crop)
Farming corporations, cooperatives or partnerships will have one vote for each crop they grow on behalf of their legal entity
During the first week of October, farmers will receive a letter that includes a voting PIN – their unique identifier to cast their vote(s) via the online and telephone voting platform
If you are an eligible grower and have not received a voting PIN by October 12, please contact the Voter Help Desk toll free at 1-844-807-5762 or at Plebiscites2022@mnp.ca.

Alberta barley and wheat farmers gave approval for the commissions to proceed with amalgamation plebiscites via formal motions at each commission’s annual general meeting during the 2021-2022 meeting season.

To learn more about the plebiscites and the member consultations held in 2021, farmers can visit the Alberta Wheat and Barley Commissions’ website.

For more information about voter eligibility and voting processes, farmers can visit Marketing Council’s website at www.alberta.ca/wheat-and-barley-plebiscite.