Moving from strategy to action: A farmer-led vision for rural sustainability
The viability of every wheat and barley operation in Alberta is inextricably linked to the vitality of the rural community surrounding it. When local bridges fail, grain deliveries can face costly detours. When rural hospitals close, families must drive further for care or go without. It is with this holistic view that Alberta Grains has engaged in the federal government’s consultations toward a Rural Development Action Plan.
Building off the previous Economic Development Strategy for Rural Canada, the federal government is seeking to move from strategy to action, and has been seeking input on how to bolster rural sustainability. For Alberta Grains, contributing to this dialogue is a strategic imperative and opportunity to clearly articulate the economic impact of the grain sector to the rural economy. We are contributing to the rural economic development action plan to ensure on-farm perspectives shape future investment strategies. This is vital for supporting the next generation and the major farm transition currently underway.
Rural Canada generates nearly 30% of the nation’s GDP. Within that, rural Alberta is a powerhouse generating $23.1 billion in farm cash receipts in 2024, contributed 26% of Alberta’s GDP, accounted for 41% of public and private investment, despite housing only around 20% of the population.
The previous federal strategy, first released in 2019, focused on themes of People and Places, prioritizing connectivity, housing, and tourism. While high-speed internet is a vital tool, it is not the most critical component of a modern action plan; the long-term survival of the Alberta family farm demands a comprehensive approach that prioritizes trade corridors, technical skillsets, and succession tools.
As rural development is shared jurisdiction, the federal action plan will be complemented by an existing Economic Development in Rural Alberta Plan, which specifically targets economic development: enabling infrastructure like irrigation, transportation corridors and community services. The federal government’s previous rural project investments often skewed toward social vitality (like recreation centres), we are hopeful that the new action plan will be more focused on growth and resilience of the sector, with priority on the trade-enabling infrastructure required to move wheat and barley from small rural centres to global markets around the world.
In a recent survey Alberta Grains conducted, a shift to focus on infrastructure investments and domestic market development aligns with many farmers priorities, as our survey identified trade-enabling infrastructure (rail and ports) and local infrastructure (roads and bridges) as top priorities. The sentiment from the survey was clear: Canada’s reputation as a reliable trade partner is faltering, sector growth and competitiveness is about improving efficiencies and capacity along our major trade corridors.
Beyond concrete and steel, our survey also identified a human capital crisis. For many, the crisis isn't a lack of bodies - it's a skills mismatch. As farming becomes more technical, some farmers are prioritizing technical trades people to maintain software-driven machinery over general labor. A key point Alberta Grains will advocate for in a federal rural development action plan, is a focus on support for labour force and skills development. In the survey, farmers revealed an anxiety regarding the future of the family farm. Priorities around farm transition and tax incentives ranked highly. The fear is that without such supports to incentivize succession and address the continued loss of prime agricultural land, the landscape will irrevocably change. As one farmer warned, "If we can't transfer the farm sustainably, we will lose it”.
Alberta Grains’ submission will call for a federal plan that acknowledges agriculture as a high-tech, export-driven industry, and the lifeblood of many rural communities. We will advocate for policies that build the right infrastructure, develops the right skills, and supports the next generation to allow farms to remain viable and competitive. We will look for a federal vision that secures rural vitality by investing in the industries, like agriculture, that power it. The full Alberta Grains submission will be available on our website in the near future.