Post Event Recap | Alberta Next: Agribusiness

On March 5, the Calgary Chamber of Commerce celebrated Alberta's leadership in the agricultural at Alberta Next: Agribusiness. The event, focused on key challenges and priorities in the sector including rural decline, talent and labour shortages, volatility in the markets, global trade uncertainties, and innovation and technology supporting sustainable practices and food security.

A Conversation with the Honourable RJ Sigurdson, Alberta’s Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation

At the Agribusiness Industry Forum, the Calgary Chamber hosted the Honourable RJ Sigurdson, Alberta’s Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation, for a keynote address and fireside chat with Deborah Yedlin, President and CEO of the Chamber, focusing on challenges and opportunities in Alberta’s agriculture industry.

The Minister’s address highlighted the historical and current value of Alberta’s agriculture industry, as well as the key challenges facing the sector, including input and output price volatility, red tape and droughts. Minister Sigurdson shared insights into key investments designed to tackle these challenges, such as $900,000 for drone imaging, to be used for crop assessment in wildfire control and insurance claims. The Minister also provided an update on the Agri-food industry, illustrating Alberta’s competitive tax environment, attractive programs such as the Alberta Agri-Processing Investment Tax Credit and government supports for export, both inter-provincial and international, as key to our continued growth.

The fireside chat covered topics including drought protection and water management, international trade, regenerative farming, innovation, talent attraction and labour shortages. The discussion also touched on the challenges facing generational farmers, and what role provincial government supports will play in strengthening individual and family farms. Minister Sigurdson closed the conversation by noting the need for consultation to develop better policy and regulatory certainty for the creation of a predictable investment environment.

Panel: Cultivating the Next Generation Workforce

The first panel discussion was moderated by Jeremy Siddall, Vice President of connectFirst Credit Union and featured panelists Martha Hall Findlay Director of the School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary; Luree Williamson, CEO of Agriculture for Life; and Ryan Murphy, Director of Agriculture with Invest Alberta.

The panelists discussed the importance and need to educate youth about the opportunities in agriculture, the value of government support and the potential for ag tech to attract the next generation of workers. They emphasized the need for transparency, diversity, equity and inclusion in the industry.

Panelists’ closing remarks emphasized Alberta's competitive edge – due to abundant resources, the need to engage students by highlighting exciting industry prospects and encouraged further advocacy for more public dialogue on the topic. Panelists collective insights painted a promising picture of Alberta's agricultural future, underlining the potential for growth, innovation and the pivotal role of the next generation in shaping the sector.

Panel: Planting the Seeds of Innovation

The second panel was moderated by Dana Gibson, Executive Director of Smart Agriculture and Food at Alberta Innovates, and included panelists Joy Agnew, Vice President of Research at Olds College; Calvin Booker; General Manager of Services and Research in Animal Agriculture at TELUS Agriculture and Consumer Goods; and Chris Paterson, Venture Partner with Tall Grass Ventures.

Panelists discussed the role of technology in enabling best practices in agriculture, the importance of responsible tech development, and the challenges and opportunities for automation in farming processes. They also highlighted the importance of environmental stewardship and the role of innovation in driving the agricultural ecosystem.

As the discussion concluded, the panelists agreed on the need for continuous improvement, collaboration and support for innovation and sustainability, stressing the importance of narrating agriculture's sustainability story.

The industry forum was a testament to Alberta's pivotal role in local and global food production and its significance in the Canadian agriculture industry. It provided valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities in the sector and sparked meaningful conversations about the future of agriculture in Alberta.

Thank you to our presenting sponsor who made this event possible, the University of Calgary, our reception sponsor, TELUS Agriculture, our student table sponsors, Canadian Cannabis Exchange and Olds College, and our supporting sponsors, Alberta Grains, Baker Tilly, connectFirst Credit Union and UFA.