Family Farms (February 18)
Ms Pastoor: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Albertans are going in ever-increasing numbers to farmers’ markets both urban and rural, yet because of the design of our agricultural industry, often as a result of the government funding structure, small family farms continue to disappear from the Alberta landscape.
This government just recently announced Explore Local, a program that’s meant to “capture growth opportunities in the local food market.” To the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development: through this initiative how many dollars will go directly to new and small-scale, locally focused producers?
The Speaker: The hon. minister.
Mr. Hayden: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will get the number for the hon. member on what would qualify in that particular category, but of course with these programs there are a number of categories that qualify for funding. Those categories that are accessed first by whatever area of the industry will get the money. We have seen an over 30 per cent increase in market garden sales over the past couple of years, and it’s a huge opportunity for Alberta.
The Speaker: Hon. member, that number is in the budget, which has already been tabled.
Ms Pastoor: If I’d found it, I would have probably not asked the question.
The Speaker: Please continue.
Ms Pastoor: What is the minister using as a funding definition for farming when small farm-direct producers are not included? I think that was partly in your last answer.
The Speaker: The hon. minister.
Mr. Hayden: Yes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We work with a number of small producers. We have people that are working off of acreages right now, and the hon. member and others have given me names of producers that want to access our programs. Some of these are becoming very profitable, and the understanding within the community in Alberta of the value of the safety and quality of the food that’s produced here is really being showcased in those markets.
The Speaker: The hon. member.
Ms Pastoor: Thank you. When will the minister introduce farmdirect initiatives that will help small family and unconventional farmers compete against the huge industrial farms?
The Speaker: The hon. minister.
Mr. Hayden: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In fact, we already do. What you would consider large operations in the province, about 20 per cent of the agricultural operations in Alberta, produce about 80 per cent of the agricultural goods. The remainder are what would be considered smaller or medium-sized operations. When we talk about that and think about the size of those things, an average livestock operation provides the protein requirements for about 900 people. So these may be considered small, but in fact they’re very big operations.
Alberta Hansard, February 18, 2010