Alberta Barley and Alberta Wheat commissions have chosen the name Alberta Grains for its newly merged organization, a July 18 news release said. The new commission will officially start operations as of Aug. 1, 2023.
“We are thrilled to join the forces of Alberta Barley and AWC to create Alberta Grains,” Greg Sears, chair of Alberta Wheat Commission, said in the release. “Our new organization will be focused on delivering value to our farmers and other stakeholders while contributing to the growth and sustainability of the grain industry in Alberta.”
The release noted Alberta Grains builds on the strengths of both organizations to create a unified voice for the province’s 18,000 wheat and barley farmers. The new logo of Alberta Grains is a symbol of the organization’s commitment and unified strength to the province’s crop sector. The logo is designed to represent the grains that are grown in the province, with a modern and clean look that reflects the organization’s vision of strength and ‘better together’ mantra.
“Both boards are proud of the collaboration and focus over the past two years and this announcement is an exciting step forward for our organizations and the agricultural sector in Alberta,” Tara Sawyer, Alberta Barley chair, said in the release. “Our hope is that through the new commission, we will continue to add value and further fiscal and operational efficiencies.”
The commissions started the amalgamation process in 2017 by implementing a shared management structure, consulting with a farmer sub-committee and engaging the province’s wheat and barley farmers in a dialogue through formal consultations, the release said. In October 2022, Alberta wheat and barley farmers voted overwhelmingly in favour of amalgamating the commissions through two plebiscites.
The new commission website is located at AlbertaGrains.com.
