Southern Alberta farmers look for 'communication' and 'recognition' ahead of provincial election

With a Alberta election around the corner, farmers are looking for a government they can trust and communicate with.

They haven't forgotten the rallies: hundreds of protestors trekking to Okotoks, Edmonton, Red Deer, and Lethbridge to protest against the provincial government's controversial Bill 6.

And while the economy hasn't been bad for farms, they say new rules and levys, such as the carbon tax, make it hard to compete with other jurisdictions in an open market.

Dave Bishop, chairperson of Alberta Barley, says for farmers, the carbon tax is a complicated issue. While it's about cost, those in the industry want to be recognized and rewarded for the carbon they're saving.

"Farms, generally speaking, are very sustainable," Bishop said. "We're stewards of the land. We're not going to be wrecking our land because we wouldn't have a business down the road."

He says farmers have always been carbon conscious, even before the government's levy. Carbon costs money, so he says the industry has always looked to cut that cost and reduce carbon footprints.

Just seven kilometres west of Nanton, Bob Lowe, co-owner of Bear Trap Feeders, says the future is great for his feedlot because the world needs food, and he's there to help fill that need.

But he sees calls government regulations overbearing, and says he sees a lack of funding for innovation — and that gets in the way of success.

"We've got the ability in Alberta to produce a lot of food," Lowe said. "But we need the regulatory environment, and we need the labour to be able to do it.… If we don't have that, we can only go so far."

He says an important part of that is getting matching government funding for research into agricultural innovations, and finding a way to guide policy with that research. According to Lowe, over the years the agricultural industry has contributed more and more, while government support has faltered.

Lowe is the vice president of the Canadian Cattlemen's Association, he says the carbon tax is a big issue for farms. It's a cost that other markets don't have to deal with and has become a major competitive disadvantage.

And he says that's now been coupled with another set of costs farmers now have to worry about this summer as they have to shell out up to $10,000 per person to get workers trained on the latest Class 1 and 2 driving safety regulations.

"It's a knee jerk reaction to a very bad accident," he says. "It's really going to severely limit agriculture, which runs on 18-wheeler trucks."

Another cost he says farmers in the United States don't have to contend with.

Safety is common ground

One thing all of the farmers CBC spoke to agreed about was the need to keep farms safe -- and while there were good things about Bill 6 some would like another crack at the legislation with better consultation.

"When I look back in hindsight, it was the way that all the legislation brought in that created so many hard feelings and hurt feelings," said Gary Stanford, who is the chairman of the Alberta Wheat Commission. "I think that some of it is good for farmers."

When the bill was first introduced in 2015, it caused quite the stir in southern Alberta and across the province. People showed up to protests with signs like "Kill Bill 6" and "NO to bill 6 dictatorship" -- even kids held signs suggesting the legislation would ruin their future.

The bill aimed to subject farms and ranches to workplace safety rules. But there was a lot of confusion about who the rules would apply to, and whether the new rules would prevent neighbours and family members to pitch in or help with small chores.

Although the Farmworkers Union of Alberta said consultations were done over years with the government many protesters were upset with the consultation process, some stating it didn't happen at all.

The government clarified the rules with an amendment in 2015 that would exempt family members from the required Workers Compensation Board insurance coverage.

"It was so upsetting to all the farmers that all 40 farm organizations in Alberta came together under one roof and said we've got to work on this legislation," Stanford said.

'Farmers want communication'

That's one positive he and others say came out of the bill — an open communication network in Alberta's farming industry with the goal to speak out and be heard as a unified voice.

"The main thing for the farmers is communication," Stanford said. "Sit down, and let's talk about it. Let's figure out what will work with small farms and large farms."