The following is a CBC commentary:
t seems the promised land starts about 200 kilometres west of Swift Current. What you don't hear much about is the Alberta disadvantage when it comes to agriculture.
Land prices are big part of that. Just talk to farmers anywhere near the Highway 2 corridor between Edmonton and Calgary. They
face prices of $1,500 or $2,000 an acre or more if they want to expand.
Even an hour away from Highway 2, the price can be $1,000 an acre –– that’s top dollar for the very best Saskatchewan farmland. Most prices here are in the $200 to $600 range, prompting scores of Alberta cattle producers to move east. Sure, they probably have to put up with higher taxes and more potholes in the roads, but it's still an attractive proposition.
If they want to ship grain for export, they’ll have to put up with higher freight rates too. But our "freight challenged" feed grains provide an advantage for livestock production.
Alberta still has twice as much hog production and 10 times our feedlot capacity, but the tensions between the non-farming and livestock producers are higher too. Alberta is becoming less hospitable to new development.
Another Alberta disadvantage is its lack of dryland crop diversity. With livestock so dominant, Alberta grain farmers have been less aggressive in adopting higher-value crops. For instance, Saskatchewan farmers grew nearly 1.8 million acres of lentils last year. Alberta had a mere 24,000 acres. We also grow vastly larger amounts of chickpeas, mustard and canary seed –– this diversity has been a key factor in keeping our farmers viable. Alberta farmers sometimes pick up some extra subsidy money, but with budgets growing tight even in that province, you have to
wonder if those days are nearing an end. In fact, Alberta has
announced drastic cuts to its network of agrologists who work with and provide information for farmers and ranchers.
Yes, Saskatchewan has many challenges. But you don't hear about
Saskatchewan farmers packing up and moving to Alberta to farm.
Everything considered, the agricultural advantage is here.
________
How much truth is there to these statements? What is Alberta truly competitive at? For how long?
t seems the promised land starts about 200 kilometres west of Swift Current. What you don't hear much about is the Alberta disadvantage when it comes to agriculture.
Land prices are big part of that. Just talk to farmers anywhere near the Highway 2 corridor between Edmonton and Calgary. They
face prices of $1,500 or $2,000 an acre or more if they want to expand.
Even an hour away from Highway 2, the price can be $1,000 an acre –– that’s top dollar for the very best Saskatchewan farmland. Most prices here are in the $200 to $600 range, prompting scores of Alberta cattle producers to move east. Sure, they probably have to put up with higher taxes and more potholes in the roads, but it's still an attractive proposition.
If they want to ship grain for export, they’ll have to put up with higher freight rates too. But our "freight challenged" feed grains provide an advantage for livestock production.
Alberta still has twice as much hog production and 10 times our feedlot capacity, but the tensions between the non-farming and livestock producers are higher too. Alberta is becoming less hospitable to new development.
Another Alberta disadvantage is its lack of dryland crop diversity. With livestock so dominant, Alberta grain farmers have been less aggressive in adopting higher-value crops. For instance, Saskatchewan farmers grew nearly 1.8 million acres of lentils last year. Alberta had a mere 24,000 acres. We also grow vastly larger amounts of chickpeas, mustard and canary seed –– this diversity has been a key factor in keeping our farmers viable. Alberta farmers sometimes pick up some extra subsidy money, but with budgets growing tight even in that province, you have to
wonder if those days are nearing an end. In fact, Alberta has
announced drastic cuts to its network of agrologists who work with and provide information for farmers and ranchers.
Yes, Saskatchewan has many challenges. But you don't hear about
Saskatchewan farmers packing up and moving to Alberta to farm.
Everything considered, the agricultural advantage is here.
________
How much truth is there to these statements? What is Alberta truly competitive at? For how long?
.
Comment