Adding value to ag sector
I recently had the opportunity to represent our area before the Legislative Assembly’s Standing Committee on Alberta’s Economic Future, which is looking at ways to grow and diversify Alberta’s agri-food and agribusiness sector.
With more than 1,200 agriculture and agri-food-related businesses in the Lethbridge area, this sector is a major contributor to the success and economic stability of the region. I was grateful for the chance to provide the committee with a few points to consider as they chart a path forward for all Albertans.
First, given the increasingly competitive global market in agri-food and agribusiness, it’s important for government to formulate strategy, design regulations and develop industry support programs that enable our business community to compete effectively on a global basis. Just as Alberta’s agribusiness sector cannot operate in isolation, Alberta’s government cannot regulate in isolation.
The second consideration for the committee is that new legislation or regulation be focused on stabilizing the operating environment to help add predictability that investors crave. Government policy can dramatically alter the pricing and long-term availability of critical inputs like electricity, skilled labour and transportation. Since money knows no borders and investment will naturally flow to regions where returns can be maximized, we need to ensure a sustainable operating environment that helps investors and businesses minimize risk and maximize returns. ✦infrastructure My third point is to prioritize public
that enables and aligns with economic development priorities. The foresight of previous municipal councils to invest in the development of serviced industrial land, as well as ensuring capacity in water and wastewater treatment plants, has been a factor in Lethbridge’s ability to successfully attract investment.
Beyond physical infrastructure, government investment in knowledge and educational institutions can also pay dividends. A great local example of this is the Cor Van Raay Southern Alberta Agribusiness Program currently under development, by the University of Lethbridge and Lethbridge College, with funding and technical assistance from the province. This program will focus on agriculturerelated education opportunities in the areas of ag-economics, business development, entrepreneurship, finance, human resource management, commodity and futures trading, and general management and leadership with a focus on agricultural innovation. Building local capacity to support the development of a skilled workforce will be important to supporting a sustainable future in southern Alberta.
The Leduc Food Processing Development Centre is another example of government successfully enabling business development but also highlights the importance of ongoing investment. While the centre has played a significant role in the commercialization of new products and processes for more than 30 years, its capacity is limited and its location puts southern Alberta entrepreneurs at a disadvantage.
Canada is one of only six countries worldwide that possesses the combination of natural, financial and human capital to significantly increase food production for export. Global population growth and demands for safe food and improved nutrition means Alberta is in a strong position to be a source of of bulk agricultural products in the global marketplace. However, if we have aspirations to drive more economic value from our agricultural production, we need to bring a focus to value-adding activities in the agri-food space such as processing.
This will require long-term thinking. It will require new levels of collaboration between all orders of government as well as industry, industry associations and growers. Economic Development Lethbridge is proud to continue to serve as the support system, a community collaborator and advocate for the continued evolution, growth and prosperity of this vital sector.