The Mountain View County agricultural service board has come out in support of three resolutions set to come before the 72nd annual provincial agricultural service board conference.
The move came during the board's Jan. 16 regularly scheduled meeting in council chambers.
The resolutions, if passed, will be used to lobby government. They deal with vegetation management, competition for seed and crop protection products, and incorporating more agriculture and agri-food education in classrooms.
ï One resolution calls for the government of Alberta to deliver a "more effective maintenance program for vegetation management (weed control and mowing) along the primary and secondary highways in the province."
The resolution also calls on the government to "deliver a more effective vegetation management plan on all primary and secondary highways to control noxious weeks, prohibited noxious weeds and any unsafe vegetation on the full right of way. This plan should include but not be limited to a herbicide application in order to control all legislated weeds and mowing of the full right of way."
The background note accompanying the resolution states, in part, that "Invasive plants cause significant changes to ecosystems resulting in economic harm to our agriculture and recreational industries. Highway corridors facilitate the spread of invasive plants not just locally, but internationally as well, which impacts our neighbours.
"The most cost-effective strategy against invasive species is preventing them from establishing rather than relying on a municipality to identify an infestation and react by issuing a notice. Allowing undesirable plants to grow increases the risk to human health and public safety by reducing visibility along road shoulders where wildlife are crossing or grazing."
ï A second resolution calls on "Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Administrative Tribunals Support Service of Canada to work cooperatively to ensure a merger of Bayer and Monsanto is either prevented, or allowed only in a manner which assures competition of agricultural seeds and crop protection products remains."
The background note to the resolution states, in part, "competition encourages research, more choices on seed and crop protection products and lower prices, which is better for primary producers as well as consumers."
ï The third resolution calls on the provincial minister of education to include agriculture and agri-food and its importance to Canadians as part of the new curriculum at elementary, junior high and high school levels.
The resolution also calls on Alberta Education to increase the amount of time spent in the school curriculum to discuss food and agriculture and to create a panel of agricultural and nutrition experts to create the curriculum that will be taught in Alberta classrooms.
The background note accompanying the resolution states, in part, that "the availability of incorrect or incomplete information on agriculture and agri-food industry is increasing", "consumer purchases can be influenced by the amount and quality of agriculture and agri-food awareness and education they have received."
The background note also states that because "less than two per cent of the population have a direct role in primary agriculture production, people have less direct experience with growing their own food or participating in the agriculture industry."
Board members appointed vice-chairman Brian Rodger and Brent Buschert as the voting members at the 2017 conference.
"Resolutions bring forward issues to make suggestion or recommendations for future action to bring about desired change," administration said in a briefing note to the board. "Voting members will have the opportunity to change the vote based upon further clarification from on-the-floor discussion at the conference."
The provincial agriculture service board meeting takes place Jan. 24-27 in Edmonton.
