Alberta Bulletin

Alberta Canola’s 34th Annual General Meeting

Join us in-person or online.

Wednesday, January 24, 2024 10:30am – noon

Alberta Canola’s Annual General Meeting will be held in Grande Prairie as part of the Alberta Canola Conference on Wednesday January 24, 2024, from 10:30 am until noon.

There is no charge to attend the Annual General Meeting or the Alberta Canola Conference. The Annual General Meeting will also be accessible online to growers and guests throughout the province.

Under Alberta Canola’s bylaws, any producer who has a paid a service charge to Alberta Canola since August, 2021 is an eligible producer. Eligible producers can be individuals or represent a corporation, partnership, or organization.

Eligible producers attending the AGM either in-person or online are eligible to vote in an election and on any question.

Eligible producers are encouraged to pre-register for the AGM by January 10th to allow for verification of eligibility and to ensure voting links are delivered in advance of the meeting.

Eligible producers can submit resolutions to be presented at Alberta Canola’s AGM. To ensure proper preparation, resolutions must be submitted in writing no later than 10 business days before the AGM (by January 10). This timeline allows for the collection of background information and the preparation of resolutions for their presentation at the meeting. Resolutions can be sent Karla Bergstrom, Executive director at karla@alberacanola.com.

Eligible producers, canola growers, and guests can learn more and register at albertacanola.com/AGM

Alberta Canola director nomination results

The call for nominations for growers to serve on the Board of Directors of the Alberta Canola Producers Commission in Regions 2, 5, 8 and 11 is closed on October 31, 2023. Four canola growers have been acclaimed to represent growers in regions 2, 5, 8 and 11.

The four canola growers elected by acclamation are Andre Harpe from Valhalla Centre, Justin Nanninga from Neerlandia, Jeffrey Frost from Olds and Roger Chevraux from Killam. Harpe will represent Region 2, Nanninga Region 5, Frost Region 8 and Chevraux will represent Region 11.

Immediately following the Annual General Meeting on January 24, Harpe and Chevraux will begin their third terms as directors, Nanninga will begin his second term, and Frost will begin his first term.

Alberta Canola directors may serve up to three three-year terms on Alberta Canola’s Board as long as they remain an eligible producer.

A full list of the Board of Directors and Alberta Canola’s regions can be found on albertacanola.com/regions.

What does the Bunge-Viterra merger mean for farmers?

Bunge could be the largest grain buyer in Canada

The proposed merger between Bunge and Viterra could drastically shift grain marketing for Canadian farmers for years to come. Initially announced in June of 2023, and expected to be completed mid-2024, the merger has come under scrutiny here in Canada and abroad. The Competition Bureau of Canada and Transport Canada are currently going through the regulatory review process to look at the impact this merger would have on the market competitiveness of grain elevator access for growers and export capacity through the Canadian grain transportation system.

Bunge operates many grains processing facilities globally including 56 oilseed crushing facilities, 17 grain mills, and 47 refineries. The acquisition of 67 Viterra primary elevators in Canada complements Bunge’s value-added grain processing business units by increasing their ability to acquire grains such as canola for crushing and wheat for milling. This deal would catapult Bunge ahead of other major primary grain buying companies in Canada, like Richardson and Cargill by giving them an ownership stake of approximately 33% of Canadian primary elevator capacity.

This consolidation will not only have a ripple effect across the Prairies but also globally affect the dynamics of grain trade. There are concerns relating to the loss of regional competition from primary elevator ownership, and the potential for elevators to be closed or sold off. Analysis over the number of ports Bunge would have an ownership stake in, and the role their non-controlling in G3 Canada Limited is still ongoing. The provincial canola commissions are working with government regulators, as well as industry representatives to ensure that the voice of farmers is considered when assessing the pros and cons of this merger between Bunge and Viterra.

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