Alberta Bulletin

New Alberta Canola Board of Directors

“The board is grateful for their contributions and diverse perspectives.”

—Roger Chevraux

Alberta Canola is pleased to welcome four new directors to the board, Christi Friesen from Brownvale, Paula Law from Lacombe, Jeannette Andrashewski from Two Hills and Cheryl Westman from Vermilion. Friesen will represent Region 1, Law Region 7, Andrashewski Region 4 and Westman region 10.

Following the 33rd Annual General Meeting held on January 17, 2023 in Lethbridge, at the first annual Alberta Canola Conference, the board re-elected both Roger Chevraux of Killam as the chair and Ian Chitwood of Airdrie as the vice chair.

“Alberta Canola would like to thank outgoing directors Dan Doll, John Mayko, Mike Ammeter and Cale Staden for all their hard work over the last six years. Representing Alberta’s canola growers and the different needs of their regions helped the board exercise good judgement and make sound decisions,” Chevraux says.

Alberta Canola Bylaw Development

At Alberta Canola’s Annual General Meeting on January 17, Alberta’s canola growers voted to approve the new draft bylaws as presented. Alberta Canola would like to thank Marketing Council staff for their guidance during this process.

The next steps before the bylaws and new marketing plan regulation come into effect are to gain approval from the Marketing Council board and the Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation.

Visit albertacanola.com/bylaws to view the draft bylaws.

Tax Credit for the 2022 Tax Year Available to Canola Farmers in Alberta

Canola growers in Alberta who do not request a refund of their check-off from the Alberta Canola Producers Commission qualify for a tax credit for the 2022 tax year.

The Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) tax credit allows canola growers to claim the tax credit for that portion of the check-off paid that was used to fund qualifying research.

“The tax credit is an additional benefit for growers who contribute a check-off on canola,” says Alan Hampton a farmer from Rowley, Alberta and chair of Alberta Canola’s research committee. “Farmers are funding research looking for ways to better grow canola. This includes research into agronomic issues such as blackleg and clubroot disease management, and the monitoring of insect pests for susceptibility and resistance to insecticides. The SR&ED tax credit allows farmers to capture some of that investment back at tax time.”

The tax credit rate for canola producers in Alberta for 2022 is 20.93 per cent.

For example, for an individual grower who paid $1,000.00 in check off to Alberta Canola in 2022, $209.30 is eligible to earn the tax credit.