E-Delivery

14 Crop Sector Working Group (CSWG) members, including Alberta Pulse Growers, are considering how best to represent agriculture's interests on the topic of climate change to policy makers through the Agri-Environmental Partnership of Alberta (AEPA). "Climate change is a big topic in which we obviously have a place to play and have a voice, but it's difficult to narrow down the part of climate change and environment that agriculture can grasp and take hold of," said Fiona Briody, CSWG's new Policy Program Coordinator. "It's a broad subject, so we're just star ng conversa ons on what's our piece of that pie that we're going to concentrate on with the AEPA partnership." Climate change was recently added as a priority to the Land Use Framework Working Group of the AEPA, for which CSWG members sit on the Advisory Commi ee. "For the partnership, we're wan ng to be more engaged in the climate change topic," said Janet Dietrich, General Manager of the Agri-Environmental Partnership of Alberta. "We want to ensure agriculture's voice is heard in the policy development process. We are trying to work with the melines of the government and want to be prepared to provide input when there are opportuni es." The AEPA grew out of a need iden fied by many agricultural organiza ons for a transparent partnership between government and the agricultural industry, and for a collabora ve approach to resolving agri-environmental issues. "Alberta Pulse Growers and the Crop Sector Working Group are important partners and have been involved for many years," Dietrich added. "It's important to have agriculture's input into policy development processes, and Alberta Pulse Growers is very ac ve and engaged with our work. Zone 5 Director Don Shepert is the Alberta Pulse Growers representa ve on our Advisory Commi ee, as well as the Chair of our Water Working Group. There's ac ve par cipa on on the Land Use Framework Working Group by staff as well." The Crop Sector Working Group is the crop industry group focused on agri-environmental industry issues. Alberta Pulse Growers is a member organiza on, along with Alberta Wheat Commission, Alberta Barley, Alberta Canola Producers Commission, Alberta Oat Growers Commission, Potato Growers of Alberta, Alberta Sugar Beet Growers, Alfalfa Seed Commission, Alberta Seed Growers and Alberta Farm Fresh Producers Associa on. Briody, who is also a cow-calf operator, has been working on climate change, PARTNERSHIPS CLIMATE CHANGE A PRIORITY FOR AEPA & CSWG Fiona Briody, CSWG Policy Program Coordinator ecosystem services, public trust and other issues facing the cropping sector since star ng with CSWG in March. She is well- suited to the task with previous experience that includes working with the Prairie Farm Rehabilita on Administra on (PFRA) for 18 years and delivering Environmental Farm Plans. "In agriculture, we tend to be pre y independent souls, so the fact that everyone wants to work together on common issues, I think that's a great thing and I'm excited about that opportunity," Briody explained. "CSWG is a joint effort on common issues focused on environment. We always include members, board members and producers in the work we do because even though we represent them as

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