E-Delivery

There certainly was a lot for Alberta pulse growers to talk about at this year's FarmTech conference – some of it was remarking on the success of projects like Plot to Field, but talk o en turned to how to best handle developments related to market access and reduced chemistries as well. APG is pleased to be a host of FarmTech which a racts 2,000 delegates each year, making it one of the primary venues for catching up with fellow farmers and other ag industry stakeholders. I had the opportunity to chat with many of our members at the APG booth and in sessions during the week. APG also finds the conference to be a good backdrop for our Annual General Mee ng (AGM) since many members are already a ending the conference, though a FarmTech pass is not necessary in order to a end the AGM. The 2018 Alberta Pulse Growers' AGM was the first to be broadcast live via albertapulse.com, where the video remains available in the News sec on. Live viewing of the mee ng is a step toward addressing a resolu on brought forward at the 2017 AGM giving APG members opportuni es to par cipate in the provincial annual general mee ng even when they are unable to a end in person. The 2017 resolu on stated that APG should 'work seriously to develop a be er method to allow more members to par cipate, ideally via live webinar, but also, possibly, by online vote or mail-in vote.' Member engagement is essen al to a farmer-run organiza on like APG. We are pleased to be able to offer all members the opportunity to receive the APG annual update in real me, with the commitment to con nue inves ga ng what op ons are available for absentee vo ng under provincial regula ons that govern agricultural commissions. Absentee vo ng was not available for the 2018 AGM. The members who were present could cast their votes for or against a proposed regulatory change reducing the levy to 0.75% from 1% on August 1, 2018. The majority of the votes were in favour of the levy reduc on, and APG will pursue implementa on with the Alberta Agricultural Products Marke ng Council. I am excited to have been selected by the board to chair the organiza on for a second year. Pulse produc on and consumer awareness of pulses remained at impressive levels during the past year, but recent events have shown that we must keep our heads down and con nue working diligently in the areas of export and value- added produc on. Since FarmTech, local pulse growers have been buoyed by posi ve developments such as federal funding to explore new pulse markets, and dismayed by other news that has not worked out in our favour, such as increasing tariffs on Canadian pulses to India. More than ever, the news lately seems to be a mixed bag that makes deciding what crops to grow this coming season even more challenging than in past years. This was a common topic among FarmTech delegates. Keynote speaker Robynne Anderson, president of Emerging Ag Inc., focused on the poten al of pulses in rota on as a contribu ng factor to reaching global goals that include soil health, water draw-down, water quality measured by nitrogen, and biodiversity. My family's farm is commi ed to plan ng pulses in rota on with other crops as part of our long- term sustainability plan. This year's cropping decisions will be a challenge for all of us, but I'm op mis c that the issues that the pulse industry is currently struggling with are but speed bumps to a bigger and more diverse sector of the agricultural economy in this province. CHAIR'S REPORT FARMTECH: A MAJOR GATHERING SPOT FOR FARMERS D'Arcy Hilgartner, APG Chair 4

• Cover