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Provincial Government gets crackin’ on support for “Poultry” technicians

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6 minute read

From the Province of Alberta

New Green Certificate Program for students

The province is adding another option to Alberta’s Green Certificate Program (GCP) so students have more opportunities to learn about careers in agribusiness.

Poultry technician joins the list of programs already being offered through the GCP and funded through a partnership between Alberta Education and Agriculture and Forestry. Other courses include:

  • beekeeper production technician
  • cow-calf beef production technician
  • dairy production technician
  • equine technician
  • feedlot beef production technician
  • field crop production technician
  • greenhouse technician
  • irrigated field crop production technician
  • sheep production technician
  • swine production technician

“Our government is excited to expand this important program, as it provides real-life, hands-on learning for students who work on a farm or for students interested in the agriculture industry. The program helps students to develop the confidence, skills and knowledge they need for their future.”

David Eggen, Minister of Education
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Minister Eggen visits Ethan Meyer (16 years old), owner of Ethan’s Eggs, to announce the poultry technician option being added to Alberta’s Green Certificate Program.

The Green Certificate Program provides opportunities for students to develop the confidence, skills and knowledge they need for careers in the agricultural industry. It fosters employability skills that support the development of a skilled and educated workforce.

“This program is great for rural Alberta, our communities and our kids. It provides opportunities for youth to see training close to home and helps to develop the leaders the industry needs. Expanding this program means even more choices for students to explore career options in agriculture. We are committed to supporting families by improving growth in rural programs and the agricultural industry.”

Oneil Carlier, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry

The program was well received by the agriculture industry, but schools identified that the single largest barrier to participation in the GCP was the course fees. As a result, the province is investing up to $400,000 annually to cover the course fees for students enrolled in the program.

“As a high school student with a small business, I don’t have time to work a part-time job like my friends. It’s tough to get the same work experience credits they do, and the Green Certificate Program can help me get the credits I need to finish high school.”

Ethan Meyer, owner, Ethan’s Eggs

“We are happy to have been involved in the creation of the poultry technician program. Developing the skills and knowledge required of the poultry sector will attract and educate youth, fostering a thriving, sustainable poultry industry in Alberta.”

Jeff Kamlah, chair, Alberta Turkey Producers

“Development of the poultry technician specialization for the Green Certificate Program is important because it gives students an opportunity to get involved with the actual workings of the poultry industry. The GCP provides opportunities for students to become knowledgeable and skilled and to gain practical experience, which will make them valuable employees or farmers in the poultry sector. We look forward to having them join our industry.”

Jesse Hunter, producer services and programs, Alberta Hatching Egg Producers

“Adding poultry technician to the Green Certificate Program fills a critical gap in the program and provides an enhanced training path for our future broiler farmers and farm technicians. We recognize the incredible efforts of those driving the development of this program and were happy to have been involved in the process.”

Robert Renema, producer programs manager, Alberta Chicken Producers

“Egg Farmers of Alberta endorses the Green Certificate Program, which was designed to benefit both students and the agriculture industry. Having farmers involved in the actual curriculum development helps ensure students will be gaining relevant knowledge and learning skills that are highly applicable to the associated commodity. The inclusion of the poultry technician specialization will help increase the availability of qualified farm workers in Alberta by providing high-quality training of poultry industry best practices.”

Christina Robinson, farm programs manager, Egg Farmers of Alberta

Backgrounder

  • The GCP was developed by Alberta Agriculture and Forestry in 1975 as a way to address labour market needs for Alberta’s agriculture sector.
  • On average, more than 750 students participate in the GCP each year.
  • Like the Registered Apprenticeship Program, each of the Green Certificate specializations provides students with access to the first level of an agricultural-like apprenticeship.
  • The GCP provides students with opportunities to enter a variety of agriculture-related, structured learning pathways as a part of their senior high school program and to earn a credential leading to a career in agribusiness.
  • Students learn on the job, under the direction of experienced farm personnel and under the supervision of teachers.

After 15 years as a TV reporter with Global and CBC and as news director of RDTV in Red Deer, Duane set out on his own 2008 as a visual storyteller. During this period, he became fascinated with a burgeoning online world and how it could better serve local communities. This fascination led to Todayville, launched in 2016.

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Agriculture

Bill C-282, now in the Senate, risks holding back other economic sectors and further burdening consumers

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From the Frontier Centre for Public Policy

By Sylvain Charlebois

Bill C-282 currently sits in the Canadian Senate and stands on the precipice of becoming law in a matter of weeks. Essentially, this bill seeks to bestow immunity upon supply management from any potential future trade negotiations without offering increased market access to potential trade partners.

In simpler terms, it risks holding all other economic sectors hostage solely to safeguard the interests of a small, privileged group of farmers. This is far from an optimal scenario, and the implications of this bill spell bad news for Canadians.

Supply management, which governs poultry, egg, and dairy production in Canada, has traditionally enabled us to fulfill our domestic needs. Under this system, farmers are allocated government-sanctioned quotas to produce food for the nation. At the same time, high tariffs are imposed on imports of items such as chicken, butter, yogurt, cheese, milk, and eggs. This model has been in place for over five decades, ostensibly to shield family farms from economic volatility.

However, despite the implementation of supply management, Canada has witnessed a comparable decline in the number of farms as the United States, where a national supply management scheme does not exist. Supply management has failed to preserve much of anything beyond enriching select agricultural sectors.

For instance, dairy farmers now possess quotas valued at over $25 billion while concurrently burdening dairy processors with the highest-priced industrial milk in the Western world. Recent data indicates a significant surge in prices at the grocery store, with yogurt prices alone soaring by over 30 percent since December 2023. This escalation is increasingly straining the budgets of many consumers.

It’s evident to those knowledgeable about the situation that the emergence of Bill C-282 should come as no surprise. Proponents of supply management exert considerable influence over politicians across party lines, compelling them to support this bill to safeguard the interests of less than one percent of our economy, much to the ignorance of most Canadians. In the last federal budget, the dairy industry alone received over $300 million in research funds, funds that arguably exceed their actual needs.

While Canada’s agricultural sector accounts for approximately seven percent of our GDP, supply-managed industries represent only a small fraction of that figure. Supply-managed farms represent about five percent of all farms in Canada. Forging trade agreements with key partners such as India, China, and the United Kingdom is imperative not only for sectors like automotive, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology but for the vast majority of farms in livestock and grains to thrive and contribute to global welfare and prosperity. It is essential to recognize that Canada has much more to offer than merely self-sufficiency in food production.

Over time, the marketing boards overseeing quotas for farmers have amassed significant power and have proven themselves politically aggressive. They vehemently oppose any challenges to the existing system, targeting politicians, academics, and groups advocating for reform or abolition. Despite occasional resistance from MPs and Senators, no major political party has dared to question the disproportionate protection afforded to one sector over others. Strengthening our supply-managed sectors necessitates embracing competition, which can only serve to enhance their resilience and competitiveness.

A recent example of the consequences of protectionism is the United Kingdom’s decision to walk away from trade negotiations with Canada due to disagreements over access to our dairy market. Not only do many Canadians appreciate the quality of British cheese, but increased competition in the dairy section would also help drive prices down, a welcome relief given current economic challenges.

In the past decade, Canada has ratified trade agreements such as CUSMA, CETA, and CPTPP, all of which entailed breaches in our supply management regime. Despite initial concerns from farmers, particularly regarding the impact on poultry, eggs, and dairy, these sectors have fared well. A dairy farm in Ontario recently sold for a staggering $21.5 million in Oxford County. Claims of losses resulting from increased market access are often unfounded, as farmer boards simply adjust quotas when producers exit the industry.

In essence, Bill C-282 represents a misguided initiative driven by farmer boards capitalizing on the ignorance of urban residents and politicians regarding rural realities. Embracing further protectionism will not only harm consumers yearning for more competition at the grocery store but also impede the growth opportunities of various agricultural sectors striving to compete globally and stifle the expansion prospects of non-agricultural sectors seeking increased market access.

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is senior director of the agri-food analytics lab and a professor in food distribution and policy at Dalhousie University.

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Agriculture

Degrowth: How to Make the World Poorer, Polluted and Miserable

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From StosselTV

Activists have a new goal: “DEgrowth.”

They say “growth is killing us.” They couldn’t be MORE wrong.

“Growth is not killing us. It’s saving us!” says author Johan Norberg. He explains why growth is essential to human progress, especially for poor people. “In poor countries, if you manage to grow by 4% annually over 20 years,” he points out, “that reduces poverty in that country on average by 80%.

But DEgrowth activists insist that growth means “climate chaos.” They say a smaller economy would be “sweeter.” They say “We must urgently dismantle capitalism!” It’s destructive nonsense. This video explains why.

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After 40+ years of reporting, I now understand the importance of limited government and personal freedom.

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Libertarian journalist John Stossel created Stossel TV to explain liberty and free markets to young people.

Prior to Stossel TV he hosted a show on Fox Business and co-anchored ABC’s primetime newsmagazine show, 20/20. Stossel’s economic programs have been adapted into teaching kits by a non-profit organization, “Stossel in the Classroom.” High school teachers in American public schools now use the videos to help educate their students on economics and economic freedom. They are seen by more than 12 million students every year.

Stossel has received 19 Emmy Awards and has been honored five times for excellence in consumer reporting by the National Press Club.

Other honors include the George Polk Award for Outstanding Local Reporting and the George Foster Peabody Award.

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