Agriculture must lead on trade but push for better infrastructure, says deputy minister Jason Hale

"Hale points to Alberta's scale and diversity - nearly half of Canada's cattle herd calls Alberta home, and the province leads in potato and honey production, and a strong irrigation footprint - as defining advantages. "In Alberta we're leaders," he says, crediting producers for driving innovation, particularly in irrigation efficiency, which has evolved from flood systems to low-pressure pivots over the past four decades."

"At the federal-provincial level, Alberta is pushing for greater flexibility in how agriculture funding is allocated. While provinces consistently call for "more federal money, less provincial money," Hale emphasizes that autonomy matters just as much. "Let the province decide where we need to spend the money," he says, noting that regional differences-from fish farms to orchards-require tailored approaches."

"Trade and logistics remain top of mind. Alberta continues to diversify export markets in Asia and beyond, but reliability is a sticking point. Buyers want Canadian product, Hale says, but supply chain uncertainty complicates contracts. Labour disruptions and rail bottlenecks can undermine confidence, even forcing companies to ship pork by air to meet obligations. If he could seed one "moonshot"? He says, it's more rail capacity and improved port infrastructure to strengthen market access."

Alberta positions itself as a leader in Canadian agriculture due to scale and crop/livestock diversity, including nearly half the nation’s cattle and strong potato and honey production. Producers have driven irrigation innovation, shifting from flood systems to low-pressure pivots over four decades. The province is pressing for greater autonomy over agriculture funding to tailor spending to regional needs. Trade priorities focus on diversifying Asian and other export markets while addressing supply chain reliability, labour disruptions, and rail bottlenecks. Infrastructure priorities include increased rail capacity and improved port access. Sustainability gains include water-use efficiency, disease preparedness, and research funding.

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