Alberta's grain producers are an intelligent bunch.

They know what it takes to grow a good crop - how to choose seed, fertilizer, and pesticide. They know how to time seeding and spraying and harvest. They're responsible for the $2-billion provincial crop industry.

They also know how to manage their risk, and they know what their customers want.

Finally, they know that in order to capitalize on and compete in today's global markets and domestic opportunities, they need marketing choice.

The Alberta government sees the great potential of this industry, but we also see what stands in the way. For the agriculture industry to grow into the future, the Canadian Wheat Board should be one option for marketing wheat and barley - not the only option.

This first issue of Choice Matters is about the Alberta government's vision for the future of the grain industry, a vision shared by many Albertans. We see a marketing system where innovation, entrepreneurship, and risk are rewarded…where individual producers decide what is best for their individual operations.

I hope that what you read in Choice Matters will promote discussion in order to discover new ways and better solutions - this is a topic that we all need to talk about. This is your industry and your choice. Make your voice heard.

Shirley McClellan
Deputy Premier Minister of Agriculture,
Food and Rural Development