WHEREAS the capital cost and investment is very high in today’s agriculture industry;AND WHEREAS many Canadian farm commodity prices are seriously depressed with no prospects of improved markets in the foreseeable future;AND WHEREAS operating and input costs have risen significantly and continue to rise independent of commodity prices;AND WHEREAS the standards of living of rural populations have diminished due to the disparity between farm commodity prices and input costs, in addition to the inherent risks experienced by the agricultural industry;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties urge the Government of Alberta to petition the Government of Canada to correspond our Canadian farm commodity prices with our input costs, allowing a similar return to Canadian farmers as received by farmers in other world countries;AND FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED that the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties urge the Government of Canada to establish a commission similar to the Crow Rate Commission to study farm investment, costs and prices and recommend a pricing system that will fairly justify the input costs;AND FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED that the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties urge the Government of Canada to direct the commission to establish a system that will allow new farm commodity pricing programs to be implemented.

Many rural communities are suffering from the crisis in agriculture. Farm commodity prices are suppressed to a lower level than experienced during the 1930s Depression years. Expenses are rising every year – prices of combines are increasing at the rate of 10% per year; seed prices and other costs have also escalated. Farmers must receive an income which will enable them to sustain a living based on the products they produce. Canadian farmers cannot compete with countries where grain prices are subsidized five times as much as they are in this country.Our businesses, hospitals, schools, and even entire communities are jeopardized by the loss of farms and farm families. The Alberta and Canadian governments must recognize the scope of this crisis and provide short-term solutions as well as develop a long-term vision for improving the agricultural environment.