6
messages
10 22
key lines of business
financials
U. S .
P R E S I D E N T
J O H N
F.
K ENNEDY,
SAID:
“Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.”
L I N K .
L E A R N.
L E A D.
This annual report marks the Agriculture & Food Council’s 20th year of supporting the Agriculture & Food industry to innovate, modernize and grow in order to be more sustainable and prosperous, as well as to compete and achieve global recognition. It celebrates the Albertans who dare to dream and work tirelessly to achieve their goals, not only for themselves today but also for a strong industry in the future. We invite you to read through our 2013-14 annual report, which celebrates our accomplishments with our many industry and government colleagues. John F. Kennedy, 35th U.S. President, had insight into leadership that still holds true today. He said: “Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.� The Agriculture & Food Council knows this to be true over its 20 years of accomplishments with strong and dedicated support from industry and other partners, and is committed to promoting a network approach to leadership for the betterment of AFC members and the agriculture industry. AFC is counting on the truth in this wisdom as the organization continues to expand its membership base and welcomes the innovative ideas of new and experienced members as the organization moves forward and diversifies. This will provide more opportunities for members and others devoted to the Agriculture & Food industry.
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message from the
CHAIR Reflecting back over the past year and our theme of Link. Learn. Lead., reminds me of how far the Agriculture & Food Council has come. It also reminds me of how we have shifted from being known primarily as a funding body to a visionary organization working to break down agricultural silos to connect the industry. We attracted numerous candidates to fill five board positions available in September 2013, selected four new board members, one incumbent, continued to attract new members, created a new suite of services, and wrapped up the CAAP program. The AFC board welcomed Carla Rhyant, David Bressler, Tanya McDonald and Dieter Kuhlmann. The new board members represent segments of the agriculture industry that were previously not represented: applied research groups, post-secondary institutions and the greenhouse industry. The member benefits continue to increase and include access to services, discount on industry events, networking opportunities, meeting room, and more. We continue to hear positive feedback from the members about the benefits of being an AFC member. Our membership initiative takes segments of the industry and links them together under the AFC umbrella. This year has been full of many challenging moments as we continue to re-design and re-brand who we are. AFC created a new suite of services available to members. These services include Leadership Training, Grant Proposal Writing, Project Management, Communications and Events, Network Mapping and Analysis. With challenges come many opportunities, and we have been able to learn.
The unique co-executive leadership structure we implemented last year worked very well, as both Bryanna Kumpula and Karman Robins did an exceptional job. Shortly after the AGM, Karman pursued a great job opportunity with another organization, which changed the structure to Bryanna being the sole executive director. AFC’s staff members are extremely dedicated, passionate, creative people who really thrive under Bryanna’s guidance. Without them, this organization would not be able to achieve the successes that it does. The Agriculture & Food Council continued to administer Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program (CAAP). During this fifth and final year, 41 initiatives were approved for a total investment of $1,422,559. Since the beginning of the program, the Council has approved 153 projects valued at more than $19 million. In summary, AFC would not be the organization it has come to be without the continued support and dedication from staff, directors, membership, industry and government. I am extremely grateful to have the opportunity to work with each and every one of you, and I can’t thank you enough for your continued contributions to AFC. Over the upcoming year, I look forward to assisting the AFC in reshaping our focus and achieving our strategic initiatives as I complete my final term on the AFC board.
Amber Moskalyk
C H A I R , AGRICULTURE & FOOD COUNCIL
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message from the
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR I am honored to serve as the Executive Director of the Agriculture & Food Council of Alberta. As we engage in bold new strategies to become a sustainable non-profit organization that connects and serves the agri-food sector. As we work to discover ways to change the world we must recognize we are interdependent upon each other for success. To realize actual and sustainable change in our attitudes and communities we need to embrace our individual differences while celebrating our commonality. When we value diversity we engage differing perspectives realizing new ideas and opportunities. One of my core values is the belief that we are more common than we are different and that together we can change our community and our world for the better.
on a path of significant change that will come with challenges, learnings and success as we continue to create a sustainable organization that responds to the ever changing needs of the agri-food sector Staff, board of directors and members are the heart of the Council; the passion and commitment displayed every day by these individuals inspires me. Thank you for all you do. Many community partner, corporations, and government funders are also involved in the work we do and we appreciate their support. I look forward to the ways that we can work together to shift the way people value each other, food and the environment.
As we look back over the 20 years of the Agriculture & Food Council, we are reminded of where we came from and use that knowledge to build on where we are going. We are embarking Bryanna Kumpula
E X EC U T I V E D I R EC TO R , AG R I C U LT U R E & FOOD COUNCIL
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government of
ALBERTA Congratulations to the Agriculture & Food Council of Alberta on celebrating its 20th anniversary. For two decades, the council has been an active catalyst for our province’s agri-food sector by encouraging innovation, growth and sustainability. The theme of this year’s annual report, “Link. Learn. Lead.” highlights the importance of our agriculture industry continuing to position itself as a leader in Canada and on the world stage. By embracing innovative approaches to agriculture and pursuing new value-added opportunities, the industry can ensure that it continues to anticipate and adapt to the evolving needs of the global marketplace. The council has a valuable role in building the connections and partnerships that help our producers and agri-businesses make the most of those opportunities. The Government of Alberta shares the council’s commitment to a vibrant Agriculture & Food sector that is focused on innovation, diversification and the opening of new markets for our agricultural products. Through initiatives such as Growing Forward 2 and the newly created Agriculture & Food Innovation Endowment, our government continues to invest in programs that support research, food safety, business and market development, and the strengthening of our food-processing industry. Thank you to the Agriculture & Food Council for your ongoing leadership and for being a strong advocate on behalf of our province’s Agriculture & Food industry. Best wishes for another successful year.
Verlyn Olson, QC
MINISTER O F AGR I C U LT U R E A N D R U R A L D EV E LO PM E N T
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Development and Optimization of Products in the Area of Osteoporosis, Cardiovascular and Depression SinoVeda Canada Inc.
CanadianAGRICULTURAL ADAPTATION PROGRAM
The Agriculture & Food Council continued to administer Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program (CAAP). During this fifth and final year, 41 initiatives were approved for a total investment of $1,422,559. Since the beginning of the program, the Council has approved 153 projects valued at more than $19 million. CAAP (2009-2014) built on the success of the previous Advancing Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food (ACAAF) program, by helping producers and processors respond and adapt to emerging challenges. The Agriculture & Food Council managed Alberta’s $21.9 million share of the funding. Projects addressed issues and challenges such as traceability, environmental concerns, competitiveness, pests and diseases. Initiatives that fit into the program were beyond basic research but not yet ready to be commercialized. Prototypes, technical analyses, feasibility studies, strategic assessments, and market and venture assessments were also eligible for this funding. Initiatives funded under CAAP were project-based and industry-led. The program was designed to encourage partnerships across the value chain – including producers, processors, distributors, and retailers – to develop and use innovative solutions and explore new market opportunities. Recent investments included the following projects:
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SinoVeda Canada Inc. developed a technology that allowed them to produce a family of food fortificant, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical products from botanicals utilizing a $1.28 million investment through CAAP. As a result of receiving CAAP funding, SinoVeda developed patented technology which has since enabled the company to design and produce patentable, pharmaceutical-grade natural health products and botanical medicines. As part of this CAAP project, early research allowed the product EffectiCal ® to be developed, tested and patented by SinoVeda to treat osteoporosis using calcium as the main ingredient. The company also advanced the development of several other products from botanical sources including Hunaza (red clover NHP), Bodensa (EffectiCal®/ red clover NHP), and Geneda (red clover Rx) as well as a combination product for the treatment of cardiovascular disease. SinoVeda’s success with this project has now led them to develop multiple patents and trademarked products. “This funding was absolutely critical to SinoVeda. It takes a community to raise a company and that is what happened here. We leveraged the support of the Government of Canada and the Agriculture & Food Council to move us along hugely.” >> Al Gourley Chief Financial Officer
S I N OV E DA C A N A DA I N C .
Validation and Optimization of Carbon Isotope Discrimination as a Rapid Screening Tool for Water Use Efficiency and Yield Stability in Canola
Convert Energy Beets to Bio-Glycol or Bio-Butanol and/or Other Value Added Bio-Products
Passive Solar Greenhouse Project
Dow AgroSciences Inc. and Alberta Innovates Technology Futures
Alberta Sugar Beet Growers Inc.
Alberta Rural Sustainable Alternatives Network
Dow AgroSciences Canada Inc. utilized $120,000 in CAAP funding to validate carbon isotope discrimination (CID) as a good measure of water use efficiency (WUE) and yield stability of canola and deliver new tools and protocols for screening new varieties and lines for improved WUE and yield stability.
The annual revenue generated by sugar beet growers in Alberta has declined over the last decade, and the crop is sold to a single customer exclusively for the production of table sugar.
The Alberta Rural Sustainable Alternatives Network (ARSAN) received $20,000 through CAAP in order to develop a prototype passive solar greenhouse that could help reduce operational costs and lower greenhouse gas emissions by using less energy to heat.
Canola yield in Western Canada is frequently limited by inadequate precipitation. To address this problem, Dow AgroSciences and Alberta Innovates Technology Futures, in partnership with the Canola Council of Canada, developed a new screening technology based on carbon isotope discrimination to help breeders select for canola germplasm with improved water use efficiency and better yield stability across environments under dry conditions. The results of the two-year CAAP-funded study showed that leaf CID of canola exposed to drought stress under greenhouse conditions was negatively correlated with water use efficiency and yield stability under field conditions. Based on these findings, the optimized CID technology was successfully applied to screen canola germplasm and was able distinguish between benchmark entries (commercial registration checks), as well as identify germplasm with enhanced water use efficiency and high yield stability across environments. CID technology could be readily incorporated into most breeding programs as it possesses all of the attributes required for acceptance by canola breeders: it is reliable, rapid, and easy to measure. “CAAP funding was essential to getting this project off the ground and making it such a success. Thanks to the CAAP program, and the flexibility and support of the Agriculture & Food Council of Alberta, the canola industry now has a new tool that can be used to advance the drought-tolerance of canola varieties.” >> Dr. Rory Degenhardt Research Scientist
D OW AGROSCIENCES CANADA
The Alberta Sugar Beet Growers (ASBG) received $595,790 in CAAP funding to explore new uses for beets. This investment helped ASBG study the use of sugar beets and energy beets in the production of sustainable alternatives to petrochemicals. The funds were also used to provide business advice concerning the creation of a value chain related to the commercialization of these alternatives. The products include bio-glycol, a renewable and sustainable alternative to traditional petrochemicals that can be used to produce a wide variety of goods including plastics, polyester fibre and resin; and bio-butanol, a promising biofuel that can be used in unmodified gasoline engines. “This funding allowed us to bring leading-edge green technology and significant outside investment to Alberta.” >> Rob Boras President ASBG
CAAP funded Phase 1 of the project, which involved designing a suitable passive solar greenhouse prototype with Lakeland College and TTS Inc. using sustainably advanced building materials. Greenhouse and nursery operations can improve their profitability by lowering their energy consumption. “As a non-profit society, ARSAN would not have been able to undertake the Passive Solar Greenhouse Project without the generous contribution of the CAAP grant and the assistance from the staff at AFC. This innovative project has enabled ARSAN to strengthen our partnerships with private business, secondary learning institutions and research facilities. Interest in our greenhouse continues to grow weekly and has opened the door to the possibility of a commercial application which has the potential to change the greenhouse industry across the prairies.” >> Brian Rozmahel Passive Solar Greenhouse Project Manager ARSAN
ADVANCING CANADIAN
Agriculture&Agri-food Alberta’s $29 million share of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Advancing Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food (ACAAF) program was fully allocated in the 2008-09 fiscal year, and this year saw the Agriculture & Food Council staff continue the program’s wrap-up. AFC approved funding for 339 projects over the life of the five-year program, which was to position Canada’s agriculture and agri-food sector at the leading edge, and to help industry seize new opportunities. Projects were valued at almost $107 million, with a leveraging ratio of 3.77:1 by the end of March 31, 2011. Proponents applied for funding within three project pillars: Pillar I “Industry-Led Solutions to Emerging Issues”; Pillar II “Capturing Market Opportunities by Advancing Research Results”; and Pillar III “Sharing Information to Advance the Sector.” This year, AFC staff continued to oversee the completion of a number of active ACAAF projects, including:
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DNA Panel Development to Predict Genetic Differences for Feed Efficiency and Beef Tenderness University of Alberta, Bovine Genomics Program
The University of Alberta received $65,751 through ACAAF to develop tools for the Canadian beef sector to select for improvement in feed efficiency and tenderness. The first trait will help reduce the cost of production, as well as reduce the environmental footprint of Canadian beef production. The second trait will improve the quality of the final product for consumers. Both traits are difficult and expensive to measure, so the industry could benefit greatly from the application of DNA selection tools. This project developed genomic prediction combining all resources that predicted genetic merit for tenderness, which explained about 40% of the genetic variation. A relatively small number of DNA markers were identified in genes related to biological processes expected to affect feed efficiency with 20% of the variation being explained in the test populations. Canada is in a strong position to respond to the global growth in beef demand, though as the Beef Cattle Research Council notes, this will require a continued focus on improving overall industry competitiveness. “In this project we were able to identify variation in DNA sequence and to test to see if it is associated with variation in the traits of interest. Once such associations are found then animals can be tested at birth to help predict their feed efficiency and the potential tenderness of their beef. These tools can then be incorporated into breeding programs to help select (for example breeding bulls) and produce more efficient cattle that produce higher quality beef. The results were encouraging with the predicted genetic merit based on DNA tests for tenderness explaining approximately 40% of the genetic variation, and panels for feed efficiency explaining around 20% of the variation in the populations tested. Further work on these tools will be needed but if they are confirmed they could be quickly incorporated into genetic predictions for both seedstock and commercial cattle in the future.� >> Graham Plastow Professor and CEO
UN I V E R S I T Y OF ALBERTA, LIVESTOCK GENTEC
AFCSERVICES The news that the Agriculture & Food Council of Alberta now offers services in a number of relevant areas was welcomed by members who quickly took advantage of the opportunity to pay for AFC’s expertise. AFC offers services in the areas of leadership training, grant writing, project management, network mapping and analysis, Pokens, communications and events. There have been rave reviews of the services provided from clients so far. Check out the descriptions and the client testimonials to find out more.
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Leadership Training
Grant Writing
Project Management
Leadership development is essential to the continued success of Alberta’s agriculture organizations. If your organization could benefit from leadership training, but widely-available courses don’t quite fit your schedule, budget and needs, then take a look at what we can do for you. We provide learning opportunities for the novice as well as the veteran, for board members and senior management, in addition to frontline workers and volunteers. AFC offers customizable leadership training in several areas. AFC will develop a program tailored to your organization’s needs and train your leaders to be successful at a pace and price that suits you. On completion of the program, participants will have enhanced their knowledge and skills required to develop strategies to make their organizations more successful.
Finding funding for your organization, business or operation can be a daunting task. What programs exist? What are the guidelines? Do you qualify? These are a few of the questions that need to be answered to find the right funding option for you. AFC will work with your organization to help identify the best methods for seeking and applying for funding.
AFC has been successfully helping organizations work through their projects and grant reporting for the past 19 years, and we understand the various challenges projects may encounter. We also understand the amount of time it takes for you to step out of your operation to put together your report, reporting guidelines and financials. We ensure everyone in your organizations is gathering the required information to execute a successful project and meet all reporting criteria.
“The Farming Smarter board and crew were very impressed with the Leadership Training that we received through AFC. The insights, attention to detail and practical application of the knowledge gained will be tremendously helpful towards meeting our objectives. We look forward to further developing our skills and putting our new knowledge to work.”
>> Gerald Third, Executive Director
>> Ken Coles, General Manager FARMING SMARTER
“All in all, we enjoyed a very professional and timely experience with the grant writing services contracted from AFC. ASBG would recommend that any group intending to submit a proposal for a grant take advantage of the expertise of the staff of AFC in navigating the minefield often associated with a grant proposal undertaking. AFC’s background and experience are invaluable.”
ALBERTA SUGAR BEET GROWERS
“The benefit of having an AFC membership for us is like having an extended back office without the daily overhead. With membership, they keep us apprised of important industry occurrences that we need to be aware of. Things like upcoming workshops, conferences, even the funding programs that may be of benefit to us.” >> Art Deane, President
SYMBIOTIC ENVIROTEK INC.
Network Mapping and Analysis
Poken®
Communications and Events
Network analysis provides leaders with visual maps and metrics of the connections among people or organizations, and the strategies to structure your networks toward powerfully fulfilling your goals. Network mapping offers organizations and individuals the ability to see into the network to allow them to better utilize the network for collective impact. This unique innovation allows clients to define and form optimal network associations, leading to greater collaboration, information flows, and network agility.
Efficient networking is the key to any successful business event. Time is limited, and business people often struggle to establish contacts, and when they do, they don’t always follow up. Thus, event organizers are faced with an interesting dilemma: the success of the event is often judged by the quality of the networking, but this is a vital component of the event that organizers can seldom control! Enter the Poken! The Poken is your digital ‘social business card.’ It comes in a compact and attractive form that can be worn around the neck, or attached to a keychain. The Poken is a twoway active communication device. When two Pokens touch, they exchange a digital ID. No lost contact information, no wasted time, and a green alternative.
We recognized the importance of strategic marketing and communications for agricultural non-profit organizations and for-profit companies. AFC has been committed to maintaining and enhancing staff dedicated solely to the development and implementation of our own marketing communication strategy since 2006. This experience and the resulting knowledge has allowed AFC to offer a full suite of communication, marketing and event planning services backed by disciplined and informed strategic planning.
“The Agriculture & Food Council of Alberta, through their expertise with the pokens, have enabled us to host and partner on events in new ways. The reports that we have received on network mapping have been incredibly valuable giving us unique information for us and for our partnerships. We intend to use the Pokens whenever we plan a future event” >> Wendy Schneider, Executive Director GREEN HECTARES
“AFC certainly went above and beyond to make sure we got the product on time. They walked me through the Pokens, helped with the customization, problem-solved on short notice, gave us realistic time frames to meet, and made a quick stop at our workshop to introduce/ program the Pokens, day of.” >> Melisa Zapisocky, contracted for
ALBERTA AGRICULTURE & RURAL DEVELOPMENT
“I hired the Agriculture & Food Council to assist in planning a conference for 85 attendees in Edmonton. They were contracted to manage the conference facility, plan meals, develop merchandizing, manage online conference registrations, and my most feared task, advertising. Every one of these tasks they completed on or ahead of schedule and with quality well above my expectations. I work for a very small non-profit organization, and without the AFC’s assistance in planning, there is no way this conference would have succeeded as well as it did. I honestly feel that any conference I am planning in the future would be lacking without having such a well experienced, hardworking, positive team.” >> Jeff Renton, Project Manager
AGRO-FORESTRY & WOODLOT EXTENSION SOCIETY
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INVESTIGATION OF
FundingPrograms The Agriculture & Food Council of Alberta led the multi-council Investigation of Funding Programs (IFP) project during the year in order to better understand the Agriculture & Food sector’s need for financial investment, as well as identify possible gaps and opportunities.
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The Yukon Agricultural Association (YAA), which manages Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program funding in that territory, also participated in the project designed to evaluate the funding programs that are currently available in the agriculture and agri-food sector.
programs. The study determined that while there are a significant number of programs available to the sector, there appears to be an increasing gap between availability of programs for highly technical projects and highly strategic projects, with very few funding programs catering to the latter.
Through industry consultation and other means, IFP investigated and considered the potential future funding trends that the sector may experience. In order to do this, the consultants first determined how the opportunities and needs of the industry changed over the last five years. The responses were clustered into the following four areas:
The report stated that “support for the softer side of business such as leadership, the identification of strategic options, and decision-making are more difficult to provide and/or are not being provided. Hence, we conclude that services pertaining to strategic and market development are both a growing need and perhaps a widening gap.”
• • • •
Increasingly complex business conditions and competition. The lack of clusters or critical mass within the agri-food sector. The existence (and presence) of a significant commercialization gap. Management and leadership challenges abound.
Meanwhile, several patterns were observed in the investigation into availability of innovation funding
Respondents who participated in IFP came from many different facets of the industry, and virtually all positively reviewed AFC and YAA and spoke to the value of third-party regional program management and funding agencies. The report stated: “Both organizations were seen as highly effective and efficient program managers and funding agencies… Perhaps the strongest compliment offered for both AFC and YAA staff pertained to their hands-on approach, their willingness and ability to
work with clients through the application and approval process. We received numerous comments in this regard.” In addition to determining the state of the current funding programs, IFP ultimately provided an allencompassing view on the future direction of the sector and identified potential areas or gaps that could be addressed by third-party agencies such as AFC and YAA. IFP identified some of these opportunities as: “the need for a multi-sector voice; the need to establish and manage common food safety and/or quality assurance protocols from farm production through to retail; farm safety; bio-remediation, environmental sustainability, and energy conservation to name a few. Each of these areas warrants further assessments and study to determine the nature of the services required and the required business structures for long-term sustainability.” Project funding in the amount of $73,000 was provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program.
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Communications ANDPOLICY A year of exciting changes was reflected in the diversity of activities performed by AFC’s Communications and Policy component in 2014-15 as the Agriculture & Food Council of Alberta prepared to wrap up the Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program and officially launched our services.
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With support from the Communications Manager, Council acts as a forum providing a platform where ideas and information can be exchanged and policy options developed. In 2013, this included two sessions called Creating A Collective Agenda, to which leaders in Alberta’s Agriculture & Food industry were invited to participate in focused, strategic discussions to prioritize urgent issues facing Alberta’s ag industry that the industry would most benefit from having Agriculture & Food Council of Alberta take the lead in developing partnerships. Many of AFC’s activities enhance and strengthen its role as a forum in some respect. The Communications and Policy component also includes other activities designed to further support this role, such as information exchanges and a government relations program. In celebration of AFC’s 20th year, we offered a series of tours of facilities belonging to several of our members. Registrations had to be closed a week early for the tour of the ARSAN Prototype Passive Solar Greenhouse because full capacity was met. We also had a good-sized group for the Northlands tour in March. According to survey results and comments during that tour, people
were impressed by various facets of the tour, including a bird’s eye view from the catwalk at Rexall Place as the Oilers practiced, Northlands Park Racetrack and Casino, and Edmonton EXPO Centre. There were rave reviews about the local lunch prepared by award-winning Northlands chefs. The tour of Agri-Food Discovery Place in November also went well and the opportunity to network and see the inner-workings of the centre was enjoyed by participants. The 2013-14 fiscal year marked the end of the eighth year for Council’s Communications and Policy component, which was launched in April 2006. AFC received permission from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development to extend the Communications and Policy component in 2013-14 using the unspent portion of the original $1.4 million total investment. AFC’s quarterly newsletter, The Catalyst, produced in-house, continued profiling many of the exciting projects and activities being supported by the organization, in addition to a regular Featured AFC Member component.
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Audit&FINANCE COMMITTEE
The Audit and Finance Committee oversees all material aspects of the Agriculture & Food Council of Alberta’s reporting, control, finance and audit functions. The Committee acts as a liaison between management, auditors and other advisors. Its membership includes the Secretary-Treasurer and two members of Council. The Co-Executive Director of Finance & Operations and other staff, as needed, provide support to the Committee. The Audit and Finance Committee provides assurance that Council is operating in accordance with best practices.
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To the Members of Agriculture & Food Council of Alberta: Management is responsible for the preparation and presentation of the accompanying financial statements, including responsibility for significant accounting judgments and estimates in accordance with Canadian accounting standards for not‑for‑profit organizations and ensuring that all information in the annual report is consistent with the statements. This responsibility includes selecting appropriate accounting principles and methods, and making decisions affecting the measurement of transactions in which objective judgment is required. In discharging its responsibilities for the integrity and fairness of the financial statements, management designs and maintains the necessary accounting systems and related internal controls to provide reasonable assurance that transactions are authorized, assets are safeguarded and financial records are properly maintained to provide reliable information for the preparation of financial statements. The Executive and the Audit Committee are composed entirely of members of the Council who are neither management nor employees of the Council. The Audit Committee is appointed by the Council to review the financial statements in detail with management and to report to the Executive Committee prior to the Executive Committee’s approval of the financial statements for publication. MNP LLP, an independent firm of Chartered Accountants, is appointed by the Council to audit the financial statements and report directly to them. This report follows. The external auditors have full and free access to, and meet periodically and separately with, both the Audit Committee and management to discuss their audit findings.
Bryanna Kumpula
EXECUTIVE D I R E C TO R
June 10, 2014
INDEPENDENT
AU D I T O R ’ S R E P O R T To Agriculture & Food Council of Alberta members: We have audited the accompanying financial statements of Agriculture & Food Council of Alberta, which comprise the statement of financial position as at March 31, 2014, and the statements of revenue and expenditures, changes in fund balances and cash flows and the related schedules for the year then ended, and a summary of significant accounting policies and other explanatory information. Management’s Responsibility for the Financial Statements Management is responsible for the preparation and fair presentation of these financial statements in accordance with Canadian accounting standards for not‑for‑profit organizations, and for such internal control as management determines is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. Auditors’ Responsibility Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audit. We conducted our audit in accordance with Canadian generally accepted auditing standards. Those standards require that we comply with ethical requirements and plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free from material misstatement. An audit involves performing procedures to obtain audit evidence about the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. The procedures selected depend on
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the auditors’ judgment, including the assessment of the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error. In making those risk assessments, the auditor considers internal control relevant to the entity’s preparation and fair presentation of the financial statements in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the entity’s internal control. An audit also includes evaluating the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our audit opinion. Opinion In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Agriculture & Food Council of Alberta as at March 31, 2014 and the results of its operations, changes in net funds and its cash flows for the year then ended in accordance with Canadian accounting standards for not‑for‑profit organizations.
Chartered Accountants J UN E 10, 2014 LE D U C , A LB E RTA
STATEMENT OF
FINANCIAL POSITION As at March 31, 2014 March 31
March 31
2014
2013
Assets Current Cash and cash equivalents (Note 4)
1,888,085
Accounts receivable
26,027
Goods and Service Tax receivable Prepaid expenses and deposits
8,933,874
60,386
6,576
10,969
11,977
10,848
1,932,665
9,016,077
41,366
60,086
1,974,031
9,076,163
Accounts payable and accruals
29,713
34,105
Deferred contributions (Note 5)
-
749,499
Grants payable
-
924,209
29,713
1,707,813
1,902,952
-
Capital assets (Note 4)
Liabilities Current
Fund Balance Unrestricted Restricted Investment in Capital Assets
-
7,308,264
41,366
60,086
1,944,318
7,368,350
1,974,031
9,076,163
Approved on behalf of the board.
Amber Moskalyk CHAIR
Dieter Kuhlman
S E C R ETA RY / T R E A S U R E R
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STATEMENT OF
REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES
2014
2013
Revenue General Council (Schedule 1)
30,697
12,788
4,006,171
1,477,804
Advancing Canadian Agriculture & Agri-Food (ACAAF) (Schedule 3)
34,704
43,895
Innovation in Agribusiness Management Fund (IAMF) (Schedule 4)
-
49,932
Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program (CAAP) (Schedule 2)
Communications and Policy Strategic Initiative (Schedule 5) Investigation of Funding Programs (Schedule 6) Consulting (Schedule 7) Total revenue
36,099
61,957
6,944
79,259
53,953
2,764
4,168,568
1,728,399
Expenditures General Council (Schedule 1) Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program (CAAP) (Schedule 2) Advancing Canadian Agriculture & Agri-Food (ACAAF) (Schedule 3) Innovation in Agribusiness Management Fund (IAMF) (Schedule 4) Communications and Policy Strategic Initiative (Schedule 5) Investigation of Funding Programs (Schedule 6) Consulting (Schedule 7) Total expenses Excess (deficiency) of revenue over expenses
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30,697
12,788
9,246,823
5,732,386
207,309
633,861
-
49,932
36,099
61,957
6,944
79,259
64,728
2,764
9,592,600
6,572,947
(5,424,032)
(4,844,548)
STATEMENT OF
CHANGES IN FUND BALANCES
Unrestricted Fund balances, beginning of year Excess (deficiency) of revenue over expenditures Amortization
Restricted
Investment in Capital Assets
2014
2013
-
7,308,264
60,086
7,368,350
12,212,898
(10,775)
(5,413,257)
-
(5,424,032)
(4,844,548)
18,720
-
(18,720)
-
-
Transfers to unrestricted (Note 10)
1,895,007
(1,895,007)
-
-
-
Fund balances, end of year
1,902,952
-
41,366
1,944,318
7,368,350
STATEMENT OF
CASH FLOWS 2014
2013
Cash provided by (used for) the following activities Operating Cash received from contributions
3,360,290
1,629,685
Cash paid to grant recipients
(9,354,822
(4,995,117)
Cash paid to suppliers
(414,053)
(502,443)
Cash paid to staff
(738,214)
(621,973)
Interest received
Cash from (used for) Operating Activities
101,010
123,868
(7,045,789)
(4,365,980)
Investing Purchase of capital assets Decrease in cash resources
-
(9,503)
(7,045,789)
(4,375,483)
Cash resources, beginning of year
8,933,874
13,309,357
Cash resources, end of year
1,888,085
8,933,874
27
NOTES TO THE
F I N A N C I A L S TAT E M E N T S 1. Incorporation and nature of the organization The Agriculture & Food Council of Alberta (the “Council”) was incorporated under the Alberta Corporations Act as a Society on November 28, 1994. The purpose of the Council is to promote Alberta’s Agriculture & Food industry as profitable, globally competitive, environmentally sustainable and one which values its people. The Council works on behalf of Alberta’s entire Agriculture & Food industry and brings industry and government together to both address issues and act on opportunities. The Council is non‑taxable due to its not‑for‑profit status. CAAP In 2010, the Council finalized an agreement with the Federal Department of Agriculture and Agri‑Food Canada to administer the Alberta share of the Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program (CAAP) in the amount of $21,900,000. The program was aimed at funding industry‑led projects that demonstrated the benefits to Alberta’s agriculture, agri‑food and agri‑based product sector’s competitiveness. The agreement was for five years, which ended this year on March 31, 2014. CAAP was a contribution‑based program, where clients were reimbursed for incurred costs. CAAP also entered into collective outcome projects with other Councils across Canada. ACAAF In April 2004, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri‑Food Canada announced a five year, $240 million Advancing Canadian Agriculture and Agri‑Food (ACAAF) program. The program was aimed at positioning Canada’s agriculture and agri‑food industry to capture new opportunities. The Council administered the province of Alberta’s share
28
of ACAAF funding, which amounted to $5,028,000 per year commencing in fiscal 2005. The final funding was received in fiscal 2009. From 2006 ‑ 2010, ACAAF entered into collective outcome projects with other Councils across Canada. Approved projects were eligible for additional funding above the commitment expense of 50% from the Federal Government up to a maximum as determined from time to time by the Federal Government. The existing grants and contracts in place were completed by March 31, 2014. Any remaining funds are to be spent on activities that promote the development of the agriculture and agri‑food industry. 2. Significant accounting policies The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Canadian accounting standards for not‑for‑profit organizations as issued by the Accounting Standards Board in Canada and include the following significant accounting policies: Revenue recognition The Council follows the deferral method of accounting for restricted contributions, except for CAAP and ACAAF contributions which are accounted for using the restricted fund method. During the year, ACAAF was completed on March 31, 2014 and on this date the remaining funds were transferred to unrestricted funds. Restricted contributions are recognized as revenue in the year in which the related expenses are incurred. Consulting revenue is earned when the consulting services
have been delivered. Membership contribution revenue is earned on an annually basis when the contributions are received. Consulting activities and membership contributions have been accounted for as unrestricted revenue.
Capital assets Capital assets are recorded at cost. Amortization is provided annually using the following rates and methods.
In‑kind contributions of materials and services are not valued or reported in the financial statements. Grant expenditures Grants to outside organizations are subject to an approval process that includes management and Council. Payments are made pursuant to signed contracts and may call for progress payments based on specific criteria. Expenditures are recorded when the necessary applications and reports have been received and approved. Use of estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with Canadian accounting standards for not‑for‑profit organizations requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results may vary from current estimates. These estimates are reviewed periodically and, as adjustments become necessary, they are reported in earnings in the periods in which they become known. Cash and cash equivalents Cash and cash equivalents include balances with banks and short‑term investments with maturities of three months or less. Cash subject to restrictions that prevent its use for current purposes is included in restricted cash.
Method
Cost
Computer equipment
declining balance
30%
Computer software
declining balance
100%
Office furniture
declining balance
20%
straight‑line
120 months
Leasehold improvements
Long‑lived assets Long‑lived assets consist of capital assets. Long‑lived assets held for use are measured and amortized as described in the applicable accounting policies. The Council performs impairment testing on long‑lived assets held for use whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of an asset, or group of assets, may not be recoverable. Impairment losses are recognized when undiscounted future cash flows from its use an disposal are less than the asset’s carrying amount. Impairment is measured as the amount by which the asset’s carrying value exceeds its fair value. Any impairment is included in expenditures for the year. Seconded and contributed services Council, Executive, and committee members provide their services with payment as indicated in Schedule 8. Seconded and contributed services are not reported as revenue or expenses in the financial statements.
29
Financial instruments At initial recognition the Council may irrevocably elect to subsequently measure any financial instruments at fair value. The Council has not made such an election and consequently all financial instruments, unless disclosed otherwise, are subsequently measured at amortized cost. Financial asset impairment: The Council assesses impairment of all of its financial assets measured at cost or amortized cost. The Council groups assets for impairment testing when available information is not sufficient to permit identification of each individually impaired financial asset in the group. Management considers whether there has been a breach in contract, such as a default or delinquency in interest or principal payments in determining whether objective evidence of impairment exists. When there is an indication of impairment, the Council determines whether it has resulted in a significant adverse change in the expected timing or amount of future cash flows during the year. If so, the Council reduces the carrying amount of any impaired financial assets to the highest of: the present value of cash flows expected to be generated by holding the assets; the amount that could be realized by selling the assets; and the amount expected to be realized by exercising any rights to collateral held against those assets. Any impairment, which is not considered temporary, is included in current year excess of revenue over expenditures. The Council reverses impairment losses on financial assets when there is a decrease in impairment and the decrease can be objectively related to an event occurring after the impairment loss was recognized. The amount of the reversal is recognized in the excess of revenue over expenditures in the year the reversal occurs. 3. Cash and cash equivalents 2014 Cash Short Term Investments
2013
639,814
723,281
1,248,271
8,210,593
1,888,085
8,933,874
4. Capital Assets Cost
Accumulated Amoritization
2014 Net Book Value
2013 Net Book Value
Computer equipment
36,978
24,400
12,578
17,969
Computer software
46,952
46,952
-
7,436
Office furniture
46,452
29,226
17,226
21,533
Leasehold improvements
30
15,872
4,310
11,562
13,148
146,254
104,888
41,366
60,086
5. Deferred Contributions Deferred contributions consist of membership contributions and grants and contributions received for programs, except for CAAP and ACAAF, which are un‑expended at March 31, 2014. The deferred contributions related to other regional council contributions represents funds received from the other councils on ACAAF and CAAP collective outcome projects where the Agriculture & Food Council of Alberta is serving as the lead council. These funds are recognized in revenue on a proportionate basis to the contributing council’s share of the total project commitment over the term of the project. During the year all other regional council contributions on collective outcome projects have either been fully expended or repaid to the corresponding regional councils. The balances consist of: Communications and Policy Strategic Initiative Other regional council contributions on collective outcome projects Membership contributions
2013
2012
36,003
36,003
696,780
696,780
16,716
16,716
749,499
749,499
6. Allocation of general council expenditures As a result of programming with Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program and restrictions on administrative expenses, Council made the decision that general council expenses as seen on Schedule 1 will be allocated to various programs to show each program’s share of the general council expenses.
31
7. Commitments The Council has entered into long‑term operating leases for office space. The lease and base condo fee commitments are as follows: 2015
102,259
2016
103,991
2017
105,724
2018
107,456
2019
109,189
Thereafter, to 2022
265,774 794,393
8. Economic dependence and continuing operations As outlined in Note 1, the Council during the year received substantial funding from the Government of Canada, however as also outlined in Note 1, the CAAP program was completed on March 31, 2014, and all funds received for this program were expended by this date. The Council has determined that there are sufficient funds on hand, or expected to be received in the next year, to keep the organization financially viable. Also, as discussed in Note 1, this includes the use of the remaining ACAAF funds. The remaining ACAAF funds have been outlined in Note 10. The Council anticipated and prepared for the wind down of CAAP and as a result the Council has budgeted and forecasted resources for the organization’s financial viability as it rebuilds.
9. Financial instruments The Council, as part of its operations, carries a number of financial instruments. It is management’s opinion that the Council is not exposed to significant interest, currency, credit, liquidity or other price risks arising from these financial instruments unless otherwise disclosed. 10. CAAP and ACAAF fund balances and commitments Fund balances, by program at March 31, 2014 consists of the following:
Fund Balance, opening
Deficiency of revenue over expenditures
32
CAAP
ACAAF
TOTAL
5,240,652
2,067,612
7,308,264
(5,240,652)
(172,605)
(5,413,257)
Transfers to unrestricted
-
(1,895,007)
(1,895,007)
Fund Balance, closing
-
-
-
SCHEDULE 1
GENERAL COUNCIL REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES For the year ended March 31, 2014 2013
2012
13,172
14,318
715
2,900
94
237
Revenue Membership contributions Other income Interest income Transfer from deferred contributions Transfer to deferred contributions
16,716 -
12,049 (16,716)
30,697
12,788
218,242
155,506
Travel
29,773
28,638
Consultants
29,024
29,238
Rent
25,795
28,765
Per diems
25,487
40,619
Services
21,825
19,188
Meeting expenses
13,214
21,275
Training and development
Expenditures Staff contracts and benefits
12,103
9,000
Marketing and communication
9,922
13,857
Amortization
8,344
7,568
Professional fees
7,636
9,728
Membership investment
6,944
5,000
Telephone, fax and internet
5,990
8,747
Supplies
4,618
3,714
Interest and bank charges
1,702
2,038
Repairs and maintenance Excess of expenditure over revenue before allocation
-
388
420,619
383,269
(389,922
(370,481)
336,510
222,289
44,213
137,078
Allocation of General Council Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program Advancing Canadian Agriculture & Agri‑food Communications and Policy Strategic Initiative
9,199
7,513
Innovation in Agribusiness Management Fund
-
3,601
389,922
370,481
-
-
Excess of revenue over expenditures
33
SCHEDULE 2
CAAP REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES For the year ended March 31, 2014 2014
2013
3,062,909
1,045,328
Revenue Federal Government grant Regional council contributions on collective outcome projects
827,307
862,612
Interest income
66,145
95,376
Collective outcome matching funds
49,810
Transfer to deferred contributions
-
171,268 (696,780)
4,006,171
1,477,804
General Council Expenditures Grants
8,388,024
5,106,063
Staff contracts and benefits
362,248
288,536
Allocation of general council (Note 6) (Schedule 1)
336,510
222,289
Rent
63,071
38,208
Services and supplies
29,838
28,969
14,137
6,620
Telephone, fax and internet
13,872
8,090
Consultants
12,866
1,633
Marketing and communication
12,476
11,827
Staff training and development
5,759
5,214
Amortization
3,933
4,186
Travel
3,917
9,265
Professional fees
Meeting expenses
Excess (deficiency) of revenue over expenditures
34
172
1,486
9,246,823
5,732,386
(5,240,652)
(4,254,582)
SCHEDULE 3
ACAAF REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES For the year ended March 31, 2014 2014
2013
34,704
27,037
Revenue Interest income Regional council contributions on collective outcome projects
-
16,858
34,704
43,895
105,744
160,860
General Council Expenditures Staff contracts and benefits Allocation of general council (Note 6) (Schedule 1)
44,213
137,078
Grants
34,888
198,834
Rent
11,126
32,748
Services and supplies
5,449
13,538
Amortization
4,699
4,975
Telephone, fax and internet
2,188
5,282
Professional fees
1,869
4,786
400
433
Consultants Staff training and development
-
1,935
Travel
-
1,602
Collective outcome grants
Deficiency of revenue over expenditures
(3,267)
71,790
207,309
633,861
(172,605)
(589,966)
35
SCHEDULE 4
IAMF REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES For the year ended March 31, 2014 2014
2013
Transfer to deferred contributions
-
49,434
Interest income
-
498
-
49,932
Grants
-
40,000
Staff contracts and benefits
-
4,090
Allocation of general council (Note 7) (Schedule 1)
-
3,601
Rent
-
1,599
Telephone, fax and internet
-
311
Professional fees
-
268
Consultants
-
39
Services and supplies
-
24
-
49,932
-
-
Revenue
General Council Expenditures
Excess of revenue over expenditures
36
SCHEDULE 5
C O M M U N I C AT I O N S A N D P O L I C Y S T R AT E G I C I N I T I AT I V E REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES For the year ended March 31, 2014 2014
2013
36,003
95,070
Revenue Transfer to deferred contributions Interest income Conference registration Transfer to deferred contributions
96
716
-
2,175
-
(36,004)
36,099
61,957
Allocation of general council (Note 6) (Schedule 1)
9,199
7,513
Events
8,449
12,955
Staff contracts and benefits
5,655
13,793
Marketing and communication
4,433
3,840
Consultants
3,250
256
Amortization
1,743
5,131
Services and supplies
1,071
3,934
Rent
1,051
4,824
846
1,443
Expenditures
Telephone, fax and internet Professional fees
187
886
Speaker fees
170
5,570
Travel Staff training and development
Excess of revenue over expenditures
45
892
-
920
36,099
61,957
-
-
37
SCHEDULE 6
I N V E S T I G AT I O N O F F U N D I N G P R O G R A M S P R O J E C T REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES For the year ended March 31, 2014 2014
2013
6,944
6,259
Agricultural Adaptation Program funding
-
65,000
Regional council contributions on multi-council project
-
8,000
6,944
79,259
6,944
79,259
-
-
2014
2013
53,953
2,760
Revenue Other income Canadian
General Council Expenditures Consultants Excess of revenue over expenditures
SCHEDULE 7
C O N S U LT I N G R E V E N U E A N D E X P E N D I T U R E S For the year ended March 31, 2014
Revenue Consulting Interest income
-
4
53,953
2,764
Staff employment contracts
39,943
2,764
Supplies and services
Expenditures 17,334
-
Benefits
4,548
-
Rent
2,015
-
Telephone, fax and internet
485
-
Professional fees
374
-
29
-
64,728
2,764
(10,775)
-
Interest and bank charges
38
Excess of revenue over expenditures
SCHEDULE 8
C O M P E N S AT I O N Board of Directors receive compensation, upon request, in the following manner: Council Meetings and other Council business Chair
$375 Per diem
Director
$275 Per diem
Executive
Position
Total Compensation
Broughton, Heather
Chair 11-13, Director at Large 13-14
7,575
Moskalyk, Amber
Director 11-13, Chair 13-14
6,913
Gupta, Rajan
Director at Large 12-13, Director 13-14
2,475
Anderson, Dave
Vice Chair 12-13, Director 13-14
1,238
Rhyant, Carla
Vice Chair 13-14
825
Khulman, Dieter
Secretary / Treasurer 13-14
550 19,576
Directors
Position
Total Compensation
Benard, Dee Ann
Director 11 - July 13
3,437
McKinnon, Todd
Director 11-13
1,100
Morrison, Shelley E
Director 11-13
1,375
Bressler, Dave
Director 13-14
-
McDonald, Tanya
Director 13-14
-
Parker, Karen
Director 12 - January 14
5,912
39
40
Agriculture&Food COUNCIL MEMBERS
Organizational Members Ag For Life • Agri Food Discovery Place • Agri-Food Management Excellence Inc. • Agricultural Research and Extension Council of Alberta • Agroforestry and Woodlot Extension Society • Alberta Barley Commission • Alberta Beekeepers • Alberta Centre for Advanced MNT Products • Alberta Crop Industry Development Fund Ltd. • Alberta Farm Animal Care • Alberta Federation of Agriculture • Alberta Greenhouse Growers Association • Alberta Innovates - Technology Futures • Alberta Invasive Plants Council • Alberta Pulse Growers • Alberta Rural Development Network • Alberta Rural Sustainable Alternatives Network • Alberta Sugar Beet Growers • BW Global Structures • Beaver County • Bella Spur Innovative Media Inc. • Biorefining Conversions Network • BioWaste to Energy for Canada Integration Initiative • Canadian Association of Farm Advisors • Canadian Greenfield Technologies Corp. • Canadian International Grains Institute • Ceapro Inc. • Central Alberta Economic Partnership Ltd. • Chinook Applied Research Association • CIBC Agriculture • Dow AgroSciences Canada • Egg Farmers of Alberta • Farm Credit Canada • Farming Smarter • Feedlot Health Management Services • Food Beverage Canada • Green Hectares Corp. • Institute for Applied Poultry Technologies • Integrated Traceability Solutions Ltd. • Integrity Intellectual Property Inc. • Lac La Biche Safety Awareness Society • Lakeland Agricultural Research Association • Northern Alberta Institute of Technology • Northlands • Olds Agtech Industries • Olds College • Paulson Cormier & Associates and Clearthink Group • Portage College • Potato Growers of Alberta • SciMed Technologies Inc. • Serecon Management Consulting Inc. • SinoVeda • Smoky Applied Research and Demonstration Association • Southpaw Communications • Symbiotic EnviroTek Inc. • Syngenta Canada Inc. • TEC Edmonton • Toma and Bouma Management Consultants • United Farmers of Alberta • University of Lethbridge • WestCentral Forage Association Affiliate Members Highwood Distillers Ltd. • The Marketing Edge Individual Members Bob Anderson • David Anderson • Greg Bott • Kan-Fa Chang • Bill Churchward • Meghan Dear • Anita Dyrbye • Rob Eirich • Lisa Fox • Daniel Heaney • Tim Keating • Corey Keith • Karen Kirkwood • Donna Kotelko • Dietrich Kuhlmann • Wendy Lam • Larry Malazdrewicz • Todd McKinnon • Ron McNeil • Iris Meck • Ken Moholitny • Shelley Morrison • Amber Moskalyk • Sharon Mueller • Medhat Nasr • Susan Roberts • Adam Rudolph • Carlene Schneider • Marilyn Sharp • Rick Smith • Norman Storch • Paul Watson • Annette Zuidhof Student Members Le (Carol) Chang, University of Alberta • Evelyn Cheng, University of Alberta • Lijing Wang, University of Alberta • Minghua Yu, University of Alberta • Anran Zhang, University of Alberta Government Liaisons Rodney Dlugos, AAFC • Kathy Hougham, AAFC • Donald Reiter, AAFC • Jo-Ann Hall, ARD • Lynn Stegman, ARD • Rod Carlyon, ARD
2013-2014
boardofdirectors EXEC U T I V E Amber Moskalyk CHAIR
Carla Rhyant Vice VICE CHAIR
Dieter Kuhlmann
SECRETARY-TREASURER
Heather Broughton
EXECUTIVE MEMBER
DIR EC TO R S David Anderson David Bressler Rajan Gupta Tanya McDonald Karen Parker
AFC
staff Bryanna Kumpula
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Megan Stevenson
SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER
Melissa Bourgoin
PROJECT MANAGER
Darcy Kirtzinger
PROJECT MANAGER The Council thanks those who have moved on to other opportunities during the year for their contributions.
42
N O BL E
C AU S E
To shift how people value each other, food and the environment.
M I S S I O N A sustainable breakthrough organization that connects and serves the Agriculture & Food sector.
V I S IO N
Innovation and breakthrough catalyst for Alberta’s Agriculture & Food sector.
VA LU E S
We believe in being unbiased, neutral and sensitive to differences in ideas and perspectives, being open, accountable and responsible, participation and partnerships, in innovation and modernization and in fairness and respect. We strive to be environmentally, socially and financially responsible and sustainable, and will demonstrate efficiency and effectiveness.
G OAL S BUILDING O RG A N I Z AT I O N A L S T R E N GT H Expand the membership base of the Council so that it reflects the changes and diversity of the sector. LOOKING B E Y O N D B O R D E R S Develop a network of strategic national and international partnerships that bring more value-added opportunities to the sector in Alberta. POSITION I N G FO R E F F E C T Build strategic relationships at the political and corporate leadership level in and outside Alberta to better position the agriculture sector for success. BRIDGING N O N -AGR I C U LT U R A L S E C TO R S Explore the “intersections” of other sectors with agriculture and develop linkages with those sectors to benefit the agricultural sector in Alberta. BUILDING T H E B U S I N E S S E S O F AGR I - B U S I N E S S Become a centre of excellence and service for small and medium-sized enterprises to link institutional, corporate, governmental and non-governmental organizations to focus their resources on building the agri-food industry in Alberta. CONTINU E A S A C ATA LY S T A N D A PAT H F I N D E R Broaden the context of events for the agri-food industry and to continue delivering federal and provincial programs but to look outside traditional governmental program funding to find new options.