An overview of Alberta’s agricultural system and local food production

Aleksandra Tymczak studies the honey and berry industry in Alberta’s agricultural system. Here, she provides a brief introduction to Alberta’s agricultural system that the two industries find themselves within

In general, a system refers to a set of components that work together in an interconnected network. An agricultural system refers to a set of components (including pragmatic, political, social, and economic components) working together in an interconnected network to produce commodities (livestock, crops, value-added products, etc.). ^(1-2) In any agricultural system, the clear building block of agriculture is ‘the farmer.’ What a farmer is, what he/she can do, and how reliant he/she is on a different set of actors and institutions depends on the system as a whole. Within the agricultural system, there is a strong interest in the relationships between farmers and other actors (policymakers, processors, distributors, consumers, researchers, etc.) and institutions (academic institutions, financial institutions, governance institutions, extension/ outreach institutions). Any changes in the system can produce effects that reverberate, and such responses hinge on the specific set of relationships that evolve between these actors and institutions. ⁽³⁾

Another key component of an agricultural system is land—the physical land that is cultivated and the geographical scale at which actors and policies operate. The scaling of activities differs per product; landscape, climate, soil, and regulations are tied to the spatial scales of political and administrative entities. An agricultural system is affected by policies affecting land, rural planning, water management, and resource extraction regimes. ⁽³⁾

Knowledge is an important but often overlooked component of an agricultural system. Agricultural systems require knowledge to operate, and changing knowledge can foster changes in systems. Knowledge helps in the coordination of the existing system, not only because actors need to play certain roles but also because shared ideas on those roles—and on the system as a whole—support system coordination. ⁽⁴⁾

Another overlooked component of an agricultural system is history. Systems evolve as the relationships between the components of the system evolve. What is possible within an agricultural system hinges on the set of actors and institutions on the web of relations, and this whole pattern is a product of history. Understanding that history can provide useful insight into the current functioning of the system, including the discovery of new system features that might not be observable without a thorough explication of the history. Moreover, the opportunities for transformation within the system can be understood much better when the evolution of the system is mapped out. Studies of agricultural innovation, rescaling, and sustainability thus often require a systems perspective with historical depth. ^(3,5)

Alberta’s agricultural system

The province of Alberta is unique in that it is structured as a large-scale, landlocked exporter of bulk, semi-processed and processed commodities such as agri-food products. ⁽⁶⁾ Even before World War II, the agri-food production system in Alberta has predominantly emphasized high external input and export-oriented agriculture. For example, the current policies, regulations, and priorities of the agricultural system are a product of decisions made by key actors in the early 1900s during the establishment of the system in Alberta.

These decisions include a primary focus on the large-scale export-oriented production of a few specialized commodities (grain and livestock) in lieu of other commodities, such as horticulture production and small-scale subsistence farming. Furthermore, during the 1980s, the dismantling of provincial supportive agricultural programs and policies occurred to accommodate free trade agreements and allow the global market to determine commodity price cycles, thus influencing production and distribution practices. ⁽⁶⁾ Overall, the Albertan agri-food production system has become an export-oriented free market- focused system. Scientifically, the research dollars have long been driven by the economic size of the system and by the voice of related export- oriented economic policymakers. ⁽⁷⁾

Local food system in Alberta

According to the Department of Agriculture, the term ‘local’ can refer to any small-scale grown or produced and sold food within the geographic region of Alberta. ⁽⁸⁾ This system includes local productions that primarily target local markets, all distributors, and all retailers (including supermarkets, mass merchandisers, small grocery stores, specialty stores, health, natural, or organic food stores, ethnic grocery stores, etc.) and commercial users, such as restaurants and processors, who use their ingredients. ⁽⁹⁾ Furthermore, in this local food system, food is traced from the point of production to the final consumer. ⁽⁸⁾ This aligns with the understanding of the majority of Alberta consumers (96%) who accept food grown or made in Alberta as local food. A 2017 survey found that the top five factors influencing consumers to buy food grown and processed in Alberta are food safety, supporting family farms, freshness, quality, and taste. ⁽¹⁰⁾

In Alberta, a ‘small-scale’ business is defined as an operation that has between 1 to 25 paid employees, including seasonal employees. ⁽¹¹⁾ Beyond the traditional storefront operation, the term ‘small-scale’ also includes the following food production operations:

• Farm retail (i.e., roadside stands and farm stores) –
  • These operations are located on the farm itself, where the food products are sold fresh directly to the consumer. Roadside stands are typically seasonal operations that sell fresh fruits and vegetables, whereas farm stores operate year-round and can sell other commodities, such as poultry, eggs, dairy products, and meat products. (9)
• Alberta Approved Farmers’ Markets –
  • These operations are run in central municipal locations, such as downtown areas or within larger neighbourhoods. In addition to the commodities sold at farm stores, farmers’ market vendors also sell baked goods, pickled foods, jams/jellies, and even candies. (9)
• Municipal buying clubs –
  • These operations are typically run within college campuses and urban employment or office buildings. Producers visit these locations to sell their commodities directly to consumers on a scheduled basis (for example, once a month). Municipal buying clubs are also an opportunity for some Alberta Approved Farmers’ Markets to continue their operations during the winter season. In addition to the commodities sold at farmers’ market vendors, municipal buying clubs may also sell more combined items, such as food gift baskets. (9)
• Community-supported agriculture or community-shared agriculture and box programs –
  • These operations traditionally run on a subscription basis. Consumers purchase a subscription to receive a box of freshly harvested food, such as fruit and vegetables, dairy, or meat products, every week or every month. (9)

All small-scale food producers share certain commonalities, such as minimal marketing, advertising, and promotion of food products, minimal processing and packaging of food products, and direct contact with their consumer base. ⁽⁹⁾ These food producers must adhere to the corresponding provincial policies and regulations as well as the guidelines set by Alberta Health Services. However, if the food is sold outside the province, the producers also need to adhere to federal regulations, including labelling requirements and the guidelines set by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. For exports outside of the country, the producers are subject to international regulations, such as FDA regulations. ⁽¹²⁾ Furthermore, there are specific sectors within the Alberta government with public servants that specialize in aiding small-scale local businesses with various aspects of their operations, such as grant funding, marketing, market access, commercialization, food safety, and business practices. These specialists include farmers’ market specialists, marketing specialists for specific sectors, such as farm retail or supermarket retail, and value-added processing specialists. ⁽⁹⁾

Considering the demand for local food sold at these market channels (farmers’ markets, farm retail, municipal buying clubs, and local restaurants), food sales exceeded $1.5 billion in 2016 in Alberta. ⁽¹⁰⁾ Food purchased by individuals at farm retail reached $303.7 million, and food purchased at farmers’ markets reached $924.5 million in 2016. The market value of restaurants that have chosen to serve Alberta food ingredients on their menus reached $395.6 million in 2016. ⁽⁹⁾ Moreover, a 2016 report indicated that 78% of households purchased at a farmers’ market, 36% of households purchased at a farm retail, and 23% of households chose restaurants because they used Alberta food ingredients. ⁽⁹⁾ This can be compared to larger-scale commodities within the agricultural system, namely the livestock industry and grain crop industry. Alberta’s livestock industry generated an annual $5.5 billion, while canola and wheat generated $3.1 billion and $2.5 billion, respectively, on an annual basis between 2018 to 2022. ⁽⁹⁾

One link that explains the increased consumer demand is the growing urban population in Alberta, particularly within Edmonton and Calgary. This surge in consumer demand has motivated more farmers to re-localize their production with the aim of obtaining higher-value market opportunities for their products, including farmers’ markets, community-supported agriculture programs, food-box schemes, and farm-gate retail operations. The surge in consumer demand and market value is also a motivating factor for chefs deciding to open local food-oriented restaurants within the province and establish relationships with local producers. ⁽¹³⁾

References

1. Brinkley, C. (2017). Visualizing the social and geographical embeddedness of local food systems. Journal of Rural Studies, 54, 314-325.
2. Dentoni, D., Waddell, S., Waddock, S. (2017). Pathways of transformation in global food and agricultural systems: Implications from a large systems change theory perspective. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 29, 8-13.
3. Van Assche, K., Hornidge, A. (2015). Rural development: Knowledge and expertise in governance. Wageningen, NL: Wageningen Academic Publishers.
4. Taylor, M., Bhasme, S. (2018). Model farmers, extension networks and the politics of agricultural knowledge transfer. Journal of Rural Studies, 64, 1-10.
5. Grigg, D. (2019). The dynamics of agricultural change: The historical experience. London, UK: Routledge.
6. Hale, G., Bartlett, C. (2018). Managing the regulatory tangle: Critical infrastructure security and distributed governance in Alberta’s major traded sectors. Journal of Borderland Studies, 34(2), 257-279.
7. Carlberg, J. (2021). Interprovincial trade barriers in Canada: Options for moving forward. The School of Public Policy, University of Calgary, Briefing Paper (Volume 14:23). Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.11575/sppp.v14i1.72793
8. Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. (2013). Local market expansion project: Alternative agricultural markets in Alberta 2012. Retrieved from https://open.alberta.ca/publications/local-market-expansion-project-alternative agricultural-markets-in-alberta-2012-report
9. Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. (2017). Study of local food demand in Alberta: Consumer study report. Retrieved from https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/230e7d60-c864-48fc-8704d5c363c43afc/resource/0269cad9-afec-4cc3-87def7b70fc7922c/download/surveyreport.pdf
10. Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. (2017). Local food demand in Alberta: Infographic. Retrieved from https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/230e7d60-c864-48fc-8704d5c363c43afc/resource/e0aabb43-3f18-4c00-8db0c888a88c2a47/download/keymessagesinfographic.pdf
11. Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. (2018). Alberta’s agricultural processing industry directory 2018. Retrieved from https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-food-directories.aspx
12. Government of Alberta. (2021). Food safety. Retrieved from https://www.alberta.ca/foodsafety.aspx
13. Nelson, P., Beckie, M.A., Krogman, N.T. (2017). The “locavore” chef in Alberta: A situated social practice analysis. Food, Culture & Society. An International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, 20(3), 503-524.
14. Tymczak, A. (2025). Navigating Challenges and Opportunities in Alberta’s Small-Scale Agricultural Sector: Pathways for New Entrants, Knowledge Transfer, and Institutional Barriers [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. University of Alberta

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