The provincial government of Alberta has announced the investment of CA$9m over three years to support capital projects at local seed co‑ops.
The measure is part of the province’s budget for 2026 and, if passed, the money will support the Co‑operative Seed Processors Program, helping co‑operative and municipal seed plants to update their aging infrastructure.
Seed co-ops play a key role in Alberta’s agriculture sector, working to stop weeds being spread through seed, to clean seeds and grains to meet regulatory and customer standards, and to help maintain consumer and market confidence in Alberta’s crops.
The province has 66 seed facilities in 61 municipalities, which cleaned 42.2 million bushels of seed and grain in 2024, which represents about 16 million tonnes of crop production.
“Farmer-owned local seed co-operatives play an integral role in ensuring seeds and crops are pest- and disease-free, ” said agriculture minister R J Sigurdson. “They strengthen local communities and help ensure we are successful in global markets.
“Now more than ever, seed co-operatives need support to modernise aging facilities so they can remain economically viable and serve our growing agriculture industry.”
The programme is funded 75% by the seed co-operatives and 25% by the government, and will help facilities continue providing vital services, like cleaning, grading and conditioning seed and grain products. The result is a total $27m investment over three years.
Most seed co-operatives were built between the 1960s and 1990s, and a press release from Alberta government says upgrading the technology and equipment will ensure co-operatives remain viable and competitive.
“As a result of this investment, seed co-operatives will be able to continue serving producers, providing good jobs in rural communities and strengthening local economies,” it adds.
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Individual seed plants that are members of the Alberta Seed Processors Association will be able to apply through the association. The association will then work alongside Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation to ensure eligible applicants receive funding.
“We applaud Minister Sigurdson and his team for recognising the vital role these co-operatives play,” said Uwe Quedenbaum, president of the Alberta Seed Processors Association.
“This investment isn’t just about machinery; it’s about the revitalisation of a farmer-owned network that has underpinned Alberta’s agricultural success for more than 70 years. This funding ensures our members can continue to provide world-class seed and grain processing services while remaining competitive in a modern market.”
Rick Kemp, chair of Innisfail Seed Cleaning Co-op, added: “We are thrilled and deeply encouraged that minister Sigurdson recognises the immense inflationary pressures put on co-ops when undertaking any capital improvement project, especially a large-scale endeavour like ours.
“Through years of hard work and disciplined financial planning, we broke ground on a new $6.5m state-of-the-art facility slated to open in the fourth quarter of 2026. Although our project is already under way, this provincial funding is a critical lifeline; it ensures we can complete the build exactly as envisioned without being forced to trim key aspects of the project due to constant cost-control pressures.“
