| | The Agriculture Information Division of Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development is a major source of information for the agriculture industry of Alberta. Through publications, internet publishing, radio broadcasts, news releases, videos, multimedia presentations, the division helps department staff get information to the people who need to know in an effective and professional manner. The division administers the Freedom of Information and Privacy Act (FOIP), the FOIP coordinator provides public access to ministry records and is the custodian of personal information within the ministry. The division also administers the Alberta Century Farm and Ranch Award and hosts the Alberta Agriculture Hall of Fame award ceremony. The division's Ministry Information (780) 427-2727 handles all general information calls.
Agri-News
Agri-News is a press package published each Monday that contains. information of interest to Alberta farmers and farm families on a regional or provincial basis. This includes:
- special projects in a district or region
- farmers or farm families who have a particular success story
- production information or advice
- farm family advice or information
- farm management information or advice
- meetings/tours of interest to a region or the province
- how-to stories
Publications and Videos
A collection of books and videos/CD-ROMs that are essential for today's farmers and ranchers are sold by the Ministry. They provide up-to-date information on a wide range of agricultural and horticultural practices. These books may be purchased from Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development's Publications Office in Edmonton by calling (780) 427-0391 or 1-800-292-5697 (toll-free in Canada).
Close to 700 publications are available free of charge to Alberta residents from Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development. These are designed primarily for individual use (non-classroom) by farmers, homemakers, gardeners and business firms.
Radio
Call of the Land is a 10-minute agriculture and food related program produced a five day-a-week. This information program is aired on 22 Alberta commercial radio stations and the full CKUA AM/FM network. For more than 50 years Call of the Land has broadcast during the noon hour on the network of stations. It now reaches a daily listening audience of over 110,000. Aimed at rural Albertans, stories keep the food and agricultural community current on the latest agricultural technologies, research findings, production methods and marketing trends, as well as government programs and policies. The Call of the Land calendar serves as a source of information on regional and provincial industry meetings.
Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act
The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP) is a government-wide initiative to provide open and accountable government which set out the rules for all provincial departments, agencies, boards, commissions and local government bodies such as school boards. The Act balances the public's right to know and the individual's right to privacy.
For a copy of the Act, detailed information about contacts across government, and rulings by the Information and Privacy Commissioner see the Alberta Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy home page at http://foip.gov.ab.ca/
Questions can be directed to:
Freedom of Information and Privacy Coordinator
100A, 7000-113 Street
Edmonton, Alberta T6H 5T6
Telephone: toll-free 310-0000 then (780) 422-0473
Alberta Century Farm & Ranch Award
Alberta Century Farm & Ranch Award is a recognition to families who are keeping the farm or ranch from generation to generation and have continuously owned and actively farmed or ranched by the same family for 100 or more years without rented to persons outside of the family. The current size of the original homestead must be at least 160 acres of land.
Alberta Agriculture Hall of Fame
Alberta Agriculture Hall of Fame was created to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the agriculture and food industry and to the quality of rural life in Alberta, as well as nationally and internationally. Each awards ceremony the department inducts up to three individuals. The nomination and awards ceremony hold every two years. The first award was held in 1951.
A public reading area for the review of manuals and other information is open weekdays from 8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the J.G. O’Donoghue Building, 7000-113 Street, Edmonton. The reading area is wheelchair accessible. |
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