Page 64 - InvestAlberta-EDA-2025

BY THE NUMBERS
AT A GLANCE
83,400
Number of Albertans employed
in the agri-food industries
$17.9 BILLION
Value of Alberta’s exports of agricultural
and food products
$10.3 BILLION
Alberta’s total agri-food industry GDP
$23.3 BILLION
Alberta’s total farm cash receipts (FCR)
Farming for the Future
Albertans take pride in the province’s
innovative, enterprising spirit. Even
well-established, 50-year-old companies
here aren’t afraid to try new things and
find ingenious solutions. Sunterra has been
feeding Albertans since 1970 when Sunterra
Farms was founded by the Price family. It
remains a family-owned business, where
it continues to operate out of the town of
Acme, an hour northeast of Calgary.
Fresh tomatoes and strawberries often
come from other countries for much of
the year in Alberta. Sunterra Greenhouse
opened in 2020 to fill the gap. Housing a
specialized microclimate with pollinating
bees, the greenhouse takes advantage of
Alberta’s sunny weather, with an average of
333 days of sun a year.
By growing and selling their produce
in Sunterra Markets around Alberta, they
avoid supply chain disruptions caused
by shipping from overseas and deliver
products to shelves within 24 hours of
picking. With their high tech approach to
agriculture, Sunterra Greenhouse produces
over a million pounds of tomatoes every
month, using 90 per cent less water than
traditional farming.
ALBERTA’S WHEAT
PRODUCTION BY CROP
(metric tonnes, 2024)
364.51
MILLION
wheat
224.50
MILLION
canola
194.26
MILLION
barley
40.89
MILLION
oats
Fertile Ground for Investment
Alberta is known for its agriculture —
from grains to cattle — and its abundant
land. With so much of both, there’s great
opportunity for development in the bio-based
feedstock market, for companies producing
anything from bio-fuels to renewable
chemicals. One community primed for
this industry, Vegreville, an hour east of
Edmonton, was recently given a Bioeconomy
Development Opportunity (BDO) Zone A
rating for Wheat Straw — meaning it’s a great
place for feedstock investments. The area
is well positioned for investment, with low
competition and an existing fleet of harvest
and transportation equipment.
Wheat straw is a key resource in
Alberta’s agricultural sector, used for
everything from feeding livestock to
creating bedding for cattle. The BDO Zone
is one of Canada’s highest wheat-yielding
areas — so Vegreville has great potential in
the agri-business sector.
8,900
3,100
ALBERTA’S TOP 5 AGRI-FOODS
EXPORTS ($ MILLIONS CAD)
United States
China
Japan
Mexico
Indonesia
1,300
749.1
390.8
Source: Government of Alberta
Stats are from 2023 unless otherwise stated
64
INVEST IN ALBERTA 2 0 2 5 INVESTING IN A RESILIENT ORGANIC FARMING SECTOR
Once only found on the shelves of specialty stores, organic food is now an
$8-billion market in Canada.
Alberta’s Peace Region, two hours northwest of Edmonton, is a major contributor to
organic oat production, supplying Canada and the world with organic cereals. The Peace
Region Organic Success Program (PROSPr) is running a five year project, which began in
January 2024, to provide support to the Peace Region’s organic farmers. Taking a holistic
approach, along with specialized resources tailored to the area, the program is supporting
farmers by hiring an organic agronomist to enhance local farmer’s operations, along with
providing resources for marketing and community well-being.
Bringing together farmers, industry and stakeholders, the program is elevating the
region’s profile in organic farming. American food giant Clif Bar, recently valued at nearly
$3 billion, is contributing $298,000 USD to the program over two years, proving the
Peace Region’s value in the international organic food market.
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