2014-2015 Annual Report - Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development

 
 
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 Preface | Message from the Minister | Management's Responsibility for Reporting | Ministry Overview | Results Analysis | Organizational Descriptions | Agriculture and Agri-Food Statistics | Performance Measure Methodologies | Financial Information

Preface


The Public Accounts of Alberta are prepared in accordance with the Financial Administration Act and the Fiscal Management Act. The Public Accounts consist of the annual report of the Government of Alberta and the annual reports of each of the 19 ministries.

The annual report of the Government of Alberta contains the consolidated financial statements of the province and Measuring Up report, which compares actual performance results to desired results set out in the government’s strategic plan.

This annual report of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development contains the audited consolidated financial statements of the ministry and a comparison of actual performance results to desired results set out in the ministry business plan. This ministry annual report also includes:

  • the financial statements of entities making up the ministry including the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, regulated funds, and provincial agencies for which the Minister is responsible;
  • other financial information as required by the Financial Administration Act and Fiscal Management Act, either as separate reports or as a part of the financial statements, to the extent that the ministry has anything to report; and
  • financial information relating to trust funds.
On May 24, 2015, the government announced a cabinet restructure. As a result, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development was restructured and will assume responsibility for the Forestry programs, which were transferred from the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Resource Development. The ministry is subsequently renamed “Agriculture and Forestry,” and this most recent restructuring will be reflected in the 2015-16 Ministry Annual Report.

Message from the Minister

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development was responsible for providing the framework and services to help position Alberta’s agriculture and food sector for growth, ensure public confidence in the quality and safety of food, support environmentally responsible production practices, and help maintain the conditions necessary to support thriving rural communities. The following report highlights the actions undertaken by the Ministry to meet these objectives during the 2014-15 fiscal year and the results achieved.

Our government recognizes Alberta has an economic and social diversity to be celebrated. As we move forward together, we will continue to foster the entrepreneurial spirit, hard work, innovation and commitment to excellence that is the foundation for the highest quality of life for Albertans.

The next year will an exciting time as the responsibilities for agriculture, forestry and rural development are amalgamated within a single Ministry. The restructuring brings together areas that have much in common, including a focus on market access, economic development and sustainability.
I look forward to working with my colleagues, Ministry staff and our stakeholders to address the priorities of Albertans. As a government, we will support the sustainable development of the agriculture and forestry sectors and in our rural communities. We are committed to working together to overcome challenges and to seek new opportunities as we continue to build this great province.

[Original signed by]

Oneil Carlier
Minister, Agriculture and Forestry

Management’s Responsibility for Reporting

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development includes:

  • The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development
  • Agriculture Financial Services Corporation
  • Alberta Grains Council
  • Agriculture Products Marketing Council
  • Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency Ltd.
  • Office of the Farmers’ Advocate of Alberta
  • Irrigation Council

The executives of the individual entities within the ministry have the primary responsibility and accountability for the respective entities. Collectively, the executives ensure the ministry complies with all relevant legislation, regulations and policies.

Ministry business plans, annual reports, performance results and the supporting management information are integral to the government’s fiscal and strategic plan, annual report, quarterly reports and other financial and performance reporting.

Responsibility for the integrity and objectivity of the consolidated financial statements and performance results for the ministry rests with the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. Under the direction of the Minister, I oversee the preparation of the ministry’s annual report, including consolidated financial statements and performance results. The consolidated financial statements and the performance results, of necessity, include amounts that are based on estimates and judgments. The consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with Canadian public sector accounting standards. The performance measures are prepared in accordance with the following criteria:
  • Reliability – information agrees with underlying data and the sources used to prepare it.
  • Understandability and Comparability – current results are presented clearly in accordance with the stated methodology and are comparable with previous results.
  • Completeness – performance measures and targets match those included in Budget 2014.
As Deputy Minister, in addition to program responsibilities, I am responsible for the ministry’s financial administration and reporting functions. The ministry maintains systems of financial management and internal control which give consideration to costs, benefits, and risks that are designed to:
  • provide reasonable assurance that transactions are properly authorized, executed in accordance with prescribed legislation and regulations, and properly recorded so as to maintain accountability of public money;
  • provide information to manage and report on performance;
  • safeguard the assets and properties of the province under ministry administration;
  • provide Executive Council, the President of Treasury Board, the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development information needed to fulfill their responsibilities; and
  • facilitate preparation of ministry business plans and annual reports required under the Fiscal Management Act.
In fulfilling my responsibilities for the ministry, I have relied, as necessary, on the executives of the individual entities within the ministry.

[Original signed by]

Jason Krips
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development
June 2, 2015

Ministry Overview

Our ministry provides the framework and services necessary for Alberta’s agriculture and food sector to excel, to inspire public confidence in the quality and safety of food, to support environmentally sustainable production practices, and to lead the collaboration that enables resilient rural communities. In our 2014-17 Business Plan, our goals included:

Alberta’s agriculture industry is positioned for growth through access and development of new and existing markets.
  • Consumers have confidence and assurance that Alberta is an environmental steward and leader in farmed animal health and welfare, plant health and safe food products.
  • Alberta’s agriculture industry development initiatives maximize value and enable economic sustainability.
  • Rural Alberta has the development opportunities necessary for ongoing economic success.
In order to achieve our goals, we focus on providing extension and applied research services to industry, building strong relationships, and working collaboratively with industry, ministry partners across the Government of Alberta, other levels of government and stakeholders that have a vested interest in the continued success of the agriculture industry and vitality of rural communities.

We also partner with the federal government in the delivery of Growing Forward 2, a five-year program (running from 2013-18) that focuses on agricultural innovation, competitiveness, and market development. It also helps ensure producers and processors across Canada have the tools and resources they need to continue to innovate and capitalize on emerging market opportunities. In 2014-15, we administered the following through Growing Forward 2:
  • $15.1 million for Agri-Processing, Innovation, Automation, and Commercialization programs to assist industry in improving productivity, developing new products, and achieving growth in new and existing markets.
  • $1.9 million for the International Market Development and Investment Attraction Initiative to build market development strategies, inmarket relationships, and in-market expertise, as well as facilitate investment attraction.
  • $8.9 million for Environmental Resource Management programs to address energy efficiency and environmental risks to water.
  • $16.2 million for Assurance Systems programs and initiatives to enhance food safety, biosecurity, plant and animal health, livestock welfare, and traceability.
  • $3.1 million for Water Management programs to improve the efficiency and security of rural and agricultural water supplies.
  • $1.5 million for the Research Opportunities and Innovation initiative to support applied research.
  • $4.6 million for Business Management, Opportunities, and Skills Development programs and initiatives to enable industry to pursue new business opportunities.
This Annual Report details some of the specific actions and results we took to support our business plan goals. Our consolidated accomplishments are presented in an integrated manner under common themes, rather than focusing on individual planned action items.

Results Analysis Financial Information For additional information on the content of this document, contact Andrew Dore.
 
 
 
 
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This information published to the web on June 30, 2015.