Alberta Farmers' Perceptions 2025

Alberta is a powerhouse in Canadian agriculture, with a large land base and strong export potential for beef, wheat, and canola. 

This briefing highlights Alberta-specific insights from a 979-response national farmer survey (222 responses from Alberta) conducted in March 2025. It captures what producers consider most important, which policies they think help or hinder, and which risks feel most immediate. The survey results show that producers are notably civic-minded: most voted in 2021, most plan to vote in 2025, and political discussions are common across the farm community. 

Three main themes shape producer priorities: trade and market access, transportation and logistics, and tax and financial support, indicating a focus on growth opportunities and cost management. Farmers encounter daily challenges from tariffs, supply-chain delays, and currency fluctuations, yet many still view modern trade agreements positively. When asked where barriers should be reduced, the United States is the top choice, followed by China and the EU. On climate and water, producers prefer tools with immediate financial effects, such as disaster relief, stronger insurance, and soil health, over longterm mitigation strategies. Concerns about water resources are moderate; the demand is for clearer, harmonized rules, explicit allocations, and proven precision-water technologies. Adaptation measures are already in progress, including conservation tillage, drought-resistant crops, and additional on-farm storage; capital-intensive irrigation upgrades are adopted more selectively. Financing is generally accessible, but satisfaction with risk management programs is mixed, and many question Canada’s farm competitiveness given logistics and foreign exchange volatility. The bargaining power of farmers appears weakest with supply-chain partners and retailers. It is more stable with lenders and largely neutral in labour markets. Most employers believe they can hire domestically, though views on permanent-residency pathways for foreign workers remain uncertain. The sector considers itself “somewhat united,” indicating shared priorities. Therefore, Alberta’s agricultural producers are growth-focused, pragmatic, and highly engaged. They seek reliable market access, efficient logistics, and practical risk management tools that support their daily competitiveness.

By Ohi Ahmed and Guillaume Lhermie.

Published November 27, 2025.