Officials are calling a Friday meeting of agriculture groups an unprecedented success.

The newly formed Crop and Livestock Sector Coalition is working toward a unified agriculture industry approach to upcoming consultations with the provincial government on Bill 6.

Co-chair of the meeting, Kent Erickson says their ultimate goal is to build a consensus.

"Looking for a coalition of sorts of agricultural organizations that could have a discussion together, move forward and really drive home a unified approach to some of the things we're looking for and some of the solutions we're willing to give forward to the government under Bill 6," Erickson says.

He says they were trying to get some of the issues and deal breakers on the table to move cautiously in future consultations with the government.

"Really the theme that came out if it is just trying to understand on behalf of the producers, you know the farmers and ranchers that were represented, how some of these things will affect farmers in a constructive approach so we can better manage the outcomes of what we're looking for in this Bill."

Erickson says they believe their approach will be more productive and result in regulations that make sense at the farm level.

The coalition is working on a formal governance structure so they can continue to represent producer's interests in talks with the government on Bill 6 and farm worker safety.

The meeting was co-hosted by the Crop Sector Working Group and the Intensive Livestock Sector Working Group and attended by the Alberta Barley Commission, Alberta Beef Producers, Alberta Beekeepers Commission, Alberta Canola Producers Commission, Alberta Cattle Feeders’ Association, Alberta Chicken Producers, Alberta Elk Commission, Alberta Farm Fresh Producers Association, Alberta Grazing Leaseholders Association, Alberta Hatching Egg Producers, Alberta Milk, Alberta Pork, Alberta Pulse Growers, Alberta Seed Growers Association, Alberta Turkey Producers, Alberta Vegetable Growers, Alberta Wheat Commission, Alfalfa Seed Commission, Bison Producers of Alberta, Egg Farmers of Alberta, Hutterite Standing Committee, Potato Growers of Alberta, Prairie Oat Growers Association, Western Barley Growers Association, Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association, and the Western Stock Growers’ Association.

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