Agricultural Services

Agriculture is the backbone of Mountain View County's landscape and culture. With over 1,800 farms and ranches located on 3,800 square kms of rich fertile soil and lush grazing land, agriculture is our proud heritage and our vital link to the future.

A drive through the County late summer will show you why we're often referred to as sure crop country. You'll see fields and fields of golden wheat, rich ripe canola, famous Alberta oats and barley and the best of Canada's certified seed crops ready for export. Mountain View County is home to major hay plants that ship compressed bales to Japan and Pacific Rim markets and has one of Alberta's busiest auction yards.

You'll also see premium quality cattle grazing on fertile pasture land and livestock trucks heading up and the down the main highway corridors transporting hogs, sheep, bison and many exotic livestock species. With a focus on diversification and value added agriculture, more and more County farmers are now moving into specialty crops, tree and berry farms and food processing.
We're here to help you grow.

If you're new to Mountain View County; a visitor to Alberta; or considering an investment in Canada's agriculture and food industry; you've landed in the right place. Here, in central Alberta, agriculture is our bread and butter - literally. Take a look:

• Alberta accounts for 25% of Canada's total agricultural production
• Alberta produces half of Canada's beef, 30% of Canada's wheat, and approximately one-third of Canada's barley and canola
• Combined, beef, grain and oilseed, miscellaneous specialty, and wheat comprise approximately 84% of farm types in Central Alberta
• Beef activities alone comprise just over half of all farm types in Central Alberta.
• Compared to Alberta, the Central Alberta region has a higher proportion of farm types in the categories of dairy, beef, hog, poultry and egg, and miscellaneous specialty
• Central Alberta farms raise a significant proportion of Alberta's livestock, including 25% of the province's hogs, and over 20% of poultry and cattle
• The major field crops grown in Central Alberta are barley, wheat, alfalfa, peas, canola, other tame hay or fodder crops, and oats. Central Alberta farms grow a significant proportion of the provincial total of these crops

How can we help you?

We'd be pleased to provide information on programs and services offered to farmers and ranchers by Mountain View County.

Mountain View County's Agricultural Services Department is resourced to support local farmers and ranchers with programs and services designed to enhance production, environmental stewardship and industry growth.

We welcome your calls and inquiries at 403-335-3311 or:
Jane.Fulton@mountainviewcounty.com

Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development

The Ministry is divided into the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and a number of agencies, boards and commissions. The Department is responsible for the management of programs designed to facilitate the development of all components of the agriculture and food industry, to sustain the natural resource base of the industry and to encourage the development of rural communities.

The Alberta Agriculutre and Rural Development web site- Ropin' the Web- offers information on the following topics:

• Crops
• Livestock
• Ag Engineering
• Business & Economics
• Diseases/Insects/ Pests
• Food & Ag Processing
• Food Safety
• Learning & 4H
• Ministry Information
• Rural Services
• Soil/Water/Air
• Statistics
• Trade
• Weather & Climate