About Manitoba Crop Alliance
We Put Our Farmer Members First And Strive To Continuously Improve The Competitiveness And Profitability Of All Crops We Represent.
Manitoba Crop Alliance Inc. (MCA) is a commodity organization representing wheat (spring & winter), barley, corn, sunflower and flax farmers in the province of Manitoba.
MCA puts its farmer members first and strives to continuously improve the competitiveness and profitability of all crops represented by the organization, including spring wheat, winter wheat, barley, corn, sunflower and flax. Farmer members are individuals who have produced and marketed the crop types MCA represents, remitted levy to the organization, and have not requested and received a refund. MCA focuses its work on four main areas: research and production, market development and access, advocacy and communications. It is through investment in these key areas that MCA can ensure wheat, barley, corn, sunflower and flax are sustainable production choices for Manitoba farmers.
MCA History
Prior to Manitoba Crop Alliance’s launch on Aug. 1, 2020, farmers in Manitoba who grew and marketed spring wheat, winter wheat, barley, corn, sunflowers and flax were represented by five commodity organizations: Manitoba Wheat and Barley Growers Association (MWBGA), Manitoba Corn Growers Association (MCGA), Manitoba Winter Cereals, Inc. (WCMI), Manitoba Flax Growers Association (MFGA) and the National Sunflower Association of Canada (NSAC).
The road to amalgamation began in 2017. For more details, view the timeline below.
- 01 May, 2017
May 1, 2017
May 1, 2017
May 1, 2017Five commodity organizations (Manitoba Wheat and Barley Growers Association, Manitoba Corn Growers Association, Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers, Manitoba Flax Growers Association and the National Sunflower Association of Canada) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU). The MOU was to work towards merging into one organization to increase efficiencies and maximize profitability and sustainability for Manitoba farmers. - 01 Jun, 2017
June 22, 2017
June 22, 2017
June 1, 2017Synthesis Agri-Food Network was hired to work with the steering committee composed of two directors from each organization to develop a proposal for the five memberships to consider.
- 14 Dec, 2017
Dec. 14, 2017
Dec. 14, 2017
December 14, 2017The first proposal of a new commodity organization was released to farmer members.
- 01 Jan, 2018
January and February 2018
January and February 2018
January 1, 2018A round of in-person consultations took place, in addition to presentations at the five annual general meetings of the organizations, to hear from members on the proposal. Based on feedback received, the steering committee began work to develop a revised proposal.
- 30 Jul, 2018
July 30, 2018
July 30, 2018
July 30, 2018Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers stepped back from the process. The steering committee, now composed of directors from the remaining four commodity groups, re-affirmed its commitment to allow the respective memberships to decide on a potential amalgamation and, therefore, continued its work looking at legal amalgamation as part of the proposal.
- 22 Nov, 2018
Nov. 22, 2018
Nov. 22, 2018
November 22, 2018Winter Cereals Manitoba, Inc. joined the process and became part of the steering committee.
- 12 Dec, 2018
Dec. 12, 2018
Dec. 12, 2018
December 12, 2018A revised proposal was released to farmer members that addressed the concerns heard during the first consultation period and reflected the new composition of commodity groups involved.
- 01 Jan, 2019
January & February 2019
January & February 2019
January 1, 2019Webinars were held and presentations were given at the five annual general meetings to provide information to members on the revised proposal.
- 19 Sep, 2019
Sept. 19, 2019
Sept. 19, 2019
September 19, 2019It was announced the amalgamation vote would occur in February 2020 at the respective organizations’ annual general special meetings (AGSMs).
- 25 Nov, 2019
Nov. 25, 2019
Nov. 25, 2019
November 25, 2019The name of the new organization – Manitoba Crop Alliance, Inc. – was announced, along with the interim board of directors.
- 01 Dec, 2019
November & December 2019
November & December 2019
December 1, 2019Webinars were held to inform farmer members of the proposal, legal documents associated with the process and voting procedures.
- 12 Feb, 2020
Feb. 12-13, 2020
Feb. 12-13, 2020
February 12, 2020At the five AGSMs, a two-thirds majority of members voted in favour of the special resolution to amalgamate. As a result, the legal amalgamation of the five organizations to form Manitoba Crop Alliance, Inc. was approved.
- 22 Jun, 2020
June 22, 2020
June 22, 2020
June 22, 2020Manitoba Crop Alliance received its designation regulation under The Agricultural Producers’ Organization Funding Act. This allows for the collection of a mandatory, refundable check-off from all sales of wheat (spring and winter), barley, sunflowers, corn and flax in Manitoba.
- 01 Aug, 2020
Aug. 1, 2020
Aug. 1, 2020
August 1, 2020Resulting from the significant collaborative efforts on the part of the steering committee and the support from the respective memberships, Manitoba Farm Products Marketing Council and Manitoba Agriculture, Manitoba Crop Alliance, Inc. was officially launched.
