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.

May 1, 2017

Five 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.

June 22, 2017

Synthesis 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.

Dec. 14, 2017

The first proposal of a new commodity organization was released to farmer members.

January and February 2018

A 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.

July 30, 2018

Manitoba 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.

Nov. 22, 2018

Winter Cereals Manitoba, Inc. joined the process and became part of the steering committee.

Dec. 12, 2018

A 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.

January & February 2019

Webinars were held and presentations were given at the five annual general meetings to provide information to members on the revised proposal.

Sept. 19, 2019

It was announced the amalgamation vote would occur in February 2020 at the respective organizations’ annual general special meetings (AGSMs).

Nov. 25, 2019

The name of the new organization – Manitoba Crop Alliance, Inc. – was announced, along with the interim board of directors.

November & December 2019

Webinars were held to inform farmer members of the proposal, legal documents associated with the process and voting procedures.

Feb. 12-13, 2020

At 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.

June 22, 2020

Manitoba 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.

Aug. 1, 2020

Resulting 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.

Manitoba Crop Alliance received their designation regulation to collect a mandatory check-off from all sales of wheat (spring & winter), barley, corn, sunflower and flax in Manitoba starting on August 1, 2020. The check-off amounts are unchanged to what was in place with the five previously existing organizations and remains refundable.

Check-off funds collected by MCA are invested in three main areas which make up 86% of MCA’s total budget: research and production, market access and development, and communication and advocacy initiatives.

Commodity Check-Off
Corn ½ of 1% of sales
Flax ½ of 1% of sales for flax and solin seed 1% of sales for flax and solin straw
Sunflower ½ of 1% of sales
Spring Wheat $1.00/tonne
Winter Wheat $0.98/tonne
Barley $1.06/tonne

Manitoba Crop Alliance does NOT buy or sell wheat, barley, corn, sunflowers or flax. If you’re a purchaser and want to register with Manitoba Crop Alliance, please email levy [at] mbcropalliance [dot] ca.

NOTE: These companies are authorized to deduct and remit check-off to MCA. MCA does not endorse any company over another and does not take responsibility for any transactions between these companies and their clients. It is the personal responsibility of farmers to satisfy themselves that any company they deal with is financially sound. Questions regarding licensing security should be directed to the Canadian Grain Commission at 1-800-853-6705.

Download MCA buyers list (pdf)
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