Athabasca-Barrhead-Westlock MLA Glenn van Dijken is heading back to the United States for more economic advocacy, this time to Boston for the 50th annual National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL).
Making the trip with van Dijken will be MLAs Angela Pitt, who represents Airdrie East, and Chelsae Petrovic, who represents Livingstone Macleod. The trio will be taking part in conversations with lawmakers and legislators from across the United States, as well as hosting a reception as part of the visit.
“Promoting increased access to U.S. markets for Alberta’s farmers, ranchers, and agri-processors will be at the top of my agenda when I take my seat on this year’s NCSL Agriculture Task Force,” said van Dijken in a July 31 press release.
“Our producers put top-quality food on American tables, and I will leverage these discussions to reinforce the key role Alberta can play in establishing North American, and global, food security.”
The trip, which runs from Aug. 2 to Aug. 7, will be van Dijken’s second journey south this summer. Back in June the Barrhead-based farmer/politician was in Iowa for the NCSL’s ag task force. At the time, van Dijken said the province was continuing to take a diplomatic approach to trade relations with its largest trading partner.
In 2024, Alberta exported $162 billion to the United States, $134 billion of which was oil and minerals. Food and agriculture products were the province’s second largest export, with $9.16 billion of foodstuffs, meat products, and other goods crossing the border.
“These are products that they need that they don’t grow, especially on the canola side of things, and with fruits and vegetables, we have a limited opportunity to grow that here so we need that too,” said van Dijken after his June trip.
The NCSL is a combination of state legislators, their staff, lawmakers, and government leaders from all 50 U.S. states, as well as commonwealths, territories, and the District of Columbia. Alberta formalized its role in the NCSL by becoming an affiliate member of the organization and its International Advisory Council last year, and van Dijken has represented the province’s agricultural industry at the organization since then.
