Nate Horner returns as Alberta’s ag minister

Oct 24, 2022

Premier Danielle Smith named her cabinet on Friday

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

A familiar face will be the voice for farmers inside the Alberta legislature.

Nate Horner, the MLA for Drumheller-Stettler, retained his agriculture portfolio when Premier Danielle Smith introduced her cabinet on Friday.

His title changed, however, as forestry and rural economic development are no longer included in his responsibilities.

Those have been replaced with irrigation.

“I look forward to building on our government’s historic investment of nearly $1 billion in irrigation infrastructure and supporting an ag sector that’s driving economic growth and job creation,” Horner tweeted Oct. 21.

I'm honored to continue serving Albertans as Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation.
°I look forward to building on our government's historic investment of nearly $1 billion in irrigation infrastructure and supporting an ag sector that's driving economic growth and job creation.
— Nate Horner (@NateHornerAB) October 22, 2022

Glenn van Dijken, the MLA for Athabasca-Barrhead-Westlock, is Minister Horner’s parliamentary secretary.

Horner became Alberta’s minister of agriculture, forestry and rural economic development in November 2021.

Premier Jason Kenney placed Horner in the ag portfolio following Devin Dreeshen’s resignation.

The MLA for Innisfail-Sylvan Lake resigned from his ministerial duties citing “personal conduct with regards to alcohol.”

The former ag minister is back in cabinet under Premier Smith.

Dreeshen is the new minister of transportation and economic corridors.

Honoured to serve as Alberta's new Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors.

I will use this position to improve the everyday quality of life for Albertans; and to improve trade links for our energy, agriculture, and manufactured goods around the world. #ableg #abpoli
— Devin Dreeshen (@DevinDVote) October 21, 2022

“I will use this position to improve the everyday quality of life for Albertans; and to improve trade links for our energy, agriculture, and manufactured goods around the world. #ableg #abpoli,” Dreeshen tweeted on Oct. 21.

He will also have a place on Treasury Board.

Minister Horner takes his oath beginning at 40:58 of the video.

Video: A chain harrow is a game changer

Utilizing a rotational grazing method on our farmstead with our sheep helps to let the pasture/paddocks rest. We also just invested in a chain harrow to allow us to drag the paddocks our sheep just left to break up and spread their manure around, dethatch thicker grass areas, and to rough up bare dirt areas to all for a better seed to soil contact if we overseed that paddock. This was our first time really using the chain harrow besides initially testing it out. We are very impressed with the work it did and how and area that was majority dirt, could be roughed up before reseeding.

Did you know we also operate a small business on the homestead. We make homemade, handcrafted soaps, shampoo bars, hair and beard products in addition to offering our pasture raised pork, lamb, and 100% raw honey. You can find out more about our products and ingredients by visiting our website at www.mimiandpoppysplace.com. There you can shop our products and sign up for our monthly newsletter that highlights a soap or ingredient, gives monthly updates about the homestead, and also lists the markets, festivals, and events we’ll be attending that month.