Alberta's Agriculture Minister has met with Alberta crop commissions to discuss farmers’ concerns about unharvested crops.

Alberta Financial Services Corporation and Government officials confirmed that they have streamlined their internal processes to allow crop inspectors to make quicker decisions.

The moves are meant to help producers spend less time worrying about last year’s crop, and more time preparing for the coming growing season.

Oneil Carlier wants the Corporation to provide him with a full assessment of the current situation and with a plan to expedite crop insurance assessments as soon as possible.

Team Alberta, which includes Alberta Barley, Alberta Canola Producers Commission, Alberta Pulse Growers Commission and Alberta Wheat Commission, wants the government and AFSC to allow farmers to dispose of last year’s crop as they see fit without affecting their insurance coverage, to minimize further issues ahead of spring seeding.

They say every day is one step closer to a wide spread disaster if farmers are not allowed to seed until they meet with one of the AFSC’s 130 crop inspectors. Team Alberta wants expedited insurance payouts to be provided for farmers in the most affected areas of the province.

“It’s unrealistic that farmers will be able to have any success in 2017 unless the government and AFSC allow for special provisions during this serious situation,” said Greg Sears, chair of Alberta Canola Producers Commission. “

There are currently one million unharvested acres in Alberta farm fields.