The Honourable RJ Sigurdson was first elected as the MLA for Highwood in 2019 and was re-elected this past May. He grew up working on his family farm north of Cochrane, started his working career in Oil and Gas working on a Conventional drilling rig, later becoming an experienced red seal sheet metal worker and a senior project manager & shareholder for Avalanche Air Systems. Following his re-election, Mr. Sigurdson was sworn in as Alberta’s Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation after previously serving as the Parliamentary Secretary for EMS Reform.
To thrive, the vertical farming sector must address broader market needs by expanding beyond microgreens and leafy greens to include a wider variety of produce. This diversification, along with managing unit costs, ensuring power reliability and affordability and developing a skilled workforce, are crucial for meeting retailer and consumer demands.