GET TO KNOW ASBG
About Us
For nearly a century, Alberta’s sugar beet farmers have worked the land, growing a crop that fuels communities and sweetens Canadian tables. Behind them stands Alberta Sugar Beet Growers (ASBG), a marketing board founded in 1925 to ensure these farm families have the support they need to thrive.
ASBG advocates for government and stakeholder policies that protect the future of sugar beets, invest in research to expand the industry, ensure fair pricing through contract negotiations with the processor, administer quota to growers, and educate stakeholders about the industry. But above all, we help Alberta's sugar beet farmers continue their legacy of resilience, innovation, and providing Canada's only homegrown sugar supply.
For the past century, Alberta's sugar beet farmers have worked the land, growing a crop that fuels communities and sweetens Canadian tables.
Behind them stands Alberta Sugar Beet Growers (ASBG), a marketing board founded in 1925 to ensure these farm families have the support they need to thrive.
ASBG advocates for government and stakeholder policies that protect the future of sugar beets, invest in research to expand the industry, ensure fair pricing through contract negotiations with the processor, administer quota to growers, and educate stakeholders about the industry. But above all, we help Alberta's sugar beet farmers continue their legacy of resilience, innovation, and providing Canada's only homegrown sugar supply.
Vision
To ensure a progressive, united, and sustainable sugar beet industry exists for future generations
Mission
ASBG administers regulation while providing leadership to advance the sugar beet industry through agreements, research, relationships, and advocacy on behalf of the Sugar Beet Growers in Alberta.
Priorities
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A contract that provides growth, profitability, and stability with processor is implemented
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Industry is profitable and expanding for the next generation
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ASBG is a professional, accountable, efficient organization
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Industry is sustainable, stable, and responsible
The ASBG Story
Long before Alberta officially became a province in 1905, sugar beets were already part of its story. The first recorded sugar beet harvest in Southern Alberta took place in 1902, where farmers were eager to explore sugar beets as a new crop, which was spurred on by the development of the the Knight Sugar Factory in Raymond, which was established the same year.
Unfortunately, however, early challenges made success difficult. Despite being chemically identical to cane sugar, beet sugar faced consumer prejudice. Most of Alberta’s beet sugar was shipped to Winnipeg, as local grocery stores remained hesitant to stock it. Meanwhile, wheat farming was thriving—and it required far less refinement and labor.
For many farmers, wheat was simply the easier and more profitable choice — and by 1914, the Knight Sugar Factory shut its doors, marking the end of Alberta’s first sugar beet venture. But the story wasn’t over yet.
A decade later, interest in sugar beets returned. Wheat prices had fallen after the war, but irrigation techniques had significantly improved, which created the perfect conditions for sugar beet farming. In 1924, an idle sugar beet factory from Idaho was dismantled and reassembled in Raymond, Alberta under the Utah-Idaho Sugar Company.
The first two years were anything but smooth. Harsh winters caused beets to freeze before they could be processed, leading to major losses. But despite the rocky start, demand for beet sugar grew rapidly. Unlike the industry’s first attempt, this time, Albertans embraced the locally produced sugar. In 1925, the Alberta Sugar Beet Growers’ Association was founded, formalizing cooperation between farmers and processors.
By 1930, the industry had expanded to include a second factory, doubling production capacity to 120,000 tons of beets. However, history repeated itself. Another unusually cold season led to significant crop losses, and just as the Great Depression took hold, the Utah-Idaho Sugar Company withdrew from Canada.
Uncertain times followed, but soon, Alberta's sugar beets found a new company to put their trust in them: the B.C. Sugar Refining Co. Ltd. Led by Ernest T. Rogers (known today as Rogers Sugar), they purchased the struggling operation, and although farmers feared the company would shut down Alberta’s sugar beet industry, the sale agreement required the refinery to remain open for a set number of years. Not only did the factory stay in business, but the company reinvested in the industry, ensuring its survival.
A third factory was built in Picture Butte in 1936, further strengthening Alberta’s sugar beet sector. Then, during World War II, the Canadian government incentivized maximum agricultural production. Alberta responded by growing more sugar beets than ever before—a record that still stands today.
In 1949, B.C. Sugar Refining Co. Ltd. expanded again, building a fourth factory in Taber. While the industry faced ups and downs—including a full shutdown in 1985 due to pricing disputes—sugar beets remained a constant in Alberta’s agricultural landscape.
Today, Taber’s refinery is Canada’s last remaining sugar beet factory, and the Alberta Sugar Beet Growers continue to represent the 200 farm families who supply it. Alberta is the country’s largest sugar beet producer, accounting for 80% of domestic production. While Canada may not grow as many beets as it did during World War II, Alberta’s sugar beet farmers remain committed to producing a high-quality, sustainable crop.
For over a century, Alberta’s sugar beet industry has adapted to changing markets, shifting policies, and unpredictable weather — and through it all, ASBG has focused on ensuring the future of Alberta's sugar beets are viable, sustainable, and ethical. To date, there are 200 farm families who grow Albertan sugar beets, all located in Southern Alberta. However, to continue ensuring this strong future, farmers need fair access to their own domestic market.
Right now, Canada imports over 90% of its sugar—mostly from cane sugar grown in tropical regions. Alberta’s farmers produce the only source of 100% Canadian sugar, yet they face significant trade barriers that make it difficult to compete. That’s why ASBG is leading the charge on a Domestic Sugar Policy, advocating for policies that support Canadian-grown sugar and reduce dependence on foreign imports. Support this change by signing our petition.
Alberta Sugar Beet Growers is focused on a strong, resilient, growing, sustainable, and ethically produced future of Canadian sugar.
Vision Statement:
To ensure a progressive, united, and sustainable sugar beet industry for future generations.
Mission Statement:
ASBG administers regulation while providing leadership to advance the sugar beet industry through agreements, research, relationships, and advocacy on behalf of the sugar beet growers in Alberta.
Priorities:
- A contract that provides growth, profitability, and stability with the processor is implemented;
- Industry is profitable and expanding for the next generation
- ASBG is a professional, accountable, and efficient organization
- Industry is sustainable, stable, and responsive
Staff & Board of Directors
The Alberta Sugar beet industry is governed by a group of registered producers. Those producers, along with a President of the Board, represent each growing region. Supporting them is the ASBG staff.
Jennifer Crowson
Executive Director
Siobhan Gardner
Membership & Communications Coordinator
Carmen Drader
Administrative Assistant
Gary Tokariuk
President
Darren Klemen
Vice President
Cory Vanden Elzen
Director | Tempest
Kevin Veenstra
Director | Taber
Jackie Hofsink
Director | Coaldale
Hank Bergen-Henengouwen
Director | Picture Butte
Gwen Young
Director | Burdett/Bow Island
Bryce Howg
Director | Enchant
Tim van der Hoek
Director at Large
THE BUSINESSES BACKING ASBG
Annual Partners
20245Platinum Annual Partner
2025 Platinum Annual Partner
2025 Gold Annual Partner
2025 Gold Annual Partner
2025 Gold Annual Partner
2025 Gold Annual Partner
2025 Gold Annual Partner
2025 Gold Annual Partner
2025 Gold Annual Partner
2025 Silver Annual Partner
2025 Silver Annual Partner
2025 Silver Annual Partner
2025 Silver Annual Partner
2025 Silver Annual Partner
2025 Silver Annual Partner
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