Released on March 15, 2006
The agriculture crisis was on the top of the agenda for the first day of Saskatchewan's spring legislative session.Agriculture and Food Minister Mark Wartman introduced a motion calling for an emergency debate on the farm income situation shortly after the Speaker's opening remarks.
"It is clear that Saskatchewan farm families need help," Wartman said. "Realized net farm income in 2006 is forecast to fall to minus $203.4 million, despite record levels of government program payments to producers. These kinds of losses exceed even the generous capacity of Saskatchewan taxpayers to help. We need to move this discussion to higher levels of government."
Wartman's motion, seconded by Deputy Premier Clay Serby, called for the federal government to make improvements to the Canadian Agricultural Income Stabilization program – including more equitable federal-provincial cost sharing and the addition of a new disaster component – as well as making a minimum $200 million cash payment to Saskatchewan producers.
"Premier Calvert wrote to Prime Minister Harper last week to emphasize the need to address the farm income crisis," Wartman said. "The fact that this situation continues to deteriorate proves that we need to rethink how we support the agriculture industry in Canada. While we have those discussions at the provincial and federal levels, our farmers need short-term relief."
Wartman said that ideas generated by the Farm Leaders Advisory Group (FLAG) will help to guide government activity within Saskatchewan, but there is still a need for a dialogue at the federal level to establish the best way to move ahead on issues like World Trade Organization negotiations, risk managment programming, grain transportation, renewable fuels and the Canadian Wheat Board.
Wartman said he will raise the issue at the upcoming meeting of Canada's Ministers of Agriculture March 19th and 20th.
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| Scott Brown Agriculture and Food Regina Phone: (306) 787-4031 |