REGINA – It’s too little, too late.
A new big game crop damage compensation fund announced by the province last week won’t be enough to cover future losses, says Spiritwood, Sask. farmer Don Voss. And it certainly won’t compensate him for the estimated $50,000 he lost when deer damaged crop left out last winter.
The government announced the compensation program was being established by charging hunters an extra $11 for a licence as of Sept. 1. There are about 75,000 big game and upland and migratory bird licences purchased in Saskatchewan each year, which would put about $825,000 into the program.
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federal government proposed several months ago to increase the compensation rate from 80 to 90 per cent and double the maximum payment from $3 million to $6 million
“It’s far too little and the fund would have to run for many years without any payouts” to be able to compensate farmers for a winter like 1995-96, Voss said.
Damage estimates for last winter are between $5 and $10 million, he added.
“You’re looking at 10 percent of that,” Voss said of the new program. “It’s simply inadequate.”
He also said it’s not fair to hunters. White-tail deer hunters, for example, will now pay $33 for a licence, plus $11 for a Wildlife Habitat Certificate and the new $11 fee. The compensation program fee is charged only once, no matter how many licences a hunter buys, and it will not be charged to hunters aged 12 to 15 who buy youth licences.
Enough is enough
“It’s too much to expect hunters to keep forking out money,” he said, adding that hunting will become an activity only the rich can afford.
Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation executive director Ed Begin said he was shocked at the government’s move.
Begin said the federation was expecting a more broadly based resource user certificate that would be paid by fishermen, trappers, guides, outfitters and all others who benefit from wildlife.
But Dennis Sherratt, director of wildlife for the province’s environment department, said that would have been difficult to administer because people don’t have to buy a licence to go birdwatching.
He also said members attending the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation annual convention voted 70 percent in favor of the program.
Sherratt said he knows some people are angry about the fee and think all residents should pay for crop damage compensation. But, he said, “People very clearly have said we don’t want any more taxes.”
Hal Cushon, director of policy and program development for the agriculture department, said details of the program will be announced before Sept. 1.
He said it will likely be similar to the waterfowl program which provides coverage for 70 percent of the damage and requires the farmer to pay a $500 deductible.
Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation is expected to deliver the program.
