Saskatchewan’s agriculture minister hopes to reach agreement with Ottawa on the agricultural policy framework by the end of the month.
And he’s prepared to work through the holidays to do that.
“We have 27 more days and you should know elections and holidays and vacations haven’t interrupted the work of agricultural ministers,” Clay Serby told reporters Dec. 4. “Christmas won’t be a stall for us to work through the piece.”
Serby met in late November with his Ontario counterpart Steve Peters to discuss the concerns the two holdout provinces have with the business risk management portion of the APF.
Read Also
Powdery mildew can be combine fire risk
Dust from powdery mildew can cause fires in combines.
All other provinces have signed implementation agreements, but either Saskatchewan or Ontario also has to sign in order for the APF to proceed. It was supposed to be launched on April 1.
Serby said he is encouraged by some movement in Ottawa’s position, including a willingness to look at negative margins and a letter of credit for farmers rather than a cash deposit.
He also wants a mechanism built into the program to guarantee there is $1.1 billion available each year. The federal government could pull money ahead during the five-year agreement, which Serby said would reduce the amount available later on.
“(Federal agriculture minister Lyle) Vanclief has continued to say that we shouldn’t be concerned about the level of money, that $1.1 billion is enough,” Serby said. “I say to him … write it into the agreement so then we won’t have to prorate in Year 5 if we have a disaster.”
He told delegates to the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan annual meeting that farmers must have that floor funding.
“There hasn’t been a year in the last four years that Canadian producers have lived within the $1.1 billion,” he said, noting that bovine spongiform encephalopathy assistance pushed the figure to $2.2 billion this year.
Serby said refusing to sign on while working for changes to the program has been a good strategy.
“We think either one of us … will be in a position within a short time here to make a statement about what it is that we’re prepared to agree to in signing the agreement.”
