The federal government has recognized the unique nature of farm publications in its recent announcement of funding levels for Canadian magazines and non-daily newspapers, according to the farm press association.
The Canadian department of heritage on Jan. 20 announced funding available for 2010-11 in the Canada Periodical Fund (CPF.) Amounts are capped at $1.5 million annually for any single title, with the exception of agricultural publications including The Western Producer.
“Of course we are pleased with the announcement, but the real crux of the matter is government acknowledgement that subscribers to farm publications want and need the specialized information that we can provide,” said Western Producer publisher Ken Zacharias, who is also chair of the Canadian Farm Press Association.
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Funding through the CPF is used to reduce mailing costs to a far-flung readership in rural areas across Canada.
“Unlike other publications, the farm press has no alternative to Canada Post when it comes to delivery to our readership,” said Zacharias.
As mailing costs rise, publishers are hard-pressed to keep delivery rates down while providing the same content. Publication funding also helps farm publishers with the expense of collecting the specialized information that farmers and ranchers require, Zacharias said.
The CPF was created out of two previous programs, the Publications Assistance Program and the Canada Magazine Fund.
The 2009 federal budget committed $30 million over the next two years, which will maintain funding of about $75.5 million annually.
Its new rules will mean substantial cuts to funding received by major titles such as Chatelaine and Maclean’s. As well, publications must now have an annual paid circulation of at least 5,000 to qualify for CPF funding.
Government media relations adviser Len Westerberg, in an interview with Masthead Magazine, explained the farm press exception: “Farm publications serve largely rural communities and provide information crucial for both the operations of farms, and for farming communities and families. They are the key source of information for these communities.”
Zacharias agreed.
“The mainstream media has largely abandoned the rural and farm community. It is up to the farm press, which represents 15 different publications, to meet the information needs of rural Canada.”
In 2008-09, The Western Producer received $1.78 million through the CPF’s predecessor program. Zacharias said the newspaper is working to minimize mailing costs by doing more pre-sorting at its printing plant to ease efforts required by Canada Post.
