Recent budget cuts announced for PFRA pastures won’t affect patrons this year, director general Carl Neggers said.
In fact, it’s unclear how the announcement that the pastures would operate on a cost-recovery basis within three years will proceed.
Neggers said discussions will begin this fall on how to reduce the amount Ottawa pays into the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration pasture program, “if at all.”
Patrons pay 75 percent of the operating cost and Ottawa pays the remainder. That $5 million contribution recognizes the public benefit of having community pastures, Neggers said.
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Over the next 18 months that amount will be re-evaluated, and it could take up to five years to complete the review, he said.
“We want to make sure that we are contributing appropriately,” he said March 18. “What is a fair distribution? What should the private sector pay? I frankly don’t know what that fair distribution is.”
The announced cut is part of an overall federal expenditure review that targeted $45 million in the agriculture department.
PFRA’s pasture program was identified as a $5 million opportunity, but the money doesn’t necessarily have to come from that source, Neggers said.
He said PFRA will consult with patrons and other agencies with an interest in the pastures. For example, the pastures are home to species at risk, which concern conservation organizations, and First Nations people have access for hunting and trapping.
Any changes would affect Saskatchewan producers the most. The province is home to 62 pastures. Manitoba has 24 and Alberta has one.
About 4,000 producers use the pastures each year to graze about 220,000 head. They also use about 3,000 PFRA bulls in the pasture breeding program.
Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association president Brian Ross said he hadn’t heard from any producers concerned about cost changes. But he said cost recovery is a good idea if trading partners view government contributions to the pasture program as a subsidy.
“Under normal conditions I don’t think that producers would be totally against cost recovery,” Ross said.
Meanwhile, Neggers said lease fees will stay the same for this year.
“We’re still concerned about the impact of BSE,” he said.
