No Manitoba farm leaders seem to like what they’ve seen of the federal agricultural policy framework.
But none seem to blame Manitoba agriculture minister Rosann Wowchuk for signing it Sept. 19.
“Ms. Wowchuk didn’t have much choice,” said Ste. Anne sheep producer Randy Eros, who travelled to Winnipeg for the official signing of the APF implementation agreement.
“To hold out any longer would just have kept much-needed money out of the hands of livestock producers.”
Weldon Newton, president of Keystone Agricultural Producers, agreed.
Read Also
Canada-U.S. trade relationship called complex
Trade issues existed long before U.S. president Donald Trump and his on-again, off-again tariffs came along, said panelists at a policy summit last month.
“She didn’t have any choice but to sign,” said Newton.
Even Progressive Conservative agriculture critic Jack Penner didn’t attack her decision to sign onto a program that many farmers think won’t work.
“I’m not going to be the judge of that,” said Penner right after the signing.
Wowchuk said she was willing to sign because some of her concerns had been allayed and it was the only way to get quick relief money for cattle producers.
“By signing we have given the signal that we want this program to work and we want money to flow to producers,” said Wowchuk.
“There is hurt out there and we have found a way to flow more money earlier than it would have flowed under this program.”
Federal agriculture minister Lyle Vanclief, who flew to Winnipeg for the signing, agreed to a yearly review of the business risk management portion of the APF – something Wowchuk and others demanded.
He told producers to watch the program and give it a chance before dismissing it. Outside experts have said the program may have to be modified once it is running, but it is an improvement on past support programs.
“I have a problem with anybody who says let’s not do something better than we did in the past,” said Vanclief.
“Let’s use the program. Let’s move on.”
Vanclief said the signing will allow money to flow to farmers hurt by the bovine spongiform encephalopathy crisis. Producers will receive aid applications in the “next few weeks.”
Manitoba’s signing leaves Saskatchewan isolated on the Prairies. Ontario has not signed either.
“I just hope all the provinces that haven’t signed sign as soon as they possibly can,” said Vanclief.
Newton was happy that Manitoba producers will soon be able to apply for relief money, but said the federal government has acted like a “schoolyard bully” in using the BSE crisis to force the province to sign.
Said Eros: “This is very reluctant acceptance. It had to happen. But I resent the politics of it.”
