Farmers and ranchers looking for specific promises from the two main Saskatchewan political parties will have to dig deep into their election platforms.
The Saskatchewan Party and the New Democrats released their full platforms last week in advance of the Nov. 7 vote. Neither highlighted agriculture as a main priority.
Saskatchewan Party leader Brad Wall said Oct. 24 farmers have been well-served by his government over the past four years, beginning with loans offered to beleaguered cattle producers just after he took office in 2007.
“The best indicator of future behaviour is past behaviour,” he said.
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The Saskatchewan Party platform lists expanded agricultural extension offices, the Farm and Ranch Water Infrastructure program and taking over administration of AgriStability as evidence of the government’s commitment to farmers.
Improvements made to crop insurance after a review in 2008 were long overdue, Wall said, and the unseeded acreage benefit was boosted from $50 to $70 per eligible acre this year to help those who were flooded.
Wall said he has a good relationship with prime minister Stephen Harper and has obtained support for producers when needed.
“People can expect more of that from us should we be fortunate enough to form the government,” he said of his track record.
The Saskatchewan Party platform said it will continue to improve crop insurance programs and “other services” for farmers and ranchers.
The document also contains an allocation of $1 million to establish an institute for global food security at the University of Saskatchewan.
The NDP is promising to improve crop insurance by spending $50 million per year to reintroduce spot loss hail coverage.
Leader Dwain Lingenfelter has talked about the change since taking over the leadership in 2009. Spot loss hail was eliminated in 2002 by the then-NDP government.
“It’s one of the issues that I still hear farmers talk about,” he said last week.
“Upon election, we’ll start the rigorous debate with Ottawa about how the spot loss hail will be implemented.”
The NDP platform document also promises to extend crop insurance coverage to market gardeners and to offer more relief for wildlife damage. The current crop insurance program already offers 100 percent compensation for wildlife damage.
The party reiterated its support for the Canadian Wheat Board.
The platforms for the Green and Liberal parties don’t make any agricultural promises.
The Progressive Conservatives oppose allowing pension funds to invest in Saskatchewan farmland and “would ensure that the growth of farmland limited partnerships do not become a threat to the viability of our family farm base or the economic health of our rural communities.”
Nominations closed Oct. 22 with 191 candidates in the 58 constituencies.
The Saskatchewan Party, NDP and Green party are running full slates. The Liberals are running nine candidates, the Progressive Conservatives are running five and the Western Independence Party two. A Regina man is running as an independent in Regina Qu’Appelle Valley.
The number of candidates is down from 239 in 2007, mainly because the Liberals fielded candidates in all constituencies in that election.
Leader Ryan Bater said the decision was made to focus attention on his seat in The Battlefords.
