Producers will ask candidates about issues such as crop insurance changes as the province prepares to go to the polls
REGINA — Farmers are busy trying to wrap up harvest and complete other fall work, but they may also be thinking about their vote in the expected Oct. 28 provincial election.
The Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan president had another task on his list — preparing for an election debate.
Ian Boxall will represent the general farm organization on an industry discussion panel during an Oct. 7 provincial debate to be broadcast on Access Communications and its YouTube channel, @AccessNowTV.
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The Regina Chamber of Commerce is hosting two debates each evening at 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.
The first will deal with the economy and future growth and the second is about infrastructure. The third topic is health care and the fourth is fiscal responsibility.
Regina Chamber board chair Kyle Addison will moderate the industry discussion panel and Lisa Peters, from Access, will be the debates moderator.
Boxall said crop insurance changes top the list of APAS requests. These include yield cushioning and the option for farmers to buy coverage higher than 80 per cent.
“The premium might be ridiculous, but why not give the option?” he said in an interview.
Boxall said premiums are already high for some.
“Mine are crazy because I took the intergenerational transfer years ago, and now that it’s gone individual, I still carry (his parents’) claim history,” he said.
“So I got the advantage of the discount at the time, but now that there’s no advantage, I still carry their claims history. When does it actually truly become individual?”
However, he said there might be some specialty crop producers or producers who grow crops with high inputs who would want more coverage than they can currently obtain.
Boxall said APAS representatives will raise rural infrastructure with candidates, particularly the cost to get natural gas and three-phase power to farmyards. In some cases, farmers who want natural gas can’t get it because the system is inadequate in their areas.
“There needs to be some advancements in that. There’s been a big push for us to get more efficient dryers, but if gas is $500,000 plus, guys aren’t going to put it in,” he said.
APAS wants a long-term plan for cellular and internet service. Boxall said despite government claims that it is spending more on rural broadband, the service doesn’t seem to be getting any better.
Boxall added he would like to see a discussion on consumer protection. Farmers are experiencing more issues with the availability of machinery parts.
He recommended updating the Agricultural Implements Act to make sure it meets today’s needs.
“Parts do not need to be provided for equipment 10 years and older, but as we start to see $1.5 million combines, maybe it’s time that’s actually updated,” he said.
Finally, Boxall said the livestock industry is a huge area of concern for the whole province. That sector requires a crop insurance type of program that is cost-shared, he said.
“Why do we (grain farmers) get it and they don’t?” he asked.
“Why are they treated so much differently? There needs to be something similar for programming or we won’t have any livestock left.”