The grain and oilseed industry needs a major restructuring, says a Saskatchewan organization that has launched a review designed to come up with short-term and long-term solutions to the industry’s problems.
Everything is on the table, says Al Scholz, executive director of Saskatchewan Agrivision Corp., adding the Band-Aid, temporary solutions of the past clearly haven’t worked.
“We’re saying the system is broke and it has to be fundamentally changed,” he said. “We’re going to move very quickly to put something on the table.”
A series of consultations over the next few months with agriculture industry leaders and stakeholders will result in a detailed proposal by December.
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That plan will then be taken on the road and presented to rural and urban audiences for feedback and discussion.
Finally, the proposals will be taken to governments and regulatory agencies for appropriate action.
Scholz emphasized the goal is to come up with new, imaginative and innovative ideas and solutions rather than trying to reach a consensus on what needs to be done.
“Historically the agriculture and farm community has been polarized and we haven’t had a lot of success in coming up with a common approach for the future,” he said.
Attempts at consensus building generally result in a “lowest common denominator” solution designed to offend no one, he added, which generally means the status quo.
“We clearly understand that what we’re proposing will likely disrupt and offend some people,” he said.
Solutions could take time
A paper released last week outlining the project’s goals noted that the income problems now plaguing prairie grain and oilseed producers did not develop overnight and cautioned that solutions could also take time to implement.
At the same time, it said there is urgent need to identify problems and devise solutions.
“Any short-term actions must be on a path to a solution rather than following the previous practice of knee-jerk annual payments,” said the paper.
Scholz said the group guiding the project, which includes three agricultural economists from the University of Saskatchewan and three SAC representatives, has no preconceived notions about what should be done.
“We’re completely neutral as to which way we go,” he said.
Nevertheless the paper identified several areas in need of short-term attention. They include:
- Developing a biofuel industry to reduce dependence on exports of raw products.
- Establishing a “Saskatchewan Beef” brand with a common quality standard, which should mean higher prices for producers.
- Updating the myriad of regulations that affect the industry, including the Canadian Grain Commission’s mandate to protect producers’ traditional commodity-based interests.
- Developing strategies for rural economic development, including finding ways to increase the availability of funding for rural-based value-added ventures.
- Improved policies in the areas of water management, irrigation and pipelines, and road and rail transportation.
