Manitoba farmer and Canadian Federation of Agriculture president Bob Friesen liked what he heard in the Dec. 10 federal budget, as far as it went.
“I think the words we heard were very encouraging, a positive approach to agriculture and a view that spending is an investment and not a cost,” Friesen said in an interview.
Finance minister Paul Martin praised agriculture’s innovation and said the government will pay for its share of long-term funding.
However, he offered no specific funding commitments and did not acknowledge a need for short-term funding to compensate farmers for low prices and drought effects.
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Despite his praise, Friesen had two notes of caution.
Fine and supportive words in a budget do not necessarily translate into government spending, he said. “We will be watching and working with the government to make sure that the commitment is really there. We have not seen the colour of their money.”
And there was no recognition of the need for short-term funding to help farmers overcome the effects of the 2001 drought that affected most of the country, he said.
“We will be working with the government to make sure they understand the need to help farmers get to the point where they can benefit from the long-term plan.”
The political reaction was more scathing.
Canadian Alliance agriculture critic Howard Hilstrom acknowledged the mention of long-term support for the sector.
However, he said the government missed a chance to give farmers real hope by announcing specific funding commitments.
“Sadly, the budget gives no details on how the government intends to move farmers beyond crisis management.”
He said farmers needed a promise from the Liberals of short-term funding to compensate for low commodity prices and the aftermath of the drought.
And livestock producers should have been offered a tax break on revenue from sale of feeder calves because of a drought-induced feed shortage.
“There is no question that producers need adequate emergency assistance for short-term survival,” said Hilstrom. “Yet the Liberals offered no hope that any new help is forthcoming. Farm families deserve better.”
