Grain Growers of Canada wants governments to patch up what it considers holes in farm safety net programs.
Grain Growers president Brian Kriz said this year’s drought across most of the country has made the issue even more pressing as grain and oilseed producers face huge losses because of a poor harvest.
“And they risk falling through the hole in safety net programs if it isn’t patched up soon.”
Grain Growers also wants crop insurance programs reviewed and the federal government to get more aggressive about foreign subsidies.
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Kriz said fewer farmers are using crop insurance because of flaws in those programs. Producers are finding that they don’t get adequate coverage, even when they take out the highest coverage available, he said.
Grain Growers said the United States has been ratcheting up subsidies to its grain and oilseed growers since 1998.
The American government recently agreed to send an additional $5.5 billion US to farmers, including $5 billion to grain, oilseeds and cotton farmers facing low prices and drought.
“Until the U.S. government leaves market forces to work, Canada must increase support to level the playing field and strengthen its safety net programs for grain and oilseed producers,” Grain Growers vice-president Ken Bee said in a statement.
Grain Growers members include the Alberta Barley Commission, the Alberta Winter Wheat Producers Commission, the Western Barley Growers Association and the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association.
The extent of this year’s drought damage is becoming more apparent as harvest advances.
Statistics Canada has predicted that total wheat production will plummet to its lowest level since the last major drought in 1988.
The Canadian Federation of Agriculture has vowed that farm lobbyists will step up the pressure on governments once the extent of the drought damage is known.
“The sheer magnitude of the need out there this year is going to be awful, mind boggling,” said CFA president Bob Friesen.
Although he believes the Net Income Stabilization Account program is working for producers, Friesen wants other farm safety nets put under the microscope.
Ron and Delores Tittle are among the prairie farmers hit hard by drought this year. They grow grain and raise cattle near Consul in southwestern Saskatchewan.
Dugouts have dried up, pastures are parched and crops are poor.
“Lots of cattle will be hitting the market as soon as the community pastures start sending them home,” Delores said.
The Tittle farm has had 76 millimetres of rain since early spring.
Their wheat crop yielded eight to 10 bushels an acre. Their chickpea crop, stunted by heat and lack of moisture, will be difficult to combine.
“All we can do as farmers and ranchers is keep hoping things will get better,” Delores said.
“If they gave us fair market price for our product, I think people would be happier. Whether we will ever see that, I doubt it, I really, really do.”
