Once farmers understand the changes to Saskatchewan’s agricultural extension services, they’ll like them, says the province’s deputy minister of agriculture.
“It’s a communications issue,” Doug Matthies told reporters during a public meeting called by farmers opposed to the changes announced in the March 31 budget.
“We need to do more to get information out to farmers and to the agribusiness community in terms of what we are continuing to do in the future.”
Many farmers, farm groups and business development organizations have criticized the government’s decision to close 22 of 31 rural service centres and lay off 119 extension employees.
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But Matthies said the new system will provide farmers, businesses and communities with almost all of the services they’ve received in the past. In some instances, he said, the service will be improved, with specialists more readily available to provide assistance over the phone.
Matthies said that as he sat through the meeting listening to people talk about the services that have been provided by the extension agrologists, his reaction was “yes, we’re still doing that, yes, we’re still doing that.”
The new system will provide service in three ways: a call centre located in Moose Jaw will handle phone inquiries; nine regional centres will employ specialists in crops, livestock, forages and agribusiness development and “core specialists” will work throughout the department in areas ranging from processing and water to soils and food safety.
One area that the government is backing way from is the provision of “in-field” advice on crop or livestock production problems.
Matthies said that decision was based on two factors: the department had to trim spending in order to fund agribusiness development and the new farm safety net and there are many other sources of practical production information, including agrologists employed by agribusinesses and private consultants.
While public attention has been directed toward the layoff of 119 agriculture department employees, Matthies said other numbers tell a different story.
The department has 175 agrologists on staff. The budget cuts will result in the loss of 32 positions, but also creates 17 new ones, for a net loss of 15, or less than nine percent.
“Yes the numbers are down, but we still have a large staff to provide the services talked about here today,” he told the Saskatoon meeting.
“It’s a different mind set, different than we’re used to, but I don’t think it means we’re not going to get service or that the costs will be onerous.”
Judging by a question period following Matthies’ remarks, his arguments didn’t convince many of the farmers, agribusiness officials and community representatives in attendance.
Noreen Johns, a producer from Zelma, Sask., told Matthies she hoped he had a clear understanding of how important extension agrologists are and that the government will be willing to modify the changes announced in the budget.
“Getting rid of the ag extension program is not promoting growth in Saskatchewan,” she said to a round of applause.
