The new year had barely started Jan. 2 when members of a dozen different prairie farm groups joined forces to chart a course for the future.
Representatives of nearly all the newly formed farmer protest groups gathered in Weyburn, Sask., to discuss the direction of their lobby.
“We heard fairly clearly that (we are) on the right track. We wanted to get some direction and now we have it,” said Ray Bashutsky, a Wynyard, Sask., farmer who recently took over as president of the Sask Rally Group.
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Representatives and members from groups as diverse as the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations, the Pro-West Farm Rally Group, South East Concerned Agricultural Producers, the Bengough Rally Group, Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association and the National Farm Organization (North Dakota) attended the meeting to discuss the farming crisis and focus of the lobby.
The Sask Rally Group is asking the provincial government to provide $434 million. It said the province can withdraw $114 million from its contribution to the Agricultural Income Disaster Assistance fund. The remaining $300 million could come from liquor and gaming revenue.
Matching amount
Milestone, Sask., farmer Bob Thomas, vice-president of the group, said the money would constitute emergency funding only and the group is asking the federal government to match this amount. The group said this does not breach any world trade rules.
Lloyd Pletz of Balcarres, Sask., said much of what he and other farmers are demanding may be moot as he, and many farmers he knows, are leaving the industry.
“We need not only the emergency funding but also another $1 billion to meet foreign subsidies,” Pletz said. “That is the money the province’s official farm coalition is asking for. The (Sask Rally Group) board was given that direction by its members and that is the request that should be taken to Regina and Ottawa.”
Bashutsky said the other lobbies see value agreeing on common goals.
“Roland Crow of the FSIN has pledged the support of more than 100,000 people in the province. Native bands farm more than a million acres in Saskatchewan and they are very concerned about the health of the farm economy. They live in rural communities just like we do and need the survival of family farms too,” said Bashutsky.
Sask Rally Group spokespeople said the province has until Jan. 15 to commit money or the group will begin to plan more rallies.
“I would like to think the province will come through. Then the feds will have until the 30th of the month, otherwise we will begin planning to rally against them,” Bashutsky said.
