CARBERRY, Man. – A long shadow trails out behind Don Dickson’s tractor
as he tows his sprayer across a field of wheat.
The sun is sinking and a gentle breeze can barely find the ambition to
take a slow meander across the field.
The warm, lazy summer day has buoyed Dickson’s spirits after a spring
of cold weather, persistent winds and little moisture.
Adding to his enthusiasm for farming is the improved outlook for
oilseed prices and the possibility that grain prices could turn better.
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The federal government’s announcement last week of a $5.2 billion farm
package gives him another reason for hope. But like other prairie
farmers, Dickson wonders how much of that will eventually reach
producers in his region.
“Anything is better than nothing,” he said.
While the funding won’t solve all the problems in farming, Dickson
regards it as a step in the right direction.
At the same time, he hopes the programs that deliver the funding to
farmers are straightforward and will get the money to producers quickly.
His mood darkens briefly when he thinks about the Agricultural Income
Disaster Assistance program, a farm aid program that came packaged with
so much red tape, he didn’t bother applying for it.
He also bristles at the Manitoba government’s reluctance last week to
chip in funding to match support from Ottawa.
“They’ve got as much at stake as the federal government, if not more.
Agriculture is the bread and butter of a lot of communities.”
In Alberta, Kenton Ziegler, a grains and oilseeds producer, was trying
to concentrate on the upside of last week’s announcement, although he
also harbours concerns.
The bridge funding, meant to address some of the most immediate
financial woes in the farming community, was welcome news for the
producer from Beiseker, northeast of Calgary.
“The other option is zero dollars. At least there’s something coming to
the industry.”
He is also grateful that the Alberta government already has said it
will share part of the cost for the funding with the federal
government. Other provinces in Western Canada were holding out last
week.
Ziegler is keen to know how the program delivering the money to farmers
will be designed. At this point, he’s not counting on something that’s
practical.
“The people designing these programs are the same people who designed
the GST and gun control.”
Last week’s announcement also included the federal government’s
commitment to the Agricultural Policy Framework, or APF, which will put
an emphasis on things like food safety, the environment, and science
and innovation.
Ziegler is reserving judgment on the APF until more of the details are
worked out. In the meantime, some of his greatest frustration arises
from events outside Canada, namely the hefty subsidies paid to
producers in the United States and Europe.
“Personally, I’m getting tired of being the target of economic
terrorism.”
In Saskatchewan, last week’s announcement was met with cynicism by
Norbert Gossner, a grains and oilseeds producer near Muenster.
His children have left home to pursue other careers. With roughly $1
million invested in farming, he said he has been barely able to scratch
out a living during the past four years.
“By the time the farmers get something from the government, it will be
next Christmas or later,” he said.
Like Dickson and Ziegler, Gossner wonders how much of the money will
make it to prairie farmers. He figures a good chunk will be spent on
administering the programs.
