An announcement that Ottawa will spend more money on water supply
projects is welcome news in the dust bowl that much of Alberta and
Saskatchewan have become.
“I think it’s an excellent idea,” said Terry Lee Degenhardt of
Hughenden, south of Wainwright.
“You could always say it’s never enough, but I’m pleased to see they
did see the need.”
In the mixed farming area near her farm, insurance adjusters are
writing off crops daily. It’s been more than a month since the region
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had precipitation of any kind, Degenhardt said, and that after just 25
millimetres of spring snowmelt.
While some farm leaders were looking for immediate drought assistance
in the July 12 announcement, she said it is important to plan for the
next one. Most farmers would likely consider using the money to dig
wells and dugouts to water livestock.
Public works minister Ralph Goodale announced in Regina the government
will spend $60 million over four years – $10 million this year – to
help producers in drought-affected areas of the Prairies secure
long-term water supplies.
The money comes from the $589.5 million transition fund announced June
20.
The Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration will administer the
program.
“There are approximately 2,000 applications that we were unable to fund
because of lack of money in the current program,” said Bernie Ward,
director of PFRA’s analytical and communications division. “This $10
million will go into the current program and allow us to fund that
backlog … and will be available immediately.”
There is $5.5 million in the current program. Saskatchewan and Alberta
each receive $2.2 million from it, while Manitoba gets $1.1 million.
Evans Thordarson, vice-president of the Agricultural Producers
Association of Saskatchewan, said the announcement did not go far
enough because it did not offer specific relief to livestock producers.
“It would be a mistake to call it an announcement with regard to
drought,” he told reporters.
He said Saskatchewan producers alone need $100-$150 million to buy feed
to preserve breeding herds, and the situation is worse in Alberta.
Goodale said there are differing views of how to allocate the drought
relief.
“We’ll try to work through that with farmers as rapidly as we can,” he
said. “We do not intend to have a cumbersome time-consuming
administration system.”
Goodale also announced a five-year $100 million Greencover program to
encourage farmers to convert four million acres of marginal cropland to
perennial cover.
Another $10 million will be spent to expand the farm shelterbelt
program by six to 10 million trees.
And, Ottawa will spend $20 million over five years on the computerized
National Land and Water Information Service, to help manage those
resources and contribute to environmentally friendly farming practices.
Thordarson said Saskatchewan should get at least half if not more of
the Greencover money, given the amount of marginal cropland it has.
Degenhardt said much of the poorer land in her area has already been
converted, but she sees merit in the initiative.
Saskatchewan agriculture minister Clay Serby said he was grateful
Ottawa recognized the rural water program needed additional money, but
he said last week’s announcement was not likely what people were hoping
to hear.
“They were looking for how much of the $600 million is coming here and
how quickly are we going to get it,” he said, referring to the
short-term income aid Ottawa has offered for each of the next two years.
