Indian farming needs changes

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Published: January 31, 2002

Saskatchewan Indians want to become a force in farming and that means a

180-degree shift in philosophy.

“Quite frankly, the current approach to agriculture is not succeeding,”

said Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations vice-chief Guy Lonechild.

FSIN established a task force on agriculture a little more than a year

ago, which devised a plan calling for a “paradigm shift” in the way

First Nations people approach farming. FSIN hopes it will be a catalyst

for better times ahead.

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“We are counting on agriculture to create wealth and opportunities for

our people,” said Lonechild, who unveiled the plan at FSIN’s

agriculture symposium last week.

Saskatchewan Indian bands have been using treaty land entitlement money

to buy land over the past decade. They now own three percent of the 50

million acres of agricultural land in the province and analysts expect

more purchases soon.

But they aren’t farming that land themselves. Eighty percent of the 1.6

million acres owned by Indians is leased to non-native farmers. That is

an imbalance the task force intends to address.

While many non-Indian farmers are exploring exit strategies, FSIN sees

a world of opportunities in agriculture. Lonechild said it generates

more than $5.8 billion in earnings per year in Saskatchewan and net

income of $500 million for the province’s farmers.

Indian farmers earn less than half of one percent of total farm

receipts, a situation FSIN wants to change.

Lonechild estimates that a Saskatchewan Indian agriculture industry

“consisting of primary and secondary tertiary businesses” could

generate $100 million in annual economic activity.

Some of the long-term goals of the program include:

n* Expanding the wild rice industry, including primary production,

processing and marketing.

n* Promoting and developing the organic and natural food sector.

n* Promoting and developing the buffalo industry.

n* Encouraging investment in processing, manufacturing and intensive

livestock operations.

n* Establishing appropriate income support programs for Saskatchewan

Indian farmers and ranchers.

n* Creating comprehensive agricultural training for youth and adults.

A 13-person board of directors comprised primarily of farmers will

govern the program, which will also include representatives from

industry, government, the University of Saskatchewan and FSIN.

One idea is to create a non-profit corporation that will be owned by

Indian bands and individuals through a share purchase program.

Lonechild said the lack of access to financing and support programs is

one of the biggest “systemic problems” to overcome before a viable

industry can exist.

Traditional lending institutions have trouble granting credit to Indian

farmers because federal legislation views treaty land as collectively

owned. Indians also have difficulty accessing income support programs

because they don’t pay federal income tax.

About the author

Sean Pratt

Sean Pratt

Reporter/Analyst

Sean Pratt has been working at The Western Producer since 1993 after graduating from the University of Regina’s School of Journalism. Sean also has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Saskatchewan and worked in a bank for a few years before switching careers. Sean primarily writes markets and policy stories about the grain industry and has attended more than 100 conferences over the past three decades. He has received awards from the Canadian Farm Writers Federation, North American Agricultural Journalists and the American Agricultural Editors Association.

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