It’s too early to know how a First Nations corporate farm will affect the landscape of rural Saskatchewan, but most agree any investment in agriculture is positive.
Greg Marshall, president of the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan, said the farm population is shrinking and aging, with the average age of farmers in the 50s.
He is encouraged by bands getting into farming with their young populations on the rise.
“It’s great to see a new group involved,” Marshall said.
“It’s a positive for agriculture, for farmers, when you see people wanting to invest. It’s a viable opportunity for investment.”
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Sprott Resources will lease land from the 18 First Nations involved in One Earth Farms, representing more than one million acres of land in Saskatchewan and Alberta. It plans to start farming about 50,000 acres this year.
On the consumer side, Marshall believes many view corporate farming as a negative and equate family farms with a safe supply of food.
APAS is also monitoring the leases that non-Native farmers currently hold on First Nations reserves.
As most are long term, Marshall said it’s unlikely that land will be available for the new venture for some time.
“We assume it’s business as usual.”
He said the new corporate farm reflects part of a trend toward larger farms on and off reserves, but the impact of such a large farm on the Prairies is unknown.
“If spread throughout the province, it may not change the landscape of farming at all,” he said.
One Earth Farms president Larry Ruud said there are no acreage figures in mind for the new venture.
He also didn’t know how many leases on cropland and pastures would eventually roll into the new venture, saying those decisions rest with the bands.
“We are under no disillusion that we will farm all of their land,” he said.
He hopes the new farm will be able to take advantage of bulk buying and economies of scale.
“Every farmer looks for discounts and premiums; that’s just good business,” he said.
Rose Olfert, professor at the University of Saskatchewan’s college of agriculture and bioresources, thinks managing the farm from far away would be bad for the local community.
On the positive side, the need for farm labour could increase employment opportunities in rural regions.
“If there are more people being employed as a result of this change, then it’s positive because there are more people to support hockey teams and local grocery stores,” she said.
She doubted municipal taxes would change, noting any pre-existing exemptions on reserve land would remain.
The new farm corporation could give the bands more control and management over their farming operations.
“The other model where they’re not involved doesn’t seem like a good model to me,” Olfert said.
Employing local people in agriculture is positive, while investing in infrastructure could lead to more opportunities in the future.
“New capital – we shouldn’t pooh-pooh that,” she said.
Michael Gertler of the U of S Centre for the Study of Co-operatives said One Earth Farms represents uncharted territory.
“There’s not one like it before; it’s an experiment.”
He said corporations tend to streamline, standardize and concentrate.
“What if they’re not as smart as they think they are? They can make some pretty big mistakes.”
Gertler also questioned how labour would be retained through the off season and whether workers would have the same vested interest in their land and equipment as found on family run farms.
“I doubt the vision is an agro ecological vision, but more commercial industrial,” he said.
