WINNIPEG (Staff) – The New Democrat and Liberal parties announced their agriculture platforms last week in their bid to loosen the traditional tight grip of the Progressive Conservative party on rural ridings.
Gary Doer promised that the NDP government would use Manitoba-produced ethanol to run at least 10 percent of the government’s fleet of vehicles, providing a market for about 800,000 litres of the fuel.
The NDP leader also said that he would reallocate funds to provide an additional $2.5 million to agricultural research and development, $4 million to distance education and $20 million to a loan program for young farmers.
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Doer proposed a new program called “Stay Option 2000,” intended to encourage young people to stay in rural areas. His government would invest in value-added industries, provide natural gas to more rural areas and ensure that the government and provincial institutions buy local products.
Meanwhile, Liberal leader Paul Edwards said he would lead a team that would “link” producers with processors and encourage more value-added industry.
“That for us is going to mean investing and doing what we can to leverage as much money as possible to support value-added research, to support diversification efforts at the farm level and support infrastructure development.”
Edwards said he met with federal agriculture minister Ralph Goodale last week, and said he plans to pursue a “significant portion” of the $300 million adjustment fund for the end of the Crow subsidy.
Edwards promised an infrastructure bond program to leverage existing capital to establish short line railways, where feasible, to ensure farmers have access to main rail lines.
He also vowed to upgrade municipal roads and provincial highways.
Because livestock production is expected to flourish in a post-Crow Manitoba, Edwards said he would also dedicate $1 million to waste management research.
