A farm rally, which prompted radio announcers to warn of looming traffic tie-ups caused by protesting grain farmers driving slow grain trucks through Regina’s streets, turned into a scant gathering of about 40 farmers with two grain trucks parked outside of the Canadian Wheat Board minister’s office.
But rally organizer Bob Thomas of Milestone, Sask., sounded upbeat after a meeting March 29 with wheat board minister Ralph Goodale on the Agricultural Income Disaster Assistance program.
The two-year $1.5-billion program has been condemned as inadequate since it was announced in late February.
The Saskatchewan government estimates one in three farmers in the province will qualify for the disaster aid.
Thomas said once Goodale sees the number of signatures on petitions calling for an $80 per acre payment, “I think it’s a strong consideration that it will be basically canceled.”
