Saskatchewan producers who participate in the calf set-aside program to promote orderly marketing will have the option of two release dates.
The provincial government said it and the federal government have agreed to allow producers the choice of how long they could keep cattle off the market.
“Saskatchewan cattle producers will have the choice of holding beef calves back from release until Oct. 1, 2005 with payments of $160 per calf, or Jan. 1, 2006 with payments of $200 per calf,” said provincial agriculture minister Mark Wartman.
The federal government will provide $96 per head to producers who opt for the earlier date. Saskatchewan will cost share on a 60-40 basis, bringing the total payment to $160.
Read Also
Pakistan reopens its doors to Canadian canola
Pakistan reopens its doors to Canadian canola after a three-year hiatus.
British Columbia has also announced that its producers could choose the earlier date with participants there receiving $176 per head.
Several Saskatchewan farm organizations had called for flexibility in the dates. Alberta had announced it would use the October date, while Ottawa set the January date.
“That gap will put our producers at a huge disadvantage as feedlots would likely discount a Saskatchewan calf because of the added cost of maintaining it three months past an Alberta calf,” said Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities president Neal Hardy before the option was announced.
The organizations also took issue with Saskatchewan’s payment schedule. Producers receiving the full $200 will get $120 per head upon enrolment and two payments of $40 on March 31, 2005 and Oct. 1, 2005.
“We would like to see the money all paid up front,” said Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association president Brian Ross.
All payments go to the original program applicant. If the Canada-U.S. border opens to live cattle, the program ends and no further payments will be made.
Producers must enrol 30 percent of their calves to participate. If they slaughter enrolled animals before the release date, they will have to repay the money. The province expects about 400,000 calves will be set aside by both cow-calf producers and backgrounders, and has allocated $31 million to help do that.
Terry Hildebrandt, president of the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan, said producers still need a cull animal program.
