With less than a week to go before the Saskatchewan election, the president of the province’s largest farm lobby group is sounding less than enthusiastic about the agriculture platforms of the political parties.
Terry Hildebrandt, head of the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan, said the needs of agriculture have been grossly neglected by the top three parties during the 2003 campaign.
“We’re of the belief that agriculture drives over 50 percent of all the economic activity in this province. We don’t see near enough commitment from any of the three parties to the sector,” Hildebrandt said.
Read Also
Agriculture ministers agree to AgriStability changes
federal government proposed several months ago to increase the compensation rate from 80 to 90 per cent and double the maximum payment from $3 million to $6 million
He said the NDP’s disregard of agriculture is nothing new.
“This government has continued – and we see from the last two budgets – to pull funding from the budget to agriculture.
“And we certainly don’t see anything here concrete in the NDP platform that would lead us to expect any change from what we’ve seen in the past.”
Hildebrandt did compliment the NDP for refusing to agree to the federal government’s agricultural policy framework, which the party as well as Hildebrandt believe is flawed.
“We support their position on not signing the APF. We believe that by being involved in it so much, they know that it’s not set up correct. We appreciate the fact that they hold their ground on that.”
But on issues such as education property tax and funding, Hildebrandt sees nothing to get excited about.
The president of the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association agrees.
“What have they said? Nothing earth shattering,” Marilyn Jahnke said.
Taxes, too, remain a concern with the association’s president.
Jahnke said the stock growers face big taxes on input costs and she’s disappointed the NDP continues to act oblivious to this burden.
Stewart Wells, president of the National Farmers Union, is happy the NDP supports the wheat board. He is also pleased with the attention the party is paying to “green” issues.
With respect to expanding the livestock industry in Saskatchewan, Wells commends the NDP for acknowledging the ecological consequences of expansion.
“I’m glad to see the NDP talking about increased monitoring of soil and water quality. The NFU worries that a lot of these mega barns and operations are short-term gain for long-term pain if not managed properly,” Wells said. “They’re usually more trouble than they’re worth.”
Wells also applauds the NDP for standing against the introduction of genetically modified wheat.
While he, too, cannot pinpoint anything that stands out in the NDP platform, Wells suggests that it’s existing NDP policy that best serves the Saskatchewan producer.
“Directly related to farm income is the question of insurance rates and utility rate costs. I don’t think that most Saskatchewan farmers have a good handle on the comparison of cost between what a similar farm in Alberta is paying for electricity or vehicle insurance rates.”
He says a move to privatize utilities and insurance would produce a shock that most farmers could not bear.
“Any increases in these costs would be really devastating to the Saskatchewan farmer,” he said. “It comes right off their bottom line.”
