ESTEVAN, Sask. – As the damp morning haze cleared off to a hot and sunny day in this southeastern Saskatchewan city, federal agriculture minister Lyle Vanclief’s plane landed for the second time in two weeks.
He was carrying with him no new money for flooded farmers, but a briefcase full of changes to the Agricultural Income Disaster Assistance and the Net Income Stabilization Account programs.
Vanclief told a room filled with media, other politicians and a few local residents that AIDA applications based on estimated income for 1999 would be accepted later this summer.
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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
“This will provide money to farmers at a time when they would normally be taking off a crop. That will make it possible for farmers to make their payments and prepare for next year,” said the federal minister.
The announcement allows eligible producers up to 60 percent of their total AIDA payment in advance, based on estimated income for 1999.
Dwain Lingenfelter, deputy premier of Saskatchewan, joined the federal minister in making the announcement.
“The federal government hasn’t responded to all of our requests for help but this will make it possible, when combined with NISA and crop insurance, for some farmers in the flooded southeast to have a few more options,” said Lingenfelter.
Added Vanclief: “They need not wait for the year’s end to file for AIDA. They can estimate their income and apply. They can then file another application once they have their actual numbers.”
NISA too has undergone some changes. An increase to the trigger amounts for net income levels will mean participants can trigger NISA for payments at $20,000 rather than $10,000. Farmers with dependents can trigger their accounts at $35,000 instead of $20,000.
Also, farmers who placed money in NISA earlier this year will be eligible to make withdrawals later this summer.
“These (changes to NISA) are both changes that Saskatchewan’s minister of agriculture called for and we have put them in place immediately … . Producers can also make a withdrawal and a deposit in the same year. If they made a deposit this spring they can access this summer without penalty.”
The change will make another $10 million available that was not already eligible for withdrawal from NISA accounts. The total effect for the province, if all money available to producers with accounts was withdrawn, would be $54 million.
“For those without any money left in their NISA or that do not have crop insurance, then there is still the AIDA,” said Vanclief.
After a one-hour stay in Saskatchewan, the federal minister flew to Brandon, Man., for a joint news conference with Manitoba agriculture minister Harry Enns.
