In the last edition of The Western Producer, we published an opinion piece by Frank Su, who is a Saskatoon-based financial analyst with ReMax Blue Chip Realty.
Su claimed that loosening farmland ownership rules in Saskatchewan would benefit residents of that province, especially retiring farmers. This is because, Su said, the value of Saskatchewan farmland would double or triple over the next couple of years if foreign investors were allowed to buy farmland in the province.
I wasn’t surprised that this opinion piece ruffled a few feathers online.
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A respondent called Young Farmer wrote: “Being a young farmer, (28 years old) and actively trying to expand my personal acres, loosening land ownership and opening it to anyone would stomp any ideas to expand. As it is, I work off the farm in the oil industry to subsidize my farming habits.
With land prices high as $1,800 an acre, five years ago things were around $800. We don’t need things to double yet again. At least not when wheat is $5 and canola around $10. Pushing it higher with current commodity prices, the ink just doesn’t pencil out to a profit. Keep it local. Keep it reasonable.”
Concerned Canadian Citizen said: “This article is an absolute shame. I cannot believe I read it in The Western Producer.
How gullible does he think the readership is? This is very obviously not in Canadian’s interest. This argument is made so that Frank can profit on commissions selling agricultural land to Chinese nationals. There is so much wrong with the article I do not even know where to start. Sell out. Do you think in a million years China would allow Canadians to buy agricultural land without restriction?
Or for that matter any other right thinking sovereign nation!”
Regarding the readers’ comments that they cannot believe they read the article in The Western Producer, I think it’s important to know the arguments and logic being used by all sides in this important file.
We are happy to host such discussions at producer.com.
Whether readers agree with Su or not, it is interesting to see how someone who is arguing for the deregulation of Saskatchewan land ownership laws is attempting to frame the debate.
I still haven’t seen a compelling argument that foreign ownership would benefit rural communities.
If you have such an argument, or its antithesis, please do share it at producer.com.
