(Alice McFarlane/farmnewsNOW Staff)

By Alice McFarlane

COVID-19

Surveys to gather farmer data on COVID-19

Mar 30, 2020 | 4:18 PM

Saskatchewan farmers are concerned about how COVID-19 will impact agricultural finances, supply chains, and access to labour this growing season.

The Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS) wants to know how the sector is coping with the pandemic and its repercussions.

APAS President Todd Lewis said an online survey will help the organize collect information.

“The situation is changing fast, and it’s crucial for us to have real-time information to share with government about how farmers are being affected by COVID-19,” Lewis said. “The more data APAS can collect about what’s happening at the Saskatchewan farm gate, the more likely it will be for government support measures to actually meet farmers’ needs.”

Lewis said the federal government took a first step by increasing the capacity of FCC and extending repayment on Advance Payments Program loans but increasing farmers’ debt is not the answer.

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“Producers, if they’re having issues, with credit or credit facilitators if it’s the banks or credit unions or FCC, we want to hear if farmers are able to access that money. Anecdotally, we’ve heard good stories and bad stories about accessibility to credit,” he said. “If farmers are having issues about credit, we want to hear about it so we can communicate that to both the federal and provincial governments.”

The survey, which was launched on March 24, will be updated each week, with results made public and communicated to government officials.

Lewis said questions include whether farmers are experiencing disruptions to their operations, including cost increases, shipping delays, and access to the labour force. The survey also asks about farmers’ financial needs and mental health, as well as their top business concerns related to COVID-19.

“The COVID-19 situation is unprecedented and we really don’t know what to expect in terms of how agricultural supply chains could be affected,” he said. “Saskatchewan produces a significant portion of the world’s food and we need to understand how farmers are being affected by this crisis. Ideally, a huge number of farmers in Saskatchewan will take the survey every week. That’s how we can make sure the government understands what’s going on here.”

Lewis said after coping with a perfect storm of trade disputes, transportation disruptions and challenging weather conditions for the past two years producers need to share their concerns.

The current survey will be open until Wednesday with the next survey opening April 2.

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alice.mcfarlane@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @AliceMcF