ID 107105511 © Kenneth Keifer Dreamstime.com

By Alice McFarlane

Federal Election Campaign

Ag sector apathetic heading into election

Oct 17, 2019 | 3:43 PM

The agriculture sector hasn’t had a lot of attention in this election campaign.

Agriculture Producers Association of Saskatchewan President Todd Lewis said there hasn’t been a lot of conversation on important issues like trade.

Lewis said business risk management programs (BRM) and changes to the Grain Act have been mentioned.

“Even in the party platforms agriculture has hardly been mentioned,” Lewis said. “The Liberal platform hinted toward BRM and we hoped that would be AgriStability. It’s yet to be determined what that would mean.”

“The NDP and Liberals also talk about, and maybe the Conservatives as well, modernization of the Canadian Grain Act. That could be very timely this year with concern about falling numbers. A lot of producers don’t understand how their grain is being bought under the falling number system,” Lewis said.

MLAs clash over foreign ownership of Saskatchewan farmland

Nov 10, 2025

Outstanding community members

'We all loved him': respected Prince Albert broadcaster passes away

Oct 09, 2025

Nearing the end of harvest

Meals in the field and hats in combines: a look into end of harvest traditions

Oct 09, 2025

“As the grain industry evolves, farmers want to be kept abreast of what changes those are. They don’t want any surprises in their contracts,” Lewis said. “We’ve heard a few comments this year that nobody really knew what a 400 falling number or a 250 falling number even meant.”

Lewis doesn’t feel farmers have been engaged in this election campaign as they’ve had more pressing matters on their minds.

“The number one priority is managing the crop coming off and certainly a lot of concerns of how we’re going to market it,” Lewis said. “Fall is difficult for producers. It’s a busy time. This year seems particularly bad just because of the weather challenges we’ve had across the province.”

Lewis farms southeast of Regina. He said his combining season started on Aug. 4 and he still has about 2,000 acres to finish up while some parts of the province have had more success.

“Up in the northeast part of the province it’s unusual but at lot of the harvest has wrapped up. There’s a large area that is 100 per cent complete. It just goes to show how far behind some larger areas are as well,” Lewis said. “This late into October there’s lots of concern about crop being left out over winter.”

Lewis said the recent snow storm shows the amount of pressure there is on farmers.

“That’s their main concern right now is just getting the crop off and into condition to sell,” Lewis said. “I think most farmers are like a lot of people and we’re just hoping the election is over as soon as possible and we can get on with governing the country.”

–

alice.mcfarlane@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @AliceMcF