Federal, Provincial, and Territorial agriculture ministers at the conclusion of the annual meeting in Quebec City on July 19, 2019. (Twitter/@growernews)

By Alice McFarlane

Agriculture Support Programs

Ag ministers to discuss business risk programs

Dec 4, 2019 | 12:23 PM

Saskatchewan’s agriculture minister said farm programs will be on the agenda at the next federal, provincial and territorial meeting.

NDP opposition leader Ryan Meili expressed concern about the adequacy of AgriStability and AgriRecovery in the provincial legislature yesterday.

He said improvements are needed in the way support is triggered.

“In 2013, Prime Minister Stephen Harper, he changed the AgriStability program, dropping the eligibility level, from 85 per cent of the program level down to 70 per cent, essentially rendering the vast majority producers ineligible at the time when they need that support the most,” Meili said. “As the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan has made very clear, those changes have resulted in inadequate protection for producers.”

“Along with our call to rebate the carbon price on the cost of grain drying, we’re joining with APAS to call on the federal and provincial governments to restore AgriStability to its historic eligibility level of 85 per cent,” he said.

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Agriculture minister David Marit, first defended crop insurance saying coverage has increased under the Sask Party.

“We’re very confident in the programs we have in place right now for crop insurance. We are the only province that compensates 100 per cent for wildlife damage to crops that are still in the fields,” Marit said. “On questions of accessibility, one thing this province, this government has always done is engage with the farm groups on discussion around changes to business risk management tools. Those are discussions that we as a province have taken to the Federal Minister.”

Marit said those programs will be on the agenda at the next federal, provincial and territorial agriculture ministers meeting on Dec. 17.

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alice.mcfarlane@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @AliceMcF