NDP Call on Sask. Party government to help farm families fighting drought

REGINA - NDP Leader Ryan Meili and Agriculture Critic Trent Wotherspoon called on the Sask. Party government to stop taking rural Saskatchewan for granted and come forward with real supports for producers and ranchers fighting drought conditions in Saskatchewan.

“As drought is severely impacting and threatens many producers, farms and ranches, it’s clear the Sask. Party is asleep at the switch and taking farm families for granted,” said Wotherspoon. “In the face of this drought and very serious feed and water challenges, producers and ranchers need a government that will listen to them, step up and support them when they need it.”

Both the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS) and the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association have requested assistance from the province this week. The Saskatchewan NDP stands by these calls, including:

Working with federal counterparts so that the entire province is eligible under the federal Livestock Tax Deferral program
Improving access to water sources, both by scrapping the PST on dugout construction and bringing forward enhancements to the Farm and Ranch Water Infrastructure Program
Convening an urgent drought support agricultural committee to work with producers and ranchers and to act to support them
Fixing AgriStability, which includes extending the enrollment period and improving payment levels from 70 to 80 percent
Developing a made-in-Saskatchewan alternative to the federal carbon pricing program, reducing costs for producers with rebate programs while incentivizing and recognizing their role as stewards of the land who sequester carbon and protect grasslands and wetlands

“Scott Moe is playing politics and Saskatchewan producers are paying the price,” said Meili. “By refusing to come up with an alternative, Scott Moe has stuck producers with a made-in-Ottawa plan with higher costs - and he refuses to sign on to AgriStability. Our economy is directly tied to the farmgate. The Sask. Party needs to stop delaying and take real action to support producers now.”

Latest posts

NEWCOMERS AND YOUNG PEOPLE STAND AGAINST SASK. PARTY’S ATTEMPT TO RESTRICT DEMOCRACY

SASKATOON – Dozens of new Saskatchewan residents and young people joined the Saskatchewan NDP today to call out a Sask. Party proposal that would strip them of their voice in the political process.

SASK. PARTY AGRICULTURE MINISTER FAILS TO DO JOB, RESORTS TO THREATS IN FOREIGN FARMLAND DEBATE

Provincial Auditor Found Proper Ownership Declarations Only Gathered In 50 Per cent Of Transactions Where The Very Limited Policy Required Them

REGINA – The Sask. Party Agriculture Minister has dismissed widespread concerns about foreign farmland ownership and instead resorted to threats to silence concerns of producers about the shoddy process for transactions.

SASK. NDP HONOURS FIRST INDIGENOUS WOMAN TO RECEIVE UN AWARD

REGINA – Today, the Saskatchewan NDP held a reception at the legislature to honour Brenda Reynolds, a status treaty member of the Fishing Lake Saulteaux First Nation. Reynolds is the first Indigenous person and first Canadian to receive the UN Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize which is awarded to two recipients every five years.

SASKATCHEWAN NDP SUPPORTS SARM’S CALL FOR URGENTLY NEEDED LONG-TERM DROUGHT SUPPORT

Meetings In July, Letter In September ... And Still Producers Left In the Lurch

REGINA – As rural municipalities continue to gather in the province’s capital, the Saskatchewan NDP is backing their collective call for long-term drought support for producers as some areas have experienced severe conditions for nine years and counting. The Saskatchewan NDP have been calling for emergency drought measures and long-term fixes together with drought devastated RMs and producers throughout this summer and fall.