Leaders of the Prairies’ three general farm organizations met April 17 to discuss the Canada Grain Act, the livestock industry, the environment, inputs, and transportation.
Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP), the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS), and Alberta’s Wild Rose Agricultural Producers (WRAP) said in a release that they identified two major priorities, and developed an action plan to move these issues forward in the coming year.
The groups said issues surrounding the Canada Grain Act must be addressed to ensure the act will be effective for producers, in particular the producer payment security mechanism and inward inspection and weighing.
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Both issues had been slated for change under the federal government’s Bill C-13, which was recently before Parliament but which is now on hold due to “hoisting” procedure implemented by the three opposition parties. The groups said the current bonding system is “critical protection for producers and there must be no gaps until an effective replacement is put in place.”
The groups emphasized their support for ” much needed assistance for the livestock industry, and recognized the need to call on the federal government to develop — in consultation with farm groups and provincial governments — a long-term strategy to ensure the financial viability of the Canadian livestock industry.
The groups’ leaders will meet again in Regina in October.
