We need to be on a level playing field one way or the other at all levels. Producer favour grading system needs to be implemented.

The American farmers are receiving billions of dollars from their government, we get nothing. India for example places import tariffs on our exports lowering our selling price below the cost of production. If these inequalities aren’t stopped we farmers can’t survive.

Saskatchewan’s New Democrats know that we need to get our export products to market. We are supportive of agreements that help expand and diversify the markets that Saskatchewan’s miners, farmers, and manufacturers can sell their products in. We are also strongly opposed to tariff and non-tariff barriers that treat Saskatchewan unfairly, and will always stand up for Saskatchewan producers when trade disputes arise.

Saskatchewan is a global leader in producing and supplying consistent high-quality products required by the world’s fastest growing countries. With a growing global population demanding high-quality agri-food products, we are an increasingly important food supplier. Free trade agreements are important to the agriculture sector.

Free trade agreements increase export opportunities for Saskatchewan companies by reducing or eliminating tariffs and providing forums for discussing non-tariff barriers such as food, plant and animal health measures. We believe that Saskatchewan’s long-term agriculture interests will best be served through more open trade and expanded access to world markets. We will continue to encourage the federal government to undertake an ambitious approach in negotiations to ensure trade deals support Saskatchewan’s agriculture sector’s export interests.

Grain has to be given priority it always was protected through the crows nest freight rate agreement. The general principles of that intention to give food movement priority must still be a priority. People can live without oil for example they can’t live without food. Our export buyers demand an assurance of timely deliver railways must be forced to give that commitment still.

Saskatchewan’s New Democrats know that producers are not well served by the rail duopoly and the status quo. There’s more to be done to with interswitching provisions and joint running rights to ensure our system works efficiently for the benefit of producers, and not for the interests of the big railways. Unlike the Sask. Party, which has been reluctant to stand up to the big rail companies New Democrats will always be strong advocates for Saskatchewan’s grain farmers.

Railway transportation has always been and remains a priority for our party. We have been very vocal on the issue of grain transportation over the past few years. We were vocal in advocating for the extension of measures made under the Fair Rail for Grain Farmers Act (Bill C-30). We were actively involved in the consultations around the Canada Transport Act Review. Additionally, we were one of the first jurisdictions to advocate for the expansion of the Port of Vancouver and wrote to the federal government supporting Roberts Bank Terminal Two project.

Transportation infrastructure has been a priority for our government, and with this year’s budget, the Government of Saskatchewan has invested more than $9.8 billion in highways infrastructure since 2008, improving more than 15,500 kilometres of Saskatchewan highways.

This year’s budget also increases important investments in municipal transportation infrastructure including:

• $14.0 million more for a total of $28 million to support economic growth and safety on rural municipal roads;
• $52 million in 2020-21 stimulus to replace or extend the life of highway bridges and culverts across the province.

 

In addition to the $52 million investment, we are partnering with Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM) and the federal government to replace 100 RM bridges over the next four years. Over the next four years, the $31.5 million federal/provincial funding will be directed to rural bridge improvements.

Since 2008, the province has repaired or replaced more than 300 bridges and more than 1,600 culverts.

In total, we will replace over 150 bridges and culverts this year alone, that is a nearly 800% increase over the last year under the NDP.

We will work with industry to ensure that Saskatchewan’s opinion is heard on this important matter. We are focused on ensuring that the grain handling and transportation system can adapt to the future growth we expect.

With many countries not accepting grain from the GMO technology we must be very careful to not compromise our ability to export. Keeping the absolute right for farmers to produce their own seed without having to pay royalties is essential. Countries like Australia have lost most of their family farms as a result of these costs.

Saskatchewan’s New Democrats believe in evidence-based policy. We support farmers who choose to reduce their input costs and increase their yields through genetic improvements and plant breeding. Saskatchewan is a world leader in crop science and New Democrats would support continued investment in agricultural research at the University of Saskatchewan to help develop the next generation of high yield, low carbon crop varieties and increase awareness about the tremendous benefits of agricultural science.

The Saskatchewan Party government has funded agriculture research at record levels since 2007. This year’s budget included over $11 million for crop-related research projects and over $8 million for livestock related research projects. This funding was part of our Agriculture Development Fund which provides funding for research projects that will create future growth opportunities and enhance the competitiveness of the Saskatchewan agriculture industry.

We have increased funding for agricultural research from $13.58 million under the NDP to $32.9 million per year. This represents an increase of over 143.7%.

The Saskatchewan Party government has also funded innovation and the introduction of new technologies through the Ag Demonstration of Practices and Technologies (ADOPT) program. The ADOPT program is designed to accelerate the transfer of new knowledge and technologies to Saskatchewan producers. The program provides funding to help producer groups demonstrate and evaluate new agricultural practices and technologies under local conditions. The results of successful trials can then be adopted by farming operations in the region.

In 2020, the Saskatchewan Party government also announced the creation of a new $15 million venture capital fund designed to stimulate growth in the agriculture technology (agtech) sector. The fund is designed to help develop new technologies in agriculture and position the province as a global leader in the agtech sector. Funds will be invested in a privately-managed fund (managed by Conexus Venture Capital), targeted exclusively at agtech companies that require venture capital to develop past the startup phase and scale up their business operations and manufacturing.

We have also invested in infrastructure that will benefit agriculture in the province. We invested $13 million in a new Food Centre in Saskatoon, committed $10 million to the Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence, and as well invested $22 million towards the International Trade Centre.

There should be no carbon tax in Saskatchewan. Value adding of ag products in Saskatchewan would decrease shipping which makes the federal investment in a Halifax facility very questionable.

Scientists admit that our farming methods have improved so we take up more carbon than we produce. Scientists also admit that our boreal forest is in need of more carbon we therefore should be getting paid carbon credits by federal and provincial governments.

Saskatchewan New Democrats do not support the economy wide-carbon pricing system from the federal government. We would work to build a made-in-Saskatchewan solution to ensure producers can remain competitive in the global marketplace. We need to ensure we are putting Saskatchewan’s interests first while acting in a meaningful way on climate change, and we are open to exploring options to establish offsets to agricultural producers in recognition of the positive impact of carbon sequestration.

During initial engagement on Saskatchewan’s offset program in 2019, the Ministry of Environment indicated that further engagement and development of the program would occur in 2020. Extraordinary circumstances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have forced the ministry to postpone engagement and re-evaluate the means through which meaningful engagement may take place, while ensuring the health and safety of ministry staff and engagement participants.

We will be developing a credit registry and drafting offset quantification protocols. There will be opportunities for targeted engagement as well as broader public review of these protocols in 2021 before finalization and publication.

We work closely with Saskatchewan producers to support them in their sustainability efforts, including through programming that supports implementing beneficial management practices that benefit the environment. The Government of Saskatchewan released its overarching Prairie Resilience climate change strategy in December 2017, which outlined multiple commitments across five areas (natural systems, physical infrastructure, economic sustainability, community preparedness and human well-being) designed to make Saskatchewan more resilient to the climatic, economic and policy impacts of climate change.

“Prairie Resilience,” includes more than 40 commitments to make Saskatchewan more resilient to climate change. In agriculture, the province is a global leader in low-emissions practices. Our soils are an important carbon sink, sequestering carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Since the 1980s, our growers have been developing, refining and implementing zero- and low-tillage practices, increasing the ability of our soils to sequester carbon. Increasing the prevalence of carbon sequestering farm practices is an important component of the approach we will take to ensure our natural systems are having a positive impact on the climate.

Our priority would be to eliminate the present cost price squeeze by removing the unfair taxes like PST on farm inputs and carbon tax altogether, by updating current legislation to force machine and automotive companies to extend warranties and extend parts availability requirements, also that technology royalties never be allowed to manufacturers we must ensure that farmers and independent mechanics will be allowed to maintain equipment to ensure competitive pricing.

Agriculture is an essential part of Saskatchewan’s economy, and the provincial government should be doing more to support our agricultural producers. Saskatchewan’s New Democrats have committed $20 million to remove the reference margin limits from AgriStability to help make the program more responsive to the needs of producers. Our party has also committed to legislating the rights of farmers to keep and grow their own seed.

In 2019, we released the updated Saskatchewan Growth Plan which outlines our priorities and goals for the next decade of economic growth.

Saskatchewan’s Growth Plan identifies a number of targets that will guide our province as we move toward 2030. Saskatchewan’s Growth Plan is a roadmap for a strong economy, strong communities, and strong families, to build a stronger Saskatchewan.

The purpose of growth is to build a better quality of life for Saskatchewan people – to build strong communities and strong families – and grow a stronger Saskatchewan now, and for the next decade.

As part of the plan, we are striving toward a number of agriculture targets that will help to grow the industry including:

• Grow Saskatchewan’s agri-food exports to $20 billion.
• Increase crop production to 45 million metric tonnes.
• Increasing livestock cash receipts to $3 billion.
• Expand irrigation in Saskatchewan.
• Increase agriculture value-added revenue to $10 billion.

 

On July 2, 2020, Premier Moe announced the first steps of a generational project that will fulfill the vision of Prime Minister John Diefenbaker to ensure the prosperity of Saskatchewan people and irrigate up to 500,000 acres of land from Lake Diefenbaker, more than doubling the irrigable land in Saskatchewan.

The project is beginning with an immediate $22.5 million investment in preliminary engineering and initial construction. Project construction is expected to occur approximately over the next 10 years in three main phases at a cost estimated at $4 billion.

With the support of our hard work of our producers, we know we can reach it. Also, in the Plan for Growth, was our plan to open international trade and investment offices. These goals highlight the importance of agriculture to future growth and prosperity in our province.

As an exporting province it is important for us to continue to foster relationships with other countries and markets to keep the agriculture industry strong.

We will rely on the expertise of our producers and agribusinesses to achieve our goals.

Your involvement is vital in keeping the agriculture industry strong now and in the future.

These goals and relationships will help make Saskatchewan’s agriculture sector stronger and more successful than ever.

We support broad band access for all Saskatchewan residents we understand that Alberta is looking at a plan we need to consult with them and other stake holders.

Saskatchewan New Democrats agree that in the 21st century, access to broadband is an essential service. Our platform includes a commitment to a Rural Reconnect strategy to provide high-quality Internet and cellular service everywhere in Saskatchewan. This is an essential service for businesses, farms, schools, and families, and Saskatchewan’s New Democrats will ensure that SaskTel makes the investments needed to make reliable access to broadband a reality throughout rural Saskatchewan.

SaskTel has demonstrated a strong commitment to providing competitively priced, leading edge products and services to the people of Saskatchewan. This commitment remains in place today, despite the significant challenges and costs that SaskTel must face in serving one of Canada’s most sparsely populated regions. To provide communications infrastructure that is reliable and efficient to meet the needs of all Saskatchewan consumers and businesses SaskTel continues to invest in capital expansion and network upgrades across our province.

SaskTel announced that it will invest approximately $324 million of capital in Saskatchewan for the fiscal year 2020-2021 (April 1, 2020 – March 31, 2021) and over $1.4 billion over the next five years. This investment includes SaskTel’s ongoing programs to enhance and expand wireless, internet, television, data, and IP-based technologies across the province.

SaskTel recently made an announcement of a further 70-million-dollar investment in rural connectivity. SaskTel is adding an additional 74 macro cell towers in rural Saskatchewan. This is the last phase of the Wireless Saskatchewan initiative and brings the total investment in rural Saskatchewan to $107 million since 2017.

SaskTel and SARM have agreed to create a working group on rural connectivity.