CALGARY, AB: Today, the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association commented on the results of their survey on public policy and the grain sector, as submitted to each of the five major political parties in Saskatchewan in March.
“On behalf of many modern grain growers in Saskatchewan, we sent a survey to each political party, seeking their answers to five questions of great importance to farmers,” said Jim Wickett, Chair of the Wheat Growers and grain farmer at Rosetown, Saskatchewan. “It was great to see the responses we did receive, as these are real issues affecting growers’ wallets at the farm-gate, and the entire ag sector.”
The five unprompted questions submitted by the Wheat Growers to each party were:
- What is your party’s position on open markets in the grain sector, where many players compete vigorously for farmers’ business, including in farm inputs and farm products?
- What is your party’s position on free and competitive markets in international trade, including the elimination of export subsidies, reduction of trade-distorting domestic support, and reducing tariffs and non-tariff barriers that inhibit market access?
- What is your party’s position on a commercial and efficient grain transportation system, recognizing the need for government regulation to foster greater service, competition, and accountability in the rail sector?
- What is your party’s position on the development of agricultural innovations that make farmers more profitable and sustainable, with a science-based regulatory approval process for the introduction of new technologies, including the adoption of genetically modified crops?
- What is your party’s position on a carbon pricing system in Saskatchewan, including on a credit and debit system that acknowledges the significant carbon reductions being achieved by prairie grain growers?
The responses from the political parties to each question are posted at wheatgrowers.ca and can be found here:
NDP (no response)
Liberal Party (no response)
Green Party (no response)
PC Party (no response)
With over 30 million tonnes of crop production and over $15 billion of grain and agri-food exports, Saskatchewan is the largest exporter of ag products in Canada.
The Wheat Growers also sent these survey questions to political parties in Manitoba in advance of their April 19 election, where several responses have been received to date.
About the Wheat Growers:
Founded in 1970, the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association is a voluntary farmer-run advocacy organization dedicated to developing public policy solutions that strengthen the profitability and sustainability of farming, and the agricultural industry as a whole. For more information, please visit wheatgrowers.ca.
For More Information Contact:
Robin Speer, Executive Director
587-998-4741
rspeer@wheatgrowers.ca