What APAS wants out of next agriculture policy framework

(Kara Oosterhuis/RealAgriculture)

The Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS) has released a list of 19 recommendations for the federal and provincial governments to consider in developing the next five-year funding agreement for agricultural programs.

“It was important to make sure our voice was heard as the provincial and federal governments make decisions on this important piece of agriculture policy,” APAS vice-president Bill Prybylski says.

A task force created by APAS has recommendations related to AgriStability, AgriRecovery, AgriInvest, Research and Innovation, Trade and Market Development, as well as Environment and Climate Change. These recommendations have been sent to the federal and provincial ministers of agriculture.

The main recommendations include:

  • Restore AgriStability coverage through performance and participation incentives and allow Crop Insurance premiums as an expense
  • Maintain AgriInvest with enhancements to make the program more flexible
  • Reform AgriRecovery into a more comprehensive disaster response program
  • Recognize the importance of Agri-Insurance and create a national cost- shared Livestock price insurance program
  • Improve access to Trade and Market Development programs for smaller acre crops and niche commodities and create a program to respond to trade disruptions
  • Support research funding from discovery science to commercialization
  • Recognize environmental benefits from agriculture in a separate funding category in the framework agreement and ensure regionally appropriate environmental programming

More details on the Next Policy Framework recommendations can be found at apas.ca.

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