SARM President David Marit and Vice-President Jim Hallick accompanied Agriculture Minister Mark Wartman and other farm groups in Ottawa on April 11, 2006 to make their case for emergency farm aid.
“Many of our producers need an immediate cash injection to even be able to plant a crop this spring,” said President Marit. “By accompanying Minister Wartman to Ottawa, we presented a unified voice to the federal government on behalf of Saskatchewan farm producers. While we recognize the need for a long-term program, we need short-term funding now.”
The projection for a net farm income of negative $200 million for 2006 is too much for Saskatchewan producers to absorb. The delegation, who met with Federal Agriculture Minister Chuck Strahl, and members of the federal Conservative, Liberal and NDP caucuses, asked for $575 million in emergency cash assistance for Saskatchewan grain and oilseeds producers.
“We certainly feel that Minister Strahl and the three prairie caucuses’ understand the need for emergency farm aid and we are hopeful that they will act quickly to addresses this very urgent situation,” said President Marit.
For more information contact:
David Marit Ken Engel
President Executive Director
(306) 476-7754 (306) 536-2948
