CONSERVATIVES ANNOUNCE MORE ASSISTANCE FOR FARM PRODUCERS
"The announcement of the one-time payment for our farmers hit by spring flooding coupled with the commitment to biofuels is just another step toward improving the economic state of our farming sector.”

YORKTON - Farmers across Canada, including many within the constituency of Yorkton-Melville, were again reminded of their importance to Canada’s new Conservative Government. An announcement for more assistance for farm producers was made Tuesday by Agriculture Minister Chuck Strahl. The announcement came on the same day that Federal Environment Minister Rona Ambrose and her provincial and territorial counterparts agreed to meet the federal government's target of five-per-cent biofuels content in gasoline and diesel by 2010.

“Despite heavy rains across the riding Wednesday, this has been a ‘good news’ week for the Canadian agriculture industry,” said Garry Breitkreuz, Member of Parliament for Yorkton-Melville. “The announcement of the one-time payment for our farmers hit by spring flooding coupled with the commitment to biofuels is just another step toward improving the economic state of our farming sector.”

In Saskatchewan and Manitoba, approximately 2.9 million acres of productive farmland was flooded in the spring of 2005 and 2006. Among the hardest hit regions, was the area surrounding and including the Rural Municipality of Porcupine, located in the northern part of the riding of Yorkton-Melville. It is estimated that 25 per cent of the cultivated acres in the Porcupine Plain area will not be seeded because of this year’s floods.

Through Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s (AAFC) new Cover Crop Protection Program, farmers can receive a one-time payment of $15 per acre for flooded land. All farm operations across Canada affected by spring flooding in the 2005 or 2006 crop year are eligible to apply.

“The announcement by Minister Ambrose, following the first renewable fuels ministerial meeting, is also a real positive for our farmers,” said Breitkreuz. “The commitment to meet the target of five-per-cent biofuel by 2010 will to allow producers to participate in the industry as owners and as suppliers. It is a real step toward securing Canada’s future in the renewable fuels industry.”

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