OTTAWA –The federal government must step in to help drought-stricken cattle farmers in Saskatchewan and Alberta, says New Democrat Leader Jack Layton.
“The Federal tax deferrals that the government has offered will not purchase hay or rent the pastures needed to feed to cattle. If this is all they can come up with then the government’s response in dealing with the magnitude of this problem is nothing short of pitiful,” says Layton.
Severe drought across much of the prairies has depleted ground water, leaving behind dried-up dugouts and burnt pastures. Farmers are feeding cattle with hay that would normally be used in winter. “It doesn’t help that hay brokers are buying up every scrap of hay that is available and then charging desperate farmers at $50 to $100 a bale,” says Layton.
If affordable and available feed cannot be found soon farmers will have no choice but to drastically cull their cattle herds. “Once these herds are gone, how soon will it be before we lose the vital infrastructure that supports this industry,” asked Layton. “Where is the recognition by this government that the livelihoods of entire rural communities are at risk?”
According to New Democrat Agriculture critic Alex Atamanenko, the government’s new suite of farm programs is wholly inadequate to the task and leaves farmers in a nightmare situation. “Weather-related disasters need predictable and comprehensive programs to do the important job of ensuring farmers survive,” says Atamanenko. “We are losing far too many farms to bankruptcy because of ad hoc programming that fails to get the money out the door in time.”
Atamanenko says that when he asked the Harper government prior to Parliament adjourning for the summer if it was preparing to deal with the forecasted calamities about to unfold due to this drought he was assured by the Minister of Agriculture that assistance would be made available.
“Clearly the Conservatives were not being honest when they provided that assurance,” says Atamanenko. “If the government was serious about helping farmers, much more than a promise of tax deferrals would be in place by now to assist them in coping with the nightmare situation that they are presently dealing with on their own.”