AGRICULTURE MINISTERS MEET IN REGINA

Agriculture and Food Minister Mark Wartman will raise a number of issues important to Saskatchewan producers at a meeting of federal, provincial, and territorial Ministers of Agriculture on November 25th in Regina.

Wartman will continue to press the federal government for World Trade Organization rules that lead to meaningful reductions in trade-distorting subsidies.

"Saskatchewan farmers rely on access to world markets for much of their production," Wartman said. "We need our federal government to ensure we get trade rules that allow our farmers to compete fairly in international markets."

Wartman will also bring forward issues of concern with the Agricultural Policy Framework – specifically, the affordability of business risk management programs. Wartman wants the federal government to seriously consider other models for cost sharing that will ensure the long-term sustainability of federal-provincial programs.

"The 60:40 cost share puts Saskatchewan at a disadvantage," Wartman said. "We have a large agriculture sector relative to our fiscal capacity and Saskatchewan already contributes more funding per capita for agricultural programming than the federal government or any other province."

Wartman said the Ministers' meeting is about more than current issues facing agriculture, and that a long-term solution for the industry's income problems must be reached – a topic he will discuss with his federal and provincial colleagues.

Agriculture Ministers will also use the meeting to discuss age verification and traceability of the nation's cattle herd, preparedness measures for a potential avian influenza outbreak, and inter-provincial trade agreements.

Wartman has extended an invitation to his colleagues to attend Canadian Western Agribition, which runs November 21st to 26th in Regina, after their meeting concludes.

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For More Information, Contact:

Donna Rehirchuk Agriculture and Food Regina Phone: (306) 787-2359