April 11, 2022 (Regina, SK) – 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 said. Prybylski was also the chair of the APAS Next Policy Framework Task Force. “Agricultural production has increased dramatically, and so has our investment and our risk. We live in a time of instability, and we think governments need to recognize the need for future improvements to help secure the sustainability of agriculture and food production.”

The Task Force 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 CropInsurance 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 priceinsurance program.
•Improve access to Trade and Market Development programs for smaller acre crops and nichecommodities 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 theframework agreement and ensure regionally appropriate environmental programming.

More details on the Next Policy Framework recommendations can be found at apas.ca/policy/npf. A complete discussion paper on the recommendations can be found here.

Members of the APAS Task Force:
Chair: Bill Prybylski – APAS Vice-President (RM of Garry #245)
Norm Hall – Former APAS President (RM of Emerald #227)
Scott Owens – APAS Vice President (RM of Eldon #471)
Brent Freedman – APAS Representative (RM of Willow Creek #458)
Trevor Green – APAS Representative (RM of Moosomin #121)
Angela Jones - APAS Representative (RM of Lakeview #338)
Ryan Scragg – APAS Representative (RM of Garden River #490)