| Manitoba's farm organizations aren't asking for a lot from whomever forms the next provincial government. |
| And so far, none of the parties has offered farmers much. |
| But the main farm organizations want to make sure the next government is committed to making programs work in the field, not just on paper. |
| "We need the government to continue to recognize and acknowledge the importance of our industry to the economy and to rural infrastructure," said the Keystone Agricultural Producers election issues document. |
| "Provincial investment in our industry results in a more vibrant landscape and business environment, adding to job creation, increased processing and infrastructure, which will ensure the continued growth of our economy as a whole." |
| KAP lays out farmer needs in eight categories, including committing to safety net funding, cutting the education tax on farmland, lifting the hog barn moratorium, involving provincial officials in local land-use decisions, expanding provincial sales tax exemption to more items, maintaining small rail lines, promoting environmental set-aside programs and boosting agricultural research. |
| KAP is urging all the political parties to offer farm programs even if they can't be cost-shared with the federal government. |
| "It appears that unless programs fall within the scope of the APF (agricultural policy framework) and can be counted towards the provincial government's share of funding, that it is unlikely to be considered," the document said. |
| "The provincial government must be willing to increase its support of the industry and allow companion programming when it is illustrated that there is a need for such and that there are gaps to be filled." |
| Martin Unrau, Manitoba Cattle Producers Association president, said his organization has not yet finalized its election wish list. |
| But there are many simple acts that any provincial government could do to make cattle producers' lives better. |
| For instance, about 1,800 cattle producers received loans from the provincial government because of the BSE crisis. Producers are now at the point of being forced to pay them back, but the price of cows has not yet recovered because the border is still closed to older animals. |
| "We thought BSE was going to be a crisis for a year or two at the outside," said Unrau. |
| MCPA hopes the provincial government will allow the loans to be paid later, after the border fully opens, so that farmers can pay only interest charges for now. |
| "It was a good program, but we didn't expect this to go on so long," said Unrau. |
| MCPA also hopes the push from the provincial government for more environmental regulations will be matched with a willingness to reward farmers for protecting land for the sake of society. |
| "If there have to be regulations for protection, there have to be financial incentives for producers," said Unrau. |
| Manitoba Pork Council has no specific list of election issues, but its issues were covered in the just-completed public hearings of the Clean Environment Commission. |
| The industry wants an immediate lifting of the hog barn moratorium and a commitment that new environmental regulations will be applied fairly, using sound science and in a manner that commercial operations can integrate. |
| More than anything, the hog industry has demanded an end to its being singled out by the NDP government, whose stance is supported by the Progressive Conservatives, the Liberals and the Green Party. |
