Moe urges feds to help canola farmers ‘immediately’

Premier Scott Moe is pushing the federal government to move quickly to help canola farmers who are facing an unsure market as the dispute with China continues.

Moe tweeted photos of a letter Tuesday morning that he said he’d sent to the prime minister, adding, “Our farmers need an answer now.”

In the letter, Moe talks about the changes Saskatchewan is proposing to the Advanced Payments Program to help out canola farmers.

Today I sent a letter to PM @JustinTrudeau – it’s been 3 weeks now since we discussed changes to the cash advance program in meetings with Ministers Bibeau, Carr, and Freeland to help our canola producers impacted by the trade dispute with China.

Our farmers need an answer now. pic.twitter.com/CrOeGxvNoc

— Scott Moe (@PremierScottMoe) April 23, 2019

The changes include raising the ceiling of the program to $1,000,000 per account and the full amount of the program being made temporarily interest-free. It would also push back the deadline for the spring intake of applications to April 30.

Moe said he was initially encouraged by the federal government’s reaction to the proposal, but it has been nearly a month and there hasn’t been any movement on making the changes.

“Saskatchewan is becoming increasingly concerned that your government has offered no concrete support for Canada’s canola producers,” Moe said in the letter.

He went on to ask that the changes to the program be made immediately. He also offered any help Saskatchewan can provide in resolving the dispute with China; other portions of the letter indicate this isn’t the first time that offer has been made.

Throughout the letter, Moe talks about the “unprecedented uncertainty” canola producers are facing and said the changes to the program would help limit the effects of any changes to seeding intentions and to cushion producers from having to sell into a depressed market.

Saskatchewan’s trade minister spoke earlier this month, saying the canola dispute could cost producers billions of dollars.

At the end of March, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters the federal government is taking the canola issue very seriously.

In recent months, China has refused imports from some big Canadian companies and has put in stricter regulations on canola. Chinese officials say it’s due to quality concerns, but some experts believe it’s related to the arrest of a Chinese company executive in Canada in December.