AgriStability enhancements get mixed reaction from Sask. government

The recent enhancements to the federal government’s AgriStability program have drawn a mixed reaction in Saskatchewan, with Agriculture Minister Daryl Harrison expressing both appreciation and frustration over the changes.

On Saturday, the federal government announced that the AgriStability program’s payment cap will double to $6 million for the 2025 program year, and the compensation rate will increase from 80 to 90 per cent.

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The changes aim to provide relief to producers facing steep tariffs imposed by China on Canadian agricultural exports, including a 100 per cent tariff on canola and peas and a 25 per cent tariff on pork and some seafood products.

While Harrison welcomed any support for Saskatchewan’s farmers, he criticized the lack of communication and consultation from Ottawa regarding the changes.

“We weren’t informed, nor was Saskatchewan Crop Insurance informed, of any of these changes,” Harrison said.

“We have yet to receive a formal request to cost-share these, but AgriStability has traditionally been 60 per cent federal, 40 per cent provincial. At this point, we’re looking into the impact of these changes and determining how we proceed.”

Harrison also questioned the timing of the announcement, which came just one day before the federal election campaign began.

“Given the timelines with the announcement of this, and then the very next day a federal election was called, they haven’t been very free with any details as of yet,” he stated.

“I don’t know what the next month and a half is going to (show) to in terms of information coming from the federal government.”

Harrison reiterated his call for the federal government to directly engage with China to resolve the ongoing trade dispute.

“Our first ask is for the prime minister to engage with China to resolve this,” he said. “Last fall, when they imposed these 100 per cent tariffs on EVs, my predecessor wrote to the federal government, warning that this was a high risk to our trade relationship, yet they still proceeded down that path.”

Harrison also took aim at Prime Minister Mark Carney, criticizing his response to the crisis.

“The newly anointed prime minister had the opportunity to engage with China, but chose to go over to Europe instead,” he said.

“I don’t think the priority was there for the new prime minister. He did acknowledge that he would engage with China prior to calling the election, but he failed to do so.”

While the increased AgriStability payments could provide financial relief for producers, Harrison noted that they won’t see the full benefits until the following year.

“Producers will have until April 30 to sign on to AgriStability to be eligible,” he explained.

“They’ll have to wait until the following year to find out how beneficial it’s going to be.”

As uncertainty looms over Saskatchewan’s agricultural industry, Harrison emphasized that what producers need most is a stable market.

“Our producers don’t want government handouts. They want a fair and free market to export their production into,” he said. “Until the federal government, post-election, decides to do something, market instability will continue.”

With Saskatchewan growing much of Canada’s canola, the effects of the Chinese tariffs remain a significant concern across the province.

Premier Scott Moe has previously warned that the Chinese tariffs could devastate the industry, and said local producers fear major financial losses if the trade dispute remains unresolved.

“They often talk about the ‘Team Canada’ approach. They failed to include Saskatchewan canola growers and pea and pulse growers in that team,” Harrison said.

–with files from 980 CJME’s Lisa Schick