Source: Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan
75% of Saskatchewan RMs now eligible, but long-term issues with the program still need to be addressed
The Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan is pleased with the expanded coverage for the Federal Livestock Tax Deferral announced on January 30 but is calling for a review to improve the program for future years.
“Livestock producers across Saskatchewan faced serious impacts from drought in 2018,” said Todd Lewis, APAS President. “It was very clear to everyone in the industry by late August that feed and water shortages were going to have an impact on the entire province.”
“It has been a very complex process to get those impacts recognized in the area designations,” Lewis continued. “We need a review of the technology and area boundaries used to determine the eligibility for the program. A final designation at the end of January, after the end of the tax year, does not allow producers to make informed business decisions.”
APAS had raised concerns about the list of areas designated on September 14, 2018, and then again on November 1, and called for the entire province to be eligible. As of January 30th 2019, 75% of Saskatchewan RMs have been designated as eligible.
Lewis concluded by noting that concerns have been raised by livestock producers across Canada, and APAS will be working with their colleagues at the Canadian Federation of Agriculture to advocate for changes to the program.
Background: APAS is Saskatchewan’s general farm organization – formed to provide farmers and ranchers with a democratically elected, grassroots, non-partisan, producer run organization based on rural municipal boundaries. As the united voice of agricultural producers and ranchers in Saskatchewan, we strive to represent the views of a wide variety of agricultural stakeholders in order to form comprehensive policies that can benefit all sectors of society. APAS is a member of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture.
