Political Parties Avoid Addressing Alternative Land Use Services

October 8, 2008

Part five of a five-part series

Winnipeg – Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP), Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS), and Wild Rose Agricultural Producers (WRAP) sent a five-part election questionnaire to the Conservative, Green, Liberal, and NDP party leaders in September. The farm organizations, representing producers in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta, were looking at priority areas for agriculture prior to the upcoming election. The four parties were asked to clearly outline their plans regarding five areas critical to rural voters: the environment, farm input prices, transportation, producer payment security, and working with farm organizations.  

Continuing this week APAS, KAP, and WRAP will be sharing the responses received from each party to five specific questions presented. This will provide Prairie voters the opportunity to examine the party platforms before casting their ballots in the election on October 14.

All three organizations were pleased to see the prompt and positive responses received from three leaders and their recognition of the importance of agriculture to our national economy and unique Canadian identity. Today the parties outline their positions regarding Alternative Land Use Services (ALUS). (Party responses are presented below in the order they were received.)

Canada needs a government that supports agriculture, and also implements the policies that reflect that support. KAP, APAS, and WRAP want to see a move towards a long term plan that ensures producers’ sustainability—both financially and environmentally. In this election, agriculture must be a priority and all parties are encouraged to clearly communicate their goals to farmers and the rest of the industry.

For more information, please contact:
Ian Wishart, KAP President. Cell: (204) 856-6964.
Don Connick, APAS President. Cell: (306) 672-8208.
Humphrey Banack, WRAP President. Cell: (780) 679-4449.
Kristen Lucyshyn, KAP Communications. Office: (204) 697-1140.
Nial Kuyek, APAS General Manager. Office: (306) 789-7774 (ext. 229)

Backgrounder:

2008 Election Questionnaire Responses to Question Five

The Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS), Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) of Manitoba and Alberta’s Wild Rose Agricultural Producers (WRAP) sent an election questionnaire to the Conservative, Green, Liberal, and NDP party leaders in September. The four parties were asked to clearly outline their plans regarding five critical areas: the environment, farm input prices, transportation, grain payment security, and working with farm organizations. Today the parties outline their plans for programs and strategies to protect the environment and promote alternative land use services.  (Party responses are presented in the order they were received.)

 “The health of our environment is consistently listed as a top priority by Canadians.  Farmers can deliver environmental services, but only if the right programs and incentives are put in place by government. 

  Farmers want a national Alternative Land Use Services (ALUS) program to help them become better landscape managers. Will your government implement a national ALUS program as an environmental priority?” 

Liberal Party of Canada

“Under The Green Shift, a new Liberal government will provide $900 million in green tax incentives to help the agriculture, forestry, trucking and fisheries industries invest in cleaner technology, reduce their carbon emissions and save money.

This includes $400 million in Emissions Reduction Credits, a $250 million Green Farms Fund and a $250 million Green Fisheries and Transportation Fund. 

Emission Reduction Credits will encourage and reward industries that are achieving verified reductions in non-energy greenhouse gas emissions. They will provide an immediate financial incentive for practices such as minimum-till farming and carbon storage.

The $250-million Green Farms Fund will support research in, and provide rebates on, green farm technologies that reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

Similarly, the new Green Fisheries and Transportation Fund would provide $250 million in rebates and incentives for investments in technologies and upgraded equipment that reduce fuel consumption, such as anti-idling power devices for the trucking industry and on-shore power facilities for the fisheries industry. 

In addition, the Liberal’s Green Rural Credit will be worth $150 for every rural Canadian tax filer, regardless of whether they currently pay any federal income tax, which will be paid up front and in full each year.”

Green Party of Canada

“In order to maintain a strong agricultural sector it is necessary to preserve the land that is so essential to our food production. The present system necessitates the rampant abuse of resources; resulting in soil depletion, water contamination and unsanitary conditions for livestock.

The Green Party of Canada would move to provide farmers with the means to decrease their ecological footprint while being able to earn a living off their land. 

Therefore a Green government would:

NDP

“While federal New Democrats have not developed a formal policy concerning Alternative Land Use Services, an NDP government would be open to considering such a proposal and looks forward to meeting with farmers to discuss this initiative and others.”

Conservative Party

APAS, KAP, and WRAP sent identical questionnaires to all parties requesting a response by Friday, September 19, and that deadline was extended to Friday, September 26. To date we have not received a response from the party.