REGINA — Saskatchewan provincial politicians on both sides of the aisle are voicing their concerns following news that the federal government is cutting funding to the Indian Head and Scott research farms.
At an announcement in Saskatoon Friday, Premier Scott Moe was asked about the funding cuts to the agricultural research facilities, and he made it known he did not like the idea.
“That’s unfortunate,” said Moe. “The federal government has highlighted that they’re going to make some reductions with respect to the public service. We would think that that’s likely not a good place in any way to make those reductions.”
He said the agricultural research stations in the province have “very much been a part of the development of some pretty ingenious, I would say, and innovative technologies. I think I harken back to some of the zero-till technology that is really providing in part some of the opportunity for Saskatchewan and Canada to be at the very centre of the most sustainable food production system on Earth.”
Moe said the cuts were in the wrong place and offered a suggestion to the federal government if it was looking for savings: removing the federal gun buyback program.
“There’s one province that is supportive, there are nine provinces that are non-supportive of that particular initiative, and I think more broadly we see Canadians are not supportive. So I think that might be an opportunity for some reflection.”
In a statement, provincial Agriculture Minister David Marit said the Government of Saskatchewan “is disappointed to learn about the significant cuts to agricultural research announced by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) on January 22 and 23.”
He said the closure of key research facilities and programs, along with the expected elimination of several hundred positions across Canada, “will save money in the short term but will jeopardize the sector’s continued global leadership in the long term.”
“Of special concern is the announced closure of the Indian Head and Scott, Saskatchewan, satellite research farms. We are concerned about the impact on the Saskatchewan producers who all benefit from this research. Even with a gradual shutdown and transfer of some research projects, many of these projects are multi-year and that work will be lost if they cannot be completed on site.”
Marit noted the Indian Head farm began operating in 1886 and Scott in 1910.
“By shutting them down, the federal government is closing the door on more than a century of scientific achievement and a future of continuing to solve crop and soil-related agricultural problems to help producers thrive.”
Wotherspoon calls for united front opposing cuts
At a news conference at the Legislature on Friday, Opposition finance critic Trent Wotherspoon spoke out against the “very serious impacts that would be caused by the planned cuts and closure to ag research and to the research farms here in Saskatchewan.”
He said he had been “meeting with producers and with seed growers. I had the chance to join an emergency meeting of those involved in this research, these seed growers and producers, this morning. I've been able to meet with the president of the Indian Head Agricultural Research Foundation.”
Wotherspoon also said he had spoken in recent days with the mayor of Indian Head.
“What's crystal clear is that the decision by the federal government to cut agricultural research in Saskatchewan and to close these research farms is clearly not in the interest of Saskatchewan, of producers, or the country, and they need to be reversed.”
Wotherspoon said the Opposition had written to and called on the federal agriculture minister days earlier, being “very clear that they needed to step back from that plan to cut ag research in Saskatchewan and to cause the closure of these research farms.”
“And we've been clear with the prime minister on that front, and we're here today just to reiterate the urgency on this front.”
Wotherspoon also said this was “the kind of issue that we need [Premier Moe’s] voice to.”
“We need to be a united and strong Saskatchewan voice on this front, and it's past time as well for Premier Scott Moe to step up and to join the call that we've been making and for us to stand united in Saskatchewan that these cuts and these closures need to be scrapped.”
Regarding the emergency meeting he attended, Wotherspoon said it included a large group of seed growers, producer organizations and researchers.
He said they were discussing the consequences of the cuts and closures, what was at stake with each of the sites planned for closure and what steps need to be taken next.
Wotherspoon said it “was really clear in all of that and in all of the meetings that I've had with others that these cuts need to be stopped, that the closure of these research farms need to be stopped, that there might be a thought that this is about efficiency.”
“But actually in the case of these cuts and these closures, it's anything but efficiency. It's actually harming the economic gains and devastating some of the research that's been so critical to producers and that will provide such serious returns moving forward. We know that crop research [has] an incredible return to the people of the province. One dollar in in crop research can provide $35 by way of a return.
"It's an incredible return on investment. There's varieties that are at stake right now and research that's at stake that's very important to this province and to producers and to Canada in the decades moving forward that would be compromised here.”
In the case of the Indian Head farm, Wotherspoon noted it has “led so many innovations and accomplishments,” including zero-till practices.
“And the economic returns for producers and for agriculture on that front have been huge of course, as well as the environmental benefits and soil health benefits that have been brought.”
On whether research could continue even if the cuts proceed, Wotherspoon said there had been “a bit of that discussion,” but that everyone is still seeking more information.
He stressed the urgency, noting that researchers, seed growers and producers are actively planning for the growing season.
“And again, it's not research that's portable and this is something to understand that it can't just be picked up and then taken to another site and location, so it's research that's lost.”
Wotherspoon said the message to the federal government is “to just recognize what's at stake here, to listen to that fuller picture,” and reiterated the need to “speak up with one voice here in Saskatchewan.”
“I call on the Premier to join us to make sure we're one voice, a united and strong voice from Saskatchewan to be clear that these cuts and closures harm agriculture and harm our economy here in this province and our country and that they're not in our best interests.”
– With files from Jon Perez
