Premier Scott Moe’s party promises to continue supporting and investing in the sector
Election day in Saskatchewan is less than a week away, with Premier Scott Moe and the Saskatchewan Party hoping to receive another mandate from voters.
With that at top of mind, Farms.com combed through the party platform to see what commitments the ag industry can expect with another Sask Party government.
As the incumbents, the party platform highlights work that the Moe government has already done for producers and the greater ag sector.
This includes:
- Re-establishing regional services for farmers after the NDP closed 31 regional offices.
- Increasing ag research funding, including $38 million in the 2024-25 budget.
- Launching the Saskatchewan Value-Added Agriculture Incentive, which supports new construction or expansion of value-added ag facilities.
The platform also mentions the Agriculture Talent Pathway, a new immigration stream designed to help people in the industry access the talent they need.
And in 2023, Saskatchewan’s agri-food exports reached $20.2 billion, surpassing the 2030 target.
The party’s platform, titled Our Plan, also highlights Sask Party accomplishments for rural Saskatchewan.
These include:
- Filling almost all of the 250 new health care positions in rural and remote communities,
- Investing almost $47 million for thin-membrane surface and rural highway improvements,
- Continuing to deploy fiber to rural Saskatchewan and expand SaskTel’s 5G wireless network to more communities.
The Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan released its election priorities earlier in the month.
“These priorities address critical issues facing producers, from program enhancements to infrastructure development,” Ian Boxall, president of APAS, said in a statement.
Examples of requests from the organization include:
- The creation of a cost-shared insurance option for livestock producers to provide financial security and stability,
- Targeted financial support for young farmers, and
- Revisions to PST policies to ensure competitive operating costs for farmers.
Farms.com already provided coverage of ag in the Saskatchewan NDP platform.
Election day is Oct. 28, but advanced voting is open.