Ag policies called biased toward grain

When Martin Unrau was president of the Canadian Cattle Association about a decade ago, he frequently delivered the same message to politicians and bureaucrats in Ottawa.

It was simple: government shouldn’t favour one sector within agriculture over other sectors.

Most of the time, whoever was listening would nod and agree, but nothing would happen.

The policies of picking winners would continue.

“For years, government policies have given advantages to one sector over another,” said Unrau, who runs a 600 head cow-calf farm near MacGregor, Man., with son Garett, wife Roxie and daughter-in-law Heidi.

The year 2015 was just before a national election – which have major influences on policy paths, administration goals, and how farmers feel about their future.