APAS calls for Livestock Tax Deferral Program

The Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan is calling on the federal government to trigger a Livestock Tax Deferral Program for 2022.

Vice-President Scott Owens says the west central and southwest portion of the province is dealing with the after effects of drought.

"A lot of the feed supplies were short going through the winter and are used up this spring. However, in a lot of the western areas of Saskatchewan, it's still pretty dry. Pastures haven't greened up and don't have the growth that our cattle producers were hoping for. So it's causing a lot of producers to have to liquidate some of their breeding stock, some if not all of their breeding stock."

Owens says its important producers know as soon as possible what tools they have to work with as it can help them make the decision when looking at having to cull animals.

"After the COVID-19 pandemic and the drought, the cattle industry is very much in a state of uncertainty. We need the federal government to show farmers they are supported during this challenging time."

Producers looking at rebuilding their herds or reentering the cattle business would need the assurance they can defer their income from emergency sales to preserve the operation for the coming years.

He notes producers dealing with dry conditions on the west side of the province would benefit from the program as would producers in the east in areas that declared disaster areas due to excess water.