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HoC Ag Committee Hears AgriStability Doesn't Work

The Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan is continuing to push for changes to the AgriStability program.
 
On Friday, APAS President Todd Lewis took part in the House of Common's Standing Committee on Agriculture - Business Risk Management Review Hearings.
 
Lewis who was among the witnesses at the hearing told the group that the AgriStability program the way it is now doesn't work.
 
"We've done some work that would show that on an average Saskatchewan farm if canola would drop to, I believe, $6.35 a bushel under the current program. That would trigger over a $200,000 loss in revenue on an average Saskatchewan farm and all that would trigger would be a $2800 payment."
 
He says less than half the producers in Saskatchewan are actually enrolled in the AgriStability program.
 
"Currently the government would say AgriStability is there and will protect producers, but in fact when you do the math and do run some scenarios AgriStability in its current system is very, very poorly designed."
 
He notes in its current form it really doesn't support producers in the province, like livestock or grain and oilseed producers.
 
APAS would like to see the coverage levels for AgriStability move back up to the 85% level from the current 70% and reference margins removed.
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