As part of Saskatchewan Agriculture Month in October, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) released a report aimed towards showing the importance of the ag sector in the province.
The report states that 96 percent of small business owners believe a healthy ag sector is important to their businesses success overall.
CFIB spokesperson Marilyn Braun-Pollon said international trade was a significant topic for farmers, but they seem to be confident in the work the provincial government is doing.
“What we did find though that the majority of farmers have confidence in their provincial ministry of agriculture,” she mentioned. “More than eight in ten say they are confident the ministry is committed to improving the business climate in the agriculture sector.”
The information comes after a challenging harvest and international trade uncertainty which has producers feeling uneasy about the current ag climate.
One of the major worries farmers have voiced is the cost of the carbon tax. The federation wants the federal government to consider carbon tax exemptions for farmers who rely on natural gas or propane to complete tasks such as heating barns or drying grain.
“We’ve heard about the significant costs that farmers are incurring at a time when they can least afford it.”
The survey also saw farm members chime in. 94 percent of agri-business owners surveyed say they strongly agree producing safe and healthy food is important, while 98 percent say they have implemented ways to protect and preserve the environment.
