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PREMIERS CALL ON FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO ASSIST PRODUCERS AFFECTED BY FLOODED FARM LAND

Released on June 11, 1999

Saskatchewan Premier Roy Romanow and Manitoba Premier Gary Filmon

today jointly called on the federal government to take immediate steps

to help agricultural producers facing flooded farm land and inadequate

assistance in their respective provinces.



The premiers said the federal government must take immediate steps to:



address producers' call for payments on acres too wet to seed in

1999;



provide the support that was provided in other disaster

situations for cost incurred to replace lost inputs, maintain

property and restore productive assets;



fix the Agricultural Income Assistance Program to ensure it

provides effective safety net protection; and



loosen the NISA withdrawal rules to enable farmers to have

immediate access to their own NISA funds without penalty.



On the situation facing farmers in flooded regions of Saskatchewan and

Manitoba, the premiers noted that it is already long after farmers are

accustomed to having a crop in the ground and well on its way.



"There will be considerable acres not seeded even with good weather

from now on and it's time for the federal government to say, We're

here to help Saskatchewan and Manitoba farmers'," Romanow said. "The

situation in the affected areas is the worst flooding in memory."



"It is time for the federal government to commit effective

assistance to the farmers who are facing extreme income losses,"

Filmon said. "We have discussed several options with the federal

government to make AIDA more effective and ensure a proper level

of support for farmers who have had successive years of low

income."



Producers unable to seed will not be able to produce the income

necessary to cover their fixed costs or their living expenses.

They will also be forced to incur extra costs to keep the weeds

from taking over and to restore perennials such as alfalfa that

are lost due to flooding.



"Both Saskatchewan and Manitoba have repeatedly advised the

federal government that changes to AIDA need to be made in order

to provide effective assistance," Romanow said.



"The federal government must recognize the extent of the disaster

and provide much needed help for farmers who will not be able to

complete seeding," Filmon said.



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For more information, contact:



Anna Arneson Don Zazada, Deputy Minister

Media Services Manitoba Agriculture

Regina Winnipeg

Phone: (306) 787-0850 Phone: (204) 945-3734

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