A gift for nerdnuts99,

[skhadenuf]

Author Topic: I guess it's time for another Agstability rant...
kato posted Jul 8, 2010 12:04
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Just got off the phone with the Agstability/Aginvest/Aggravation program people.

Unbelievable!

I called them to see why they forgot to send us our 2008 Agrinvest statement. Yes, I said 2008. They didn't forget, THEY HAVEN'T SENT IT OUT YET! This is two years old for Pete's sake. I could not believe what I was hearing. She had no idea when it would be sent, and for sure no idea about 2009.

And the administration costs on this program are what????

But that was only the beginning. While I had her on the phone, I asked what the progress was on our 2009 Agristability application. No progress. What a surprise. After all, they've only had it for three months now. She said to wait at least a month before I check back on the website to see if they've opened it up yet.

Here's the real kicker. Apparently not one single 2009 Agstability file has been completed so far.

I repeat. NOT ONE.

This is July. They probably have applications sitting there from February, and those early ones very likely belong to people who filed early because they needed the money. And they still sit and wait with no idea of what will happen when it's finally done.

And the administration costs on this program are what????

This is just ridiculous. It really gives me a bad feeling when I think of just how desperately people are looking for emergency help from all the flooded farmland and unseeded crops. How can anyone expect emergency help to come within a reasonable time frame when ongoing programs that already have staff and procedures set up cannot be done in less than a couple of years?

You look at the news and see all that farmland under water in Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba, and then see the politicians talking up all the help that's coming, and you really have to wonder when it will ever show up.
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coppertop posted Jul 8, 2010 22:31
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Kato the sad part of this is that urban
folk think this program is the great white
hope for the agriculture industry.

Sounds to me like someone needs to get the
ear of Ag friendly media.
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smcgrath76 posted Jul 8, 2010 23:36
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LOL..."we are not supposed to farm our
mailbox" in the words of G. Ritz on my
news last night. and besides AGRIRECOVERY
will solve all of the problems that
AGRISTABILITY may have overlooked.
Or a better option would be for government
to get serious about agriculture and
actually trying to win votes through
accountability (wishful thinking)...
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grassfarmer posted Jul 9, 2010 9:24
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Problem is they don't need to earn the votes Sean, it's easy to see that rural voters will elect whoever or whatever is wearing a blue suit. We reap what we sow.

Kato I'm surprised you have trouble getting the notices sent out - we have no problem with them - and the program invoices. I was trying to help them "beat the rush" this year by sending my 2009 completed forms in April rather than September. They were received but are sitting there still unlooked as far as I can tell.
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rkaiser posted Jul 9, 2010 12:50
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Call them and pester them. They are working for you and you might be surprised what a kind (or salesman like)LOL voice looking for the good in a government employee can accomplish. Got mine in right after taxes and already received my "you don't qualify for benefits" letter. However, the gal asked a few questions about last years application and I got a bump up for 2008.. Whooppee.
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kato posted Jul 9, 2010 13:56
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Randy, you may have gotten the only letter. I sent mine in at the same time, and she told me not to even check back for at least three or four weeks. Even a you do not qualify letter is better than nothing, because at least then you know what's going on.

The girl I talked to didn't know about any completed applications. Maybe they get processed in a different office? Ours are done in Winnipeg, and the girl I talked to sounded as frustrated as I was.
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[skhadenuf]

It doesn't matter who that you talk to there is a constant stream of admin nightmares that not very many employees at Cais care about, I've talked to a few that really tried to fix problems I had, but they even became frustrated after the file got shuffled and forgotten by the next step of so many unnecessary time consuming and expensive administration.
I hope you people above don't mind I transferred your comments to this marketing, there are some that frequent here that blindly defend this inefficient elephant.
I really should have asked your permission to transfer the posts also!

[Wheatking]

I just did some rough math and agri-stability has a budget of 1.083 billion dollars, that works out to be 6.50 for every acre seeded in Canada. Crop insurance has a budget of 173 million which works out to 2.70 per acre in sask.

So instead of adding programs that are a bureaucratic nightmare and only add jobs in Winnipeg and now Melville, would we not be better if the govt just added this $9.20/acre to our agri-invest accounts.

With this we would be able to get rid of all the administration and headaches involved, and we would essentially be able to self insure. I realize that these numbers are pretty simplistic and don't take everything like livestock etc... into account, I am just throwing it out there. I also realize there would have to be a transition program but after a few years most farmers would have $100/acre in their agri-invest accounts and would essentially be able to self insure. No more whining, no more of the neighbour's or neighbouring province's farmers complaining about others getting more. Simple and fair.

[checking]

Simple and fair. Are you suggesting we move the whining from the country to the cities?

Okay, what do you suggest we do for the folks in Winnipeg and Melville so that they receive their simple and fair?

[Hopperbin]

I was still happy when I could bitch at the accountant. This don't look good.
I didn't take crop ins or hail because the agristability insures me well and their goal was to have checks mailed out within 3 months of receiving the applications, something went terribly wrong here.

[wd9]

You know in ottawa a few years ago the question was floated about an audit by the GG. Maybe its time to revisit that. But seriously this time.

[sewen]

Hopperbin you said "I didn't take crop ins or hail because the agristability insures me well".

Now why should you be insured to the same extent as someone who pays premiums for their insurance?

[sewen]

Personally I feel farmers know the risk of growing a crop and if you choose not to purchase insurance and then have a weather related problem you should be on your own to cover that loss.

[bucket]

To a degree I agree except when its a 1 in 500 year rain event.

Those guys outside of crop insurance knew full well what they were doing. And many of them had no problem rubbing their neighbors noses in it when they had no premium to pay.

[sewen]

1 in 500 year event or not the ones that choose to pay a premium should get a bigger payment.

[Hopperbin]

Sewen your implying that I do not pay a premium and for another thing your crop ins. premium doesn't pay for squat either.

[tipsy]

You know skhadenuf and wheatking, I think the 3 of us,with a riders game, a box of great-western, a bottle of mr. bacardi could easily design and draft a farm program that would be cost effective for the feds and province, easily managed, provide adequate assistance to you and your neighbors farm if and when needed. Would come with a premium, be voluntary to enroll. AND may not charge for our service.

[skhadenuf]

Just one box of beer, what about the other 3 quarters? Just kiddin, I think your right tipsy the solutions aren't as complicated as some want all to believe. Have a good one! Nice to see more people expressing their opinions! How about that game yesterday in B.C.!!!!! Just gotta keep that 13th man off the field, and the grey cup is in the bag! LOL!!!!

[skhadenuf]

Hopper, I don't think you will be happy when you see what you get at the end of the day from Agristability.

You most likely will have a "deemed benefit" calculated at the 70% level on all crops as if you would have taken crop insurance anyway.

So in that case, you claim that by taking crop/hail insurance is pointless because it pays didly squat anyway.

As I see it in your circumstances, by not paying your premium you will pay dearly for something you didn't receive.

Those in crop insurance will be fortunate enough to have received as high as $90 for acres seeded, flooded out and unable to reseed.

And remember, those acres are not insurable, so other than the seeding/insurance intensity deductibles, there is not cost.

And for the all the rest, including Skhadenuf, I'm not defending the program, its just what we have to work with