Isn't this great????

[bucket]

As a dryland farmer how do feel about the irrigation infrastructure that was built with taxpayer's money....then handed over along with a 40 dollar an acre subsidy for 5 years .....AND this...


The provincial government is investing $2.5 million in travelling screens for the canal in the South Saskatchewan River Irrigation District.

[bucket]

When I went to a meeting it sounded like the districts would become responsible for their free infrastructure...

[bucket]

2.5 million over 41000 acres is a 60 buck an acre payment the irrigator isn't paying....the taxpayers are...

So after being given the asset they still are on the government tit....not surprising though ...most of the irrigators in this area had their farms given to them so expecting to pay for something is very foreign to them...

[Dr Tone]

How about splitting the investment for proper drainage around the swamps some of us farm in.

[bucket]

How about splitting the investment for proper drainage around the swamps some of us farm in.

Good question....when or if the Qu'appelle South project goes most of the 110000 acres would require drainage. ..

On land that currently produces 50bpa on dryland...

BTW wouldn't you guys find it odd that lentils are being grown under a pivot this year?

[bucket]

I have to ask this question.....what would 40 bucks an acre for 5 years mean to your farming operation as a dryland farmer?


And doesn't it seem odd that the people basically guaranteed a crop are the ones getting the highest subsidy?

And more government money spent on their operations to grow potato feed for cattle?????

And the best question ever.....How is it that they are using COVID 19 as an excuse for funding 2.5 million to canal rehabilitation ???????

[farmaholic]

I have to ask this question.....what would 40 bucks an acre for 5 years mean to your farming operation as a dryland farmer?

40 bucks an acre on rented land too for the dryland farmer? , at least that would pay a portion of the rent!

[bucket]

40 bucks an acre on rented land too for the dryland farmer? , at least that would pay a portion of the rent!

Would you keep renting?

These guys over 5 years are receiving 200 dollars an acre ...for some its over a million dollars worth of expenses the taxpayer is picking up the tab for....

To grow dryland crops under a pivot and some of the dryland nearby with the change in farming practices are growing just as good of crops....

When you hear an irrigation promoter talk about the economic benefits...just tell them they are full of shit...

If there is benefits the guys benefitting can pick up the tab...

It costs 2500 dollars to study if a quarter of land can be irrigated...most guys that want these projects cant cover the cost of that and want government funding...

If they cant afford the initial 15 bucks an acre ...how are they going to afford the 1500 to put a pivot up and operate??????

Qu'appelle South project cuts through some pretty good farmland that is selling for over 2000 an acre as is and has been for years....and it all has to be tiled before it could be irrigated....it almost has to be tiled for dryland farming.

[jethro456]

All you have to do is drive from Taber to Lethbridge to see the economic value of irrigation.
You can argue it’s not fair that only certain people benefit but to say it’s not great for the local economy is false. Potatoes, canola seed production, feedlots, ect. provide wealth for the farmer, but also benefit the economy as these plants employ a lot of people and provide tax revenue. These businesses are drawn to this area because of irrigation

[bucket]

All you have to do is drive from Taber to Lethbridge to see the economic value of irrigation.
You can argue it’s not fair that only certain people benefit but to say it’s not great for the local economy is false. Potatoes, canola seed production, feedlots, ect. provide wealth for the farmer, but also benefit the economy as these plants employ a lot of people and provide tax revenue. These businesses are drawn to this area because of irrigation

And the amount of government money sent that way....why are the people benefitting not picking up the tab????

Potatoes into feedlots????? The owners of the potatoes will be getting a nice agristability cheque for the lost value...

The canals in southern alberta have had government handouts a couple of times....

If they all depend on government money to become profitable ...then the same argument can be used for dryland farming.....unless I am missing something...

Every business you mentioned has been on the government tit ....I think you should redo the math...

Riverhurst Irrigation district in saskatchewan was built with government money then handed over to the district not too long ago...

They were paying 80 bucks an acre for water cost....on a 100 million dollar project in 1990 and 30 years to infill those projects returned zero ROI to the province...the interest cost on that project to the province would have meant 300 dollars an acre water charge just to pay the interest...and they never touched the capital project cost....

The farmers in this area were given the infrastructure and 40 bucks an acre ....and the government is still on the hook for some deficiencies after 30 years.....

its the equivalent of your dad giving you the farm and machinery while he still pays the expenses .....


If farmers that reap the so called benefits actually had to outlay the cost of even a portion of these projects ....they would all be bankrupt.....thats the real litmus test for projects...

And if handing money out to provide benefits to a select few...then shouldn't everyone be getting the same money...

I think my farm would benefit from a non taxable benefit of 40 bucks an acre every year from the government ...wouldnt yours??????

[bucket]

Between the 40 bucks an acre for 5 years and not having to pay for any capital infrastructure. ....it's pretty hard to say there is economic benefit when taxpayers are subsidizing these ventures....

You think dairy is subsidized. ....irrigation within the the 3 large districts is the highest subsidized farming in Canada. ...

Private irrigators receive SFA....nor do smaller districts. ..

[jethro456]

I’m not saying the government hasn’t supported the southern Alberta irrigation districts. They have and it definitely has benefitted some more than others.
But without irrigation, southern Alberta wouldn’t have major spud processing plants, sugar beet processing, hybrid canola production facilities, cattle packing plants, ect. There is major economic benefit there

[bucket]

I’m not saying the government hasn’t supported the southern Alberta irrigation districts. They have and it definitely has benefitted some more than others.
But without irrigation, southern Alberta wouldn’t have major spud processing plants, sugar beet processing, hybrid canola production facilities, cattle packing plants, ect. There is major economic benefit there

You have it wrong


without government money propping up irrigation and every industry associated with it.... southern Alberta wouldn’t have major spud processing plants, sugar beet processing, hybrid canola production facilities, cattle packing plants, ect. There is major economic benefit there...

Look at this objectively the whole thing is a welfare scam...


....meanwhile dryland farmers receive SFA.....

[bucket]

Just one other note....

Why do private irrigators not receive the same 40 dollars an acre?

I know of guys that have spent their own money to develop their systems....they receive nothing....and there would be real economic benefits from those projects because the capital outlay came from real risk takers not socialists disguised as "so called capitalists" on these bigger projects.

[poorboy]

You have it wrong


without government money propping up irrigation and every industry associated with it.... southern Alberta wouldn’t have major spud processing plants, sugar beet processing, hybrid canola production facilities, cattle packing plants, ect. There is major economic benefit there...

Look at this objectively the whole thing is a welfare scam...


....meanwhile dryland farmers receive SFA.....

So using your logic the railways should not have been built, because originally only a few used them and the government paid to get them in place. Highways should not have been built and surely not paved, because only a few used them and government paid again. Power to everyone the same thing. High speed internet to rural areas also the same thing.

All these things are either helping or contributing to diversification, industry and more jobs.

You bitch and complain that no one is doing anything to diversify western Canada and when they try with the irrigation, you bitch and complain about that also. A lot things that happen have long term potential and no, not everything works out.