4 billion for a few farmers/corporations announced today

[bucket]

Only a few short months ago the ag minister said in writing they have no plans for major expansion projects....

So what has happen to fund this development at 6250 an acre for just the mainline...

And why cant the people benefitting pick up the 22 million in study costs...

This is from an ag minister who cant and won't support dryland farmers and ranchers through agri recovery or up the margin rates to 85 per cent...


Its pretty obvious they had the money to take reference margin to 100 percent if they chose to...

[fjlip]

Soon as I heard the news, I knew this would BURN a few 1000 farmers. Talk about picking winners and losers! IF this pays well then pony up and invest! I think this same area need DRAINAGE not irrigation this year. Lentils are way over irrigated from the sky. Need to inform/wakeup our MLA's!

[helmsdale]

There are currently water rights assigned for an irrigation scheme around my father in laws. They keep doing studies at the governments expense to show "progress" on the project, so that the water cant be allocated elsewhere.

Most all the players that will benefit are in support of the project, but not a one wants to pony up their share of the project. My FIL couldn't care less about the whole project. Hes perfectly content to grow durum, lentils, and chicks. The majority of the irrigable dirt is heavy gumbo that can grow a respectable dryland crop on 4-5" of growing season moisture.

The acreage isnt large enough to support a sugar plant, or french fry facility. Yet its sold as a HUGE BOOM for the area economy... I dunno, guaranteeing those inches of rain at crucial stages would be nice, but those become INCREDIBLY expensive inches, unless the governments paying for it.

[bucket]

Let me inform you people of the Riverhurst Irrigation project that was put in place 30 years ago....

It is receiving 40 dollars an acre for the next 5 years ...200 bucks an acre and that won't end....it is not self sustaining...it will be on the government tit for decades...




500 million announced for phase one. today...for 80000 acres is 6250 an acre for main water supply....taxpayers will fund this...it will never pay...unless they put performance standards of growing a high value crop on the land...farmers won't do it on their own...never.

The 80000 acres that will benefit from this project on the west side ...maybe the government should go ask the farmers for $281 an acre to do the engineering study because my farm will never see a benefit from it...never. 22.5 million/80000 acres is $281 an acre for the study.

If there was a remote ROI on these projects why is the government still funding them??????

[bucket]

The quappelle south project willl need 50000 acres of drainage to make it viable because they are already growing 70 bpa durum crops in the area when they don't flood out...and have potholes everywhere....


You would think the dryland farmers would implement the tiling before the pivot showed up....they won't....know why....its 1000s of dollars an acre.

[bucket]

As a dryland farmer I am expected to increase my production with natural rainfall and tough shit if it doesnt happen....

Meanwhile potential irrigators will be subsidized to grow the same crop mix as I grow with government help while being guaranteed the water they need to grow it...

Worse yet as mentioned in an opinion piece in the WP...well stated ...irrigation is growing dryland crops in Saskatchewan ....its a flawed thought process.

But no one is reporting that...just that 4 billion will be spent ....yippee...ROI not likely...

This is worse than subsidizing the dairy industry or bombardier.

[bucket]

Maybe some of you guys could read the opinion from R.A. Halliday in the WP this week ....he has some knowledge of this ...

Every one likes an expert opinion...

My opinion doesn't count because I use a cheap calculator....

[seldomseen]

So the Government will spend millions to help farmers that get the short end of the stick when it comes to rain but doesn’t care about all of the lost yield up here because of flooding and actually make it difficult or almost impossible for me to drain any of that water to make my land more productive. There is nothing as stupid as government! All governments!

[bucket]

My advice....

If you believe in irrigation....write the cheques....


If you don't ...write your MLA

[farmaholic]

So the Government will spend millions to help farmers that get the short end of the stick when it comes to rain but doesn’t care about all of the lost yield up here because of flooding and actually make it difficult or almost impossible for me to drain any of that water to make my land more productive. There is nothing as stupid as government! All governments!

If you're from Sask, your current Premier was Minister responsible for "SaskWater". Who oversees Conservation and Development projects..... Phone or write Moe.

[bucket]

BTW the bureaucrat in Regina said they are only spending 22 million on a study of the west side....not 4 billion as the press release said...he was just a bit stupid...

But go ask the people benefitting from this explosion of growth to pay for it...I am not interested...because history has proven it won't generate shit unless the taxpayer is always footing the bill.

[bucket]

How do all you dryland farmers who experience difficulties over the years not have or express your anger at shit like this....

When at the same time the AG minister says there are programs in place for production problems...

The programs don't work....and no dryland farmer receive thousands per acre in taxpayer funded infrastructure ....

[seldomseen]

If you're from Sask, your current Premier was Minister responsible for "SaskWater". Who oversees Conservation and Development projects..... Phone or write Moe.

I am no fan of Mr Moe and his stupid drainage policy's

[bucket]

This is a corrupt government. Period.

[jazz]

Anybody benefiting from irrigation should be barred from planting insured crops. They should be forced to grow potatoes and veggies on that land as a condition of the water.

Nobody is going to do that though because as we all know too well, growing something without marketing support for it is doomed to fail.