Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) held its Spring Advisory Council meeting Thursday.

President Bill Campbell highlighted some recent success stories.

"We have continuously called for improvements to AgriStability and we know that removing the reference margin limit is welcome news to many producers. This change will simplify the program and effectively lower the payment trigger to lower cost operations. While this is not a comprehensive solution, it is a bridge as we continue to call for improvements to the next Canadian ag partner framework."

Campbell highlighted another positive.

"There is a provincial government's decision to begin to phase out the education property tax. We have advocated for the complete removal of education taxes from all property including agricultural lands and production buildings. Farmers pay a disproportionate amount of education property taxes and until the tax is completely removed they will continue to pay more than their fair share."

The meeting also included a presentation from Manitoba Hydro and another one focusing on mental health.

The following resolutions were passed at the meeting:

1. Land Title Information – District 6

Resolved, THAT KAP lobby the Government of Manitoba to request that those conducting public research be provided access to bulk land titles data.

2. Awareness Campaign – District 6

Resolved, THAT KAP work with provincial agriculture organizations and the Canadian Federation of Agriculture to create a campaign that would raise awareness of the importance of young people remaining in rural communities.

3. Farm Industry Board Transparency – District 6

Resolved, THAT KAP lobby the Government of Manitoba to require the Manitoba Farm Industry Board’s decision-making processes and conclusions to be public.

4. Manitoba Conservation Parks and Natural Areas Agricultural Land Lease Program – District 6

Resolved, THAT KAP lobby the Government of Manitoba to change the bid system in the Manitoba Conservation Parks and Natural Areas Agricultural Land Lease Program to a draw or lottery system where there is an agreed upon price per acre.

5. Responsible Grain Code of Practice Consultation – District 1

Resolved, THAT KAP continue to participate in the Responsible Grain Code of Practice consultations and continue to engage with and seek feedback from producers to inform KAP’s comments.

6. Individual Productivity Indexing (IPI) – District 1

Resolved, THAT KAP lobby Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation and Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development for an option for producers to submit proof online or by mail of a documented loss within the past five years that would only adjust a producer’s IPI; and, be it further

Resolved, THAT KAP lobby Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation and Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development to adjust the Harvested Production Report to allow producers to submit evidence and documentation of losses online.

7. Mandatory Entry Level Training (MELT) Funding – District 6

Resolved, THAT KAP lobby the Government of Manitoba to create long term funding for Mandatory Entry Level Training to assist agricultural workers in acquiring their Class 1 license.

8. Fertilizer Prices – District 3

Resolved, THAT KAP investigate the cause of high fertilizer prices in 2021.

9. Priority Vaccination for Critical Infrastructure and Essential Service Workers, Including Employees at Meat Processing Plants – Manitoba Pork Council

Resolved, THAT KAP advocate, as COVID-19 vaccines are distributed across Manitoba, for granting priority vaccine access to workers employed in critical infrastructure and essential services, including meat, egg, and all other food processing plants.

10. Support for Provincial Legislation Aimed at Biosecurity Improvement – Manitoba Pork Council

Resolved, THAT KAP support efforts by the Government of Manitoba to improve the ability of

Manitoba’s farmers and ranchers to improve biosecurity, including support for Bill 62 (The Animal Diseases Amendment Act) and Bill 63 (The Petty Trespass Amendment and Occupiers’ Liability Amendment Act).

11. Ongoing Advocacy for AgriStability Reform – Manitoba Pork Council

Resolved, THAT KAP continue to advocate for acceptance of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s proposed solutions to improve the AgriStability program, including raising the program’s payment rate from 70% to 80%.

12. Support Recommendations from the Office of the Auditor General to Improve Animal Disease Preparedness – Manitoba Pork Council

Resolved, THAT KAP support the January 2021 recommendations of the Office of the Auditor General on animal disease preparedness and work in collaboration with commodity organization members to develop practical responses that would see the recommendations implemented.

13. Critical Agriculture Infrastructure – Manitoba Pork Council

Resolved, THAT KAP support the Government of Manitoba’s and Government of Canada’s efforts to protect the ongoing operations of critical agriculture infrastructure (e.g., railways and meat processing plants), including support for Bill 57, The Protection of Critical Infrastructure Act.

14. Recovery Strategy for Fascicled Ironweed – District 4

Resolved, THAT KAP lobby Environment and Climate Change Canada to focus the recovery strategy for Fascicled Ironweed to natural riparian areas along the Rat River Basin.

15. Non-Native Endangered Species – District 4

Resolved, THAT KAP lobby Environment and Climate Change Canada to eliminate any efforts to protect non-native endangered species.