Saskatchewan group speaks on a farmer’s right to repair

Dec 07, 2022

The president of the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS) spoke to amendments to the Copyright Act before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry and Technology yesterday.

Ian Boxall said Bill C-244 is important because it speaks to a producer’s right to repair farm machinery. A key principle in the bill is to allow farmers access to the software and computer programs being used in their equipment.

“Our machinery has become more technically advanced in the last few decades and has made us world leaders in sustainability, growing the most sustainable food, fuel, and fibre. We are 30 years ahead of everyone else,” Boxall added. “This, however, means that we have very high machinery costs, and we need to be able to fix our own machinery so we can control our costs and get back to work.”

Boxall told the committee Saskatchewan has the largest farms, and the shortest growing season in the country which means time is important.

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Video: Residue Management

Residue Management conservation practice manages the amount, orientation, and distribution of crop and other plant residue on the soil surface year-round while limiting soil-disturbing activities used to grow and harvest crops in systems where the field surface is tilled prior to planting. This video explores how Ryan McKenzie implemented this conservation practice on his farm in Samson, Alabama.

Practice benefits:

• Increases organic matter

• Improves air quality

• Decreases energy costs

• Reduces erosion

• Improves soil health

The Conservation at Work video series was created to increase producer awareness of common conservation practices and was filmed at various locations throughout the country. Because conservation plans are specific to the unique resource needs on each farm and also soil type, weather conditions, etc., these videos were designed to serve as a general guide to the benefits of soil and water conservation and landowners should contact their local USDA office for individual consultation.