Swift Provincial Action Needed Following Federal Tariff Relief Measures

Mar 26, 2025

Following the Canadian Government's announcement on March 22, 2025, offering increased AgriStability support to farmers, the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS) is urging the Saskatchewan Government for prompt action and financial aid. This comes in response to China's tariffs on canola oil, canola meal, and peas, which threaten Saskatchewan farmers' cash flow.

Bill Prybylski, APAS President, acknowledges the federal support and emphasizes that “The proposed enhancements to AgriStability are positive steps, but their impact for Saskatchewan producers depends entirely on the Government of Saskatchewan agreeing to and implementing these changes.”

APAS also expressed significant concerns regarding the immediate financial challenges facing farmers. “While AgriStability offers whole farm protection, payments are often received long after significant financial losses have occurred. Saskatchewan farmers will potentially have to borrow a lot of money in the interim to manage critical cash flow due to these market disruptions,” added Prybylski.

To address this urgent need, APAS has directly discussed options with the Honourable Kody Blois, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, to immediately increase the interest free portion of the Advance Payments Program (APP) to $350,000 as a rapid response measure to provide producers with crucial access to upfront capital in the face of this trade crisis and to assess if AgriInvest can be used to allow farmers access to capital. These immediate actions are essential to help bridge the gap while longer term support measures are being finalized and implemented.

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Video: How women saved agricultural economics and other ideas for why diversity matters | Jill J. McCluskey

Dr. Jill J. McCluskey, Regents Professor at Washington State University and Director of the School of Economic Science

Dr. McCluskey documents that women entered agricultural economics in significant numbers starting in the 1980s, and their ranks have increased over time. She argues that women have increased the relevance in the field of agricultural economics through their diverse interests, perspectives, and experiences. In their research, women have expanded the field's treatment of non-traditional topics such as food safety and nutrition and environmental and natural resource economics. In this sense, women saved the Agricultural Economics profession from a future as a specialty narrowly focused on agricultural production and markets. McCluskey will go on to discuss some of her own story and how it has shaped some of her thinking and research. She will present her research on dual-career couples in academia, promotional achievement of women in both Economics and Agricultural Economics, and work-life support programs.

The Daryl F. Kraft Lecture is arranged by the Department of Agribusiness and Agricultural Economics, with the support of the Solomon Sinclair Farm Management Institute, and in cooperation with the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences.