Results from an online survey reveal that Canadian agricultural producers do not support proposed changes to seed royalties.
In late 2018, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency began consultations on the future of crop breeding in Canada. Two new models were proposed. Feedback was sought through a series of public meetings.
Producers have since been asked about the proposed changes via an online survey. This effort was coordinated by the Alberta Federation of Agriculture, the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan, and Keystone Agricultural Producers of Manitoba.
The survey was open from July 15 to Oct. 15. Over 1,000 producers contributed their comments. Fifty-three per cent of respondents were from Saskatchewan, 25 per cent from Alberta, 19 per cent from Manitoba, and three per cent of respondents came from other provinces.
Sixty-five per cent of respondents said end point royalties are not worth further consideration, while 66 per cent said the same of trailing contract royalties. Fifty-two per cent said additional options need to be considered.
“What we heard from producers is that they are not in a position to absorb extra costs,” said Todd Lewis, president of the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan in a press release. “As price-takers, farmers have little room in their margins for added expenditures. So there is little support for yet another expense to add our bottom lines.”
Consultations were put on hold back in the spring, but are expected to resume.
The survey results will be presented to the new federal agriculture minister.
