PEI farmers struggle with new environmental rules

Montague, PEI - Farmers may welcome government recognition of their environmental contributions but were struggling over the confusion of new rules coming this spring during a regional meeting of the Prince Edward Island Federation of Agriculture here Thursday (Jan. 8).

Theres a lot of mistrust about the intentions of the Department of Environment within the farming community and this is generating even more misinformation, said Mike Nabuurs of the federation.

Farmers turned out at the Kaylee Hall for the first regional meeting that focused on a number of issues, but especially the ALUS program that will compensate farmers for good environmental practices and land taken from use

Its clear here tonight the Department of Environment has some explaining to do, said Nabuurs. These new regulations were made effective this fall without any consultation with farmers.

The Commission on Agriculture Report earned thumbs up with most in the audience but many insisted that most reports end up collecting dust instead of being implemented.

It will be very important for government to move quickly on some of the recommendations in the report to gain the agriculture communitys confidence, Nabuurs said.

Farmers said the tax policy and access to capital items could be implemented quickly and demonstrate government support. The federation is supportive of the commission report but swift action will be crucial to its success.

Resolutions at the annual general meeting upcoming in New London on Jan. 30 are many, but top priority is the lack of enforcement with the Farm Organizations and Farms Registration Funding Act which oversees registration in a farm group.

Many farmers pressed for answers on why some farmers should abide by the law while huge loopholes offer an escape for others.

Theres no political will to enforce it and that has to change, said Nabuurs. If farmers do not pay one of the two farm organizations, the farmer would no longer have access to a fuel tax number thereby losing tax free fuel for farm use.

Nabuurs said without enforcement farm organizations do not have a stable source of funding and government is turning a blind eye.

Other resolutions forthcoming include the review of the Crop Insurance Act on PEI, the alternative energy policy plan to return energy created on the farm back to the grid and getting credit, expansion of the PNP (immigrant investment) program for access to agriculture and the review of a taxation policy to be competitive with neighbouring provinces. The Guardian