APAS Calling For Some Flexibility For Producers

The Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan is calling for some understanding and flexibility for farmers and ranchers dealing with the impacts of the drought.

President Todd Lewis says it's a challenging time for producers with the lower than expected yield prospects and higher feed costs for the livestock industry, producers may have difficulty meeting repayment deadlines.

"You know, there's going to be grain producers that are going to have trouble paying their bills going into next spring, and there's also the issue of forward contracts. There's been a lot of contracts signed, you know over the last six months that won't be filled. We're gonna have producers that are gonna have to violate these contracts, negotiate with grain companies, on how best to put off the delivery for those."

He notes as with any contract, it would be wise for producers to consult a lawyer.

For years, APAS has been advocating for standardized contracts in Canada to ensure the documents are fair for all parties involved.

Lewis is encouraging financial institutions, cash advance administrators, suppliers, and buyers to recognize these conditions and help provide some flexibility for producers.

"Want to see as much support and transparency from both grain companies and input suppliers when dealing with producers. At the same time, it's on the producers to keep those lines of communication open too. Nobody likes a surprise, and it's time to start talking about this now and not later. "