The western producer september 7, 2017

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2017

VOL. 95 | NO. 35 | $4.25

GETTING HELP FROM MARS | P58

SERVING WESTERN CANADIAN FARM FAMILIES SINCE 1923

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WWW.PRODUCER.COM

ONE LOAD DOWN, MANY MORE TO GO

WEATHER WOES

Dry pastures, fields may go into winter parched Soil moisture tapped out BY ED WHITE WINNIPEG BUREAU

Aug. 31 was a great day for harvesting, with blue skies and late summer heat. But while that was a terrific situation for thousands of grain growers driving combines across western Canadian fields, it was just another day of anxiety for Shane Jahnke. “I’m a cattle guy. I need rain,” said Jahnke, whose Gouldtown, Sask., pastures and hay lands are parched after the summer drought. While grain growers in the dry zones, which cover a significant proportion of the southern prairies, likely aren’t cursing the sunny skies as they combine their crops, their attitude was harsher during the midst of the growing season, with their crops losing yield potential as dryness stretched from spring onwards.

Lana Malmberg, left, and daughter Sydney, watch wheat transfer from their combine to a grain truck driven by Eugene Malmberg near Herronton, Alta., Aug. 24. | MIKE STURK PHOTO

AGRICULTURAL IMPACT

Tax reform protest heats up

SEE DRY FIELDS, PAGE 5

u|xhHEEJBy00001pzYv.:; SEPTEMBER 7, 2017 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Box 2500, Stn. Main, Saskatoon, SK. S7K 2C4

BY ED WHITE

Farmers have joined with allies from across the country to fight the federal government’s proposed tax changes, ones many say could threaten the future of the family farm. It’s an attempt to pressure a Liberal government that might or might not understand the practical implications the changes could have on farm income, succession and family dynamics. “Farmers and others who are concerned about these changes need to make these Liberals understand that there will be a very steep political price,” said Jason Kenney,

If there’s enough volume and a big enough constituency opposed to changes, I think they can be defeated. JASON KENNEY, FORMER CONSERVATIVE CABINET MINISTER

the former senior federal Conservative government cabinet minister, long-time member of Parliament, and leading Alberta opposition member. “If there’s enough volume and a big enough constituency opposed to changes, I think they can be defeated.” According to numerous tax, succession and accounting experts,

the proposals could substantially increase the tax farmers pay and could penalize farmers for trying to keep their farms within the family by establishing farm companies or using other vehicles to transfer land ownership. People can comment on the proposals until Oct. 2. Farm organizations have been quick to join the Coalition for Small

Business Tax Fairness fighting the proposals, with the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, Canadian Pork Council, Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, Canadian Association of Farm Advisors, Canadian Horticultural Council, Grain Farmers of Canada and Grain Farmers of Ontario becoming founding members. Provincial governments are also becoming involved, with the prairie provinces’ finance ministers taking the lead but each province’s agriculture minister also stepping forward to point out what they see as possible threats to farmer viability. SEE TAX REFORM, PAGE 4

PRECISION AGRICULTURE: Cellular connection | P.55

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The Western Producer is published in Saskatoon by Western Producer Publications, which is owned by GVIC Communications Corp. Publisher: Shaun Jessome Publications Mail Agreement No. 40069240

Groups band together to voice opposition to proposed changes seen as a threat to family farms WINNIPEG BUREAU

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