Beef Interest Pay-Down Program Details

While any support to the beef sector is welcome in these trying times it should be done in a fair and equitable manner and this program is not. The democratic principle of universality without discrimination, based on farmers contribution in beef production is missing.Many of the more productive farmers had to take on more long term debt after BSE without adequate compensation and are being discriminated against. The only real beneficiaries will tend to be those who need help the least and banks. This is contrary to accepted good governance and over time will tend to bring the administration into disrepute.The Federation as delivery agents are in a very difficult position and should not have been asked to legitimize the action of government in these circumstances. Pontius Pilot and Machiavelli lessons continue?

THis is a comment

while I also agree to some extent that any support should be welcome, this program missed the mark entirely. I was a member of the NSCP board when we were having discussions with Minister Parent and there was progress made towards a $2 million support program.You can argue the fine details until the cows all leave the province( and they are going) but we had a commitment for $ 2 million in direct support had the Conservatives maintained power longer. $2 million in targeted interest relief , spread over 3 years is nowhere near what we asked for or need. What it ammounts to is little more than an insult considering the loss and stress farmers have endured over the past 7 years with no real support over the last 4. Stress and loss caused by circumstances entirely out of our control.To accept this program is to accept the insult and I will not be bothering, rather I am selling off and reducing debt and plan to continue on MY way and avoid the stress of government programs & red tape.

This 2 million assistance programme is an insult to the beef farmers of this province and both the NSFA and the NSCPA were derlict in their duty to the farmers here in accepting the program and attempting to administer it.Bear in mind that this NDP government had just handed the Irvings a 5-6 million gift for a shipyard in shelburne that may produce at best around 100 jobs and had only a pittance for an agriculture sector that employs thousands.The wrongness of this governments priorities are so self evident that the farmers had a golden opportunity to make public relations hay and our leaders blew it completely.Shame on the government for abandoning agriculture but double shame on those who take dues from the farmers and sell them down the river. The rules for the distribution of this pittance are so restrictive that only a very few farmers will qualify or benefit from the programme the vast majority of us will have to go without and face the very real prospect of losing our lifes efforts.At times like these I am reminded of the It is apparent to me lines from an old poem "Ill fares the land to hastening ills a prey. Where wealth accumulates and men decay.Princes and lords may flourish or may fade. A breath can make them as a breath has made. But a bold peasantry their countries pride; Once destroyed can never be supplied."

I am a fifth generation farmer our ansestery goes back to the 1800,s I am the first that can,t make a living . I have spent the last 13 years going to Truro to NSCA and NSCP meetings served several years as vice pres and on the executive and at no time has the industry been this bad we have no markets and no price . We need this goverment to stand up and actuly do something for the beef farmers of this province we need acsess to markets and a fair price just like the milk industry everytime I buy a litre of milk I pay for the cost of production of this litre of milk and there is no milk on the shelves from Alberta let alone from any where else in the world . This program is very unfair our farm has 30,000 a year loses and this program might give us 1000.00 dollars and Minister of Agriculture tells me I guess you must not need it . The Federation and NSCP has welcomed this program with open arms so if you don,t like this program be sure to let them no and if you think it is a good program let them no to . Mike Horsnell

The pits stop , the rasta, the sacred.

Hi there, I dont know if I am writing in a proper board but I have got a problem with activation, link i receive in email is not working... http://www.nsfa-fane.ca/?9a693e696c2034fbd5be26b9eb0,

Hi there, I dont know if I am writing in a proper board but I have got a problem with activation, link i receive in email is not working... http://www.nsfa-fane.ca/?4db38d1a451938d88550725e96a,