A convoy of tractors, combines and other farm machinery will make its way slowly down Highway 39 between Weyburn and McTaggart, Monday, as local producers "unite to save agriculture."

The slogan on posters and pamphlets circulating around Weyburn refers to the movement within the farming community to form a united front - a common voice that says the agriculture crisis has to be addressed, says rally organizer Darcy Sidloski.

"Our objective is not to block traffic," he said. "Our objective is to draw attention to the situation here on the farm that something has to be done."

Sidloski says the recent $25 an acre top-up of Crop Insurance was a start, but only deals with the problem of unseeded acres.

"The bigger problem is the whole commodity price situation, the cost of inputs and the fact that we can't control the price of grain - we can't pass our costs onto anyone else like other businesses do."

The rally comes just days after the federal government released income forecasts which show Saskatchewan farmers will be $49 million in debt in 1999, even with payments from the AIDA program - the lowest income levels since the 1930s.

Sidloski was present at a rally held July 16 near Moosomin, and says the majority of motorists passing by that convoy were sympathetic to their cause. Organizers plan to run the Weyburn rally in a similar fashion - with a police escort present for safety as the convoy travels back and forth between Weyburn and McTaggart from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Farmers will gather their equipment at 8:30 a.m. immediately west of the Main Track Cafe truckstop. After brief statements by rally organizers and the RCMP, the convoy will head out. Participants plan to hand out pamphlets to passing motorists.

The Weyburn rally will be held in conjunction with eight similar events under the guidance of the Bengough Rally Group across the province, including one at the junction of Highways 6 and 13.

"The main point is to show it doesn't matter where farmers are, they have the same ideas. We're giving notice to the government that farmers are not happy and they want change," said Bengough Rally Group leader Bob Thomas.

The group has been active for months organizing meetings and rallies throughout the province. Thomas said a meeting in Regina Monday between farmers, Deputy Premier Dwain Lingenfelter and Agriculture Minister Eric Upshall was productive, but didn't quell the need for more protests.

The meeting was called quickly after members of the Bengough Rally Group threatened to stage a sit-in at the Legislature until Premier Roy Romanow agreed to speak with them. Romanow was out of town.

Lang area farmer Bryon Prieb (a Weyburn rally organizer) was one of about 25 producers present.

Prieb said at the end of discussions about government programs, rising costs of production and low commodity prices, several resolutions were agreed upon to show farmers and the provincial government were on the same page.

"We wanted to make sure we could become one on the issues, to better pressure Ottawa," said Prieb. "We want to get along with the government of the day rather than fighting."

A number of the resolutions identified the need for any future agriculture support dollars to come from the federal government, based on the arguments that only the national treasury has the resources to address the problem, other national treasuries subsidize their industries, and the federal government has saved funds through major cuts to transportation assistance and farm safety nets, which have contributed to the financial problems faced by farmers.

"In the end we acknowledged the fact that through Free Trade and the WTO (World Trade Organization) farmers have lost the crow benefit and the two-price wheat system, and this should be returned to farmers if they cannot get a better deal on the table," said Thomas.

The group continues to maintain the need for an $80-per-acre payment for farmers.

"I think that's an appropriate figure to start from. It doesn't even cover what's been taken away from us the last five years. That will take care of debts and put the crop in for the next year," agreed Sidloski.

Sidloski expects a very large turn out at the Weyburn rally, despite the fact the event is being held on a holiday.