Local producers and business people met with two federal party leaders last week with the hope they could exert some pressure on behalf of farmers in Ottawa.

Federal Progressive Conservative leader Joe Clark attended a gathering at the farm of Norm and Vi Flaten west of Weyburn, Wednesday, while Federal Reform leader Preston Manning was at a meeting at Allan Beach's farm south of Weyburn, Friday.

Clark made the trip out to the farm of Norm and Vi Flaten as part of a one-day tour of the southeast that culminated in a meeting in Carnduff. He spent about 45 minutes at the Flaten farm listening and responding to people's concerns. The need for a stable safety net program was one of the dominant issues.

"Long-term planning is not possible when we're talking about the political whim of the government," said McKague, who argued a disaster program is needed that can't be axed every time a new party takes power.

Clark agreed farmers need a program they can count on.

"This is an area (the Tory party) gave a high priority to maintain. In principle we are committed to returning to a GRIP-like (Gross Revenue Insurance Program) stabilization program. In a business like your's you have to be able to plan," he said.

He criticized the federal government for not providing that stability.

"I think there's a very basic problem with the current government and the priority it gives agriculture. I haven't been in a parliament where the priorities have been as low as this."

"I'm glad to hear you say you're putting agriculture a rung up the ladder, because we're getting the short end of the stick in Western Canada as far as agriculture is concerned," said Weyburn Inland Terminal chairman Claude Carles. "I hope you're not just giving us lip service. My main advice is that we don't need lip service, we need some action."

Farmer Alf Robinson told Clark he wasn't impressed with the federal government's position during trade talks.

"We sell on an international market and Canada is the only one that pays attention to GATT. We need a government with a backbone to stand up for Canadian farmers. We as individuals can't do it ourselves," Robinson said, referring Canada's abandonment of subsidies while the U.S. and European Union have continued to subsidize their farmers.

"We have to be as effective as possible at the international tables," Clark responded. "We need to look at the arrangements with other countries our size. We're not big enough to step aside from the rules, not as rich or powerful as the U.S. or the European Union. We're going to have to form some alliances within Canada, but with the diversity of producers, that's no easy task."

Local business people told Clark the cash crunch faced by farmers was starting to affect their bottom line.

"We see the results of accounts receivable and this is a real problem now. I makes life untenable for everyone. We're counting on farmers, so we need to keep the farming community healthy," said Mal Barber of Barber Motors.

Keeping the farming community healthy means keeping young people on the farm, Weyburn-area producer Mayvis Goranson told Clark. She said the recent weather disaster only underscores the crisis that has been building for years.

Goranson said after taking an aerial tour of the area recently "you can practically see the frustration in the fields. It's become a crazy quilt instead of a nice patchwork."

She asked Clark what governments on all levels could do to keep farming viable.

"Governments act in the context of popular will and knowledge. Part of what has to be done is to make the reality and the importance of agriculture and other resource industries known much more broadly," Clark said.

Two days after Clark's visit, Reform leader Preston Manning made a last-minute trip that included a tour of southwest Manitoba Thursday, the Weyburn meeting Friday morning, and a stop in the Stoughton area Friday afternoon.

About 40 farmers and business people showed up to talk to Manning for over an hour at the Beach farm. The media were not invited.

"What he wanted from the group was information that might make it possible for him to go to the feds and have this area declared a disaster," said Jack Giroux of Wey-Better Yeilds.

Disaster-area status, which was declared during the Red River Flood, could mean access to more funds for farmers, Manning told the group.

Manning also asked farmers to get specific about what they wanted from Ottawa, so he could hammer home a point that everyone agreed on.

"Certainly one of Mr. Manning's points was that farmers have to get together and speak with one voice - but I'm not sure how you would bring that about," said Alf Robinson, who organized the gathering.

"That was the reason for getting people together. A lot of people were speaking from the heart," he added.

Producers told Manning the flood situation acted as a catalyst to bring the farm income crisis to a head faster, since commodity prices have dropped and subsidy programs have been canned.

They talked about the inadequacies of AIDA and Crop Insurance, and that a revenue insurance program like GRIP, which was cancelled in 1992, should be brought back.

"The farmers at Weyburn were extremely articulate in explaining all the deductions in Crop Insurance. They did a much better job explaining their individual situations than I could," said Souris-Moose Mountain Reform MP Roy Bailey.

Bailey, who said he's been keeping Manning informed about the local situation all along, was caught off guard by the sudden trip.

"It was a surprise to me. My understanding was his schedule was so tight he wouldn't be here," Bailey said. "I'm glad he came because a lot of people here were asking 'Where is Preston Manning?'"

Bailey said it "did Manning good" to hear from people at the grassroots level, but was skeptical it would bring about real change.

"Visits from national leaders help. Quite honestly, from a personal level, I'm glad they came, but I have my doubts it will make much difference."