The interim chair of the group that's attempting to unite Saskatchewan farmers under one organization faced questions and doubts at a meeting in Sedley on Oct. 17.

Around 80 farmers from the RMs of Wellington, Francis, Weyburn, Scott and Fillmore gathered at the Sedley Gym Hall, along with municipal reeves and councillors, to hear from Terry Hildebrand of the Agriculture Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS).

The councils from Wellington and Francis arranged the meeting so ratepayers could make an informed decision about whether their RMs should pay the membership fee - 10 cents per acre, or half a mill on the agricultural assessment in the RM, whichever is lower.

Although several farmers were apprehensive about the funding and structure of APAS, they all agreed producers need to speak with one voice, said Hildebrand, who addressed questions and comments for over two hours.

"The theory we're working on is having a common ground. We are an industry of food producers that haven't had the priority we deserve. We've been left on the bottom rung. We're like the root of the plant - agribusiness makes money off of us, the root, but it doesn't take long when the root rots for the plant to fall over," he said.

APAS will run on an elected structure of 297 delegates, following the already established structure for rural municipalities. There will be 24 sub-district directors and six executive committee members elected, including a president and two vice-presidents.

An office has been set up at White City in the RM of Edenwold, and much of the office staff has been hired, including general manager Ron Tondevold and researcher Catherine Kerr, who until recently worked in Weyburn at the Southeast REDA office.

Throughout the province 68 RMs have committed funding to the group, and elections for an APAS representative are taking or have taken place in those RMs. The first annual meeting will be held Dec. 8 to elect the executive and discuss planning and policy. At that time Hildebrand says the group hopes to have 100 RMs on board, by traveling the province and promoting APAS at meetings like the one at Sedley.

Promoting agriculture from the producers' point of view through research and analysis of issues and proposed government legislation will be one of the goals of APAS, as well as lobbying governments, industry, the media and food consumers.

Hildebrand says APAS will use technology - through a web site, e-mail, and possible phone-in voting - to keep in touch with the grassroots of the association and feed farmers information coming from the group's research.

But several farmers at the meeting questioned how much influence they would actually have in APAS.

Francis farmer Ross McEwen said policy should be completely producer-driven, and was skeptical that an elected representative would be able to reflect the opinions of many farmers.

"I don't like the idea of giving a whole bunch of money to an organization where I don't have a vote. If I don't like an organization, I don't pay my dues," said McEwen, adding as a farmer he looks at worse-case scenarios when planning his crop, and will do the same when considering a new farm organization.

McEwen wanted to know if funding for APAS could be done on a check-off basis, similar to the way producers pay for membership in associations like the canola growers, wheat and barley growers, etc. Payment to these groups is automatically deducted from a farmer's cash ticket at the grain elevator, but the farmer can be reimbursed by contacting the organization and saying they want out.

Hildebrand explained that a check-off system takes about two years to put in place under current legislation, and said farmers don't have that much time. "When all the RMs get together, at 10 cents per acre, that's $7 million - $7 million is a lot of money, and I don't feel like you're giving us a lot of answers," McEwen responded.

"I'm going to ask you to get into a different mindset, sir," Hildebrand answered. "It's not $7 million for you or me, it's $7 million for us, for the industry. Let's try and put a voice together. Seven million is not a lot of money. Other industries put a lot more into promoting or protecting their industry."

Ron Seiferling of Lajord wanted to know what legislation the group would be regulated by, and what constitutional bylaws were in place to regulate the activities of the APAS executive and protect members.

"How are things going to be governed? These are the kinds of things we want to know," Seiferling said.

Hildebrand said APAS is officially a non-profit corporation, registered with the provincial corporations branch, and that bylaws and other governing structures would be determined by the elected members.

Francis farmer Richard Mois asked if a cost-control mechanism was in place to ensure the 10 cents per acre funding doesn't jump to $1 or $2 per acre without the approval of members.

"I don't believe the association will be able to raise the membership fee unfairly," responded Hildebrand. "The members won't let us. But if the association is getting the kind of results we think it could, maybe the members will let that happen."

Don McMorris spoke from a couple of perspectives - as the MLA for Indian Head-Milestone and a farmer in the Lajord RM.

"Sitting in the Legislature we see a lot of organizations go through. If we could have one group to speak for farmers it would make our job easier. Because right now this is not the case.

"As the opposition, our office is filled every week with different groups - the flax growers, elk producers, bison producers - every group has a different issue. So your task as a group for all of agriculture is a huge task. How do you speak as one voice for all those groups? Getting membership is not the problem. But when an issue comes up how do you stand, and do the rest of the people support you?"

"Some issues we can't agree on," admitted Hildebrand. "Maybe it's better for the bickering to take place under our umbrella before we come to government."

There are issues common to all farmers, Hildebrand added, such as the excise tax on inputs.