Two Liberal supporters in the Weyburn area who are also farm leaders in their own right were part of a group of some 20 Western farm leaders who met with Prime Minister Paul Martin and Finance Minister Ralph Goodale in Saskatoon last week, and heard a message of the ag crisis voiced unanimously by many sectors of the ag industry.

Janet Ledingham from Tribune and Lonny McKague of Ogema were part of the round-table discussion of ag issues, along with representatives of the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS), Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association, the Canadian Cattlemen's Association, Ken Ritter of the Canadian Wheat Board, and Neal Hardy, president of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM). McKague was representing Red Coat Road and Rail, a short-line rail company that helps move producer cars on the rail line from Pangman to Assiniboia.

Ledingham said she found it remarkable that a united message came from each member of the agricultural industry.

"Every sector declared the same message loud and clear, that there has to be short-term immediate cash, and long-term we need to move to reposition the industry. Of course, BSE was top rung among current concerns, and there were very good points made. You have to remember all of these organization have had private meetings with the Prime Minister. At this meeting, they were all together to see what they had to say as a common group," said Ledingham.

When solutions were sought in the past, usually they would be at the expense of some of other commodity group in the country, she added, but at this discussion all sectors were virtually unanimous in declaring the need for government help.

"There was an acknowledgement by the groups of the short-term cash flow situation," said McKague, adding that some people used the word "crisis" to describe the current situation in agriculture, and some examples of extreme difficulties were provided to Martin and Goodale.

"There was acknowledgement of the difficulties in the ag sector. Everyone touched on that, whether it was the grain or the beef industry. We have probably never faced this extent of problems before," added McKague.

He agreed the unanimity was remarkable, noting the coming together of the farm groups was not pre-planned.

"There was a drawing together of the groups that I've never seen before, and it is time for a discussion about the future of agriculture in Canada with Canadians in general. It's now time for the discussion to take place and find out what values Canadians have in rural Canada," said McKague.

"There were some powerful stories and presentations made to really bring home the fact this is a crisis. One guy said this is 'the perfect storm.' The fact is Canadians produce a first-class product, but get third-world prices for them," added Ledingham.

A former Liberal candidate, she made no apologies that she received an invitation to this meeting because she is a Liberal supporter, and commented, "If you want representation, send Liberals to Ottawa. That's my take on it. It's simple; if you're always on the outside looking in, you don't have any input."

Asked what points she made to the Prime Minister, Ledingham said she told Martin that the World Trade Organization (WTO) is not working, and Canada is giving up far more than other countries are, with single-desk selling by the Canadian Wheat Board now at risk as a result.

She told the government representatives that Canada's agricultural policy needs to be WTO-friendly, pointing out the U.S. is pouring huge amounts of money into their industry, and their Farm Bill is considered WTO-friendly.

"Canada needs to figure that out; for example, our grassland and grain land are carbon sinks," she added.

McKague said he found it interesting that with all the farm and ag industry leaders present, Paul Martin was on a first-name basis with most of them, and he was very relaxed with the group. They were dealing with extremely serious issues, but there was no tenseness as has often been the case at ag meetings before.

As a number of people spoke on the BSE crisis in the beef industry, McKague said he didn't want to reiterate those points, and instead touched on the cash crisis being faced by many grain farmers today. McKague noted he brought two young farmers there as representatives of the future generation of farming, including his daughter Angela, currently an ag student.

"I told the Prime Minister, these kids, we owe them nothing. These kids are intelligent and bright; they do not have to choose ag as a future, but they have chosen it, and I think we need them. I wanted to get that direction put forward. I think Canadian need these kids and thousands like them ... and it's time to invest in them," said McKague, noting he was about fourth to speak out of the group of about 22 people, and many of those who followed him picked up on his point.

The other point McKague noted from the discussion is the leaders see agriculture as still being a major part of the economy 20-to-30 years from now.

"That's a definite attitude change, that they think they are not a drain on society but a major part of it," he added.

Both Ledingham and McKague noted that Martin and Goodale did not make a lot of statements or promises, but were there to hear the information and find out where the industry is at right now.