Provincial Minister of Agriculture Pat Bell, heads to Peace Country this Friday to get a first hand look at the drought conditions.

“Some farmers only got 20% of their crop, making it hardly worth the cost of the fuel to combine” says Bell. He notes most of the farmers have sufficient production insurance, and there is some relief from the Canadian Agricultural Income Stabilization Fund, but there needs to be a long term vision.

“While its generally thought these dry conditions are an anomaly, we will be making switching to crops for bio-diesel a priority for my Ministry” says Bell. Canola crops would be the most likely as they are 40% oil in weight.

“We envision farmer owned co-ops where the crop is grown and the oil extracted on the same site. That would mean those in the agricultural end are fully engaged in the process.”

Bell says this switch is a viable alternative to ensure long term health of the agricultural sector of the province’s economy.

In the meantime, he will work with those who are suffering in the Peace Region because of one of the driest summers in the region in years.

Will he ask for an official declaration of “disaster?”

Bell says there’s no easy answer “That all depends on if it will benefit the farmers. If there is a clear benefit to the farmers, beyond the insurance and stabilization funds already available, then that will be done.”