Cuts may kill agricultural development

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Native farmers will reap a bitter harvest this year following federal cuts to Aboriginal economic development programs.

Details of the 10-per-cent cuts announced in Finance Minister Don Mazankowski's December mini-budget may spell the end to services such as the Alberta Indian Agricultural Development Corporation. The corporation has served as a resource centre for farmers since 1978, providing information on technical and financial programs, as well as sponsoring workshops and conferences for Alberta Indian farmers.

The threat to such programs are particularly painful to settlement and reserve councils struggling to develop a viable economic base through agriculture. At a recent conference in Slave Lake, Metis and Indian representatives set aside political differences to approve the creation of a northern Indian agricultural program. The program would benefit all indigenous farmers by managing planning, training and development programs appropriate to northern demands.

But the possible demise of the Alberta Indian Agricultural Development Corporation will force the program to be shelved until funding from alternative sources can be found.

"Communities have suffered quite a set-back. Now there's even less resources

to respond to economic development," said conference organizer Don Logan.

For Native farmers this could lead to more delays in obtaining loans through Aboriginal operations such as the Indian Agri-Business Corporation. Approximately

260 Treaty and Bill C-31 Indians are clients with the self-standing loan corporation.

The IADC provides field workers to establish the development potential of farmers seeking loans with the Agri-Business Corporation, said loans manager Angus Braseth.

"The cuts will affect us indirectly if services from the IADC are cut. The farmers will have more difficulty getting to us. Somebody has to be out there as field workers, the area we cover is too large (for us)," said Braseth.

But, he promised, the loans business will operate either way.