By Angela Brown

Agricultural societies struggling financially due to COVID-19 impact

Aug 27, 2020 | 4:07 PM

NORTH BATTLEFORD, SASK. – Agricultural societies across Canada are facing significant financial challenges as a result of not being able to hold events, including fairs and exhibitions, due to the province’s COVID-19 restrictions.

Christina Franc, executive director of the Canadian Association of Fairs and Exhibitions (CAFE), said about 95 per cent of all events across Canada that agricultural societies run have been cancelled.

“As a seasonal business and operating as a non-profit, this lack of revenue is not going to carry us through the next year as it usually would,” she said.

Franc said CAFE is asking the federal government to provide funding to support the agricultural societies across the country.

According to CAFE, one in 10 agricultural societies throughout Canada are at risk of closing within the next year without more support, based on its survey.

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The Canadian Association of Fairs and Exhibitions is asking the federal government for provide $74 million in total in funding to the 743 non-profit agricultural societies across Canada.

There are close to 60 agricultural societies in Saskatchewan alone.

According to the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, the province acknowledges COVID-19 has presented challenges for all sectors in Saskatchewan, including agriculture associations.

The Ministry said the province provides funding of $20,000 annually to the Saskatchewan Association of Agriculture Societies and Exhibitions that continues through this time. A Tourism Sector support program is also available.

Similar to other organizations, the Battlefords Agricultural Society is struggling with significant lost revenue due to COVID-19 restrictions.

General Manager Jocelyn Ritchie said it is unfortunate the society had to cancel the annual Northwest Territorial Days exhibition this year.

This event alone usually raises on average over $400,000.

“We are actually quite desperate financially as we haven’t been able to have any [activities] all year,” she said.

Ritchie said because the society was not able to hold any events due to the pandemic, it also lost substantial sponsorship dollars as well.

In total the society had to cancel 13 different activities already. A family fall festival and Oktoberfest are also expected to be cancelled.

The agricultural society still has its operating costs to cover as it owns several buildings including the Agrivilla, Agriplex and the racetrack.

Ritchie said the society appreciates anyone who can help to volunteer with some of the maintenance of the facilities.

The federal government’s wage subsidy program has assisted the society somewhat. The ag society is also looking at accessing a small business loan available.

The province provided the society with $10,000 in total in support at the start of the pandemic.

Ritchie said the society will survive, but it will be a struggle.

“We are still limping along, applying for any kind of funding that we can actually get,” she said. “We’ll just keep on going. But I am sure it is going to be extremely difficult.”

She mentioned when the ag society holds events they also draw residents from other communities as well, which ultimately helps drive the local economy. So the society plays a vital role in the Battlefords.

“It’s extremely important to our community,” Ritchie said. “I feel the Battlefords Ag Society brings in more tourism to our community than anything else.”

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angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @farmnewsNOW