source: Farm and Food Report
Every year, farm and ranch families receive letters or see advertising that encourages them to acquire privately published catalogues or directories that list grants, programs and services offered by federal and provincial governments.
These privately compiled and published directories and catalogues have a price tag attached.
However, the same information about federal and provincial government programs is available free of charge through existing toll-free telephone lines and publicly accessible websites.
There is no need to pay for the information, says Ken Imhoff, Manager of the Farm Stress Unit of Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization.
Imhoff says an example of a directory that can be accessed free of charge is the Connections Services Directory, a computer-based, on-line directory of programs and services designed specifically for farm and rural people in Saskatchewan.
This electronic directory provides not only current provincial and federal information, but also information on community-based organizations and their programs and services. Informed decisions can be made on the most appropriate service to access, whether that be business development, financial, legal, education, farm safety or personal and family services. Since the CONNECTIONS Services Directory was developed to serve rural Saskatchewan, descriptions of services include information on any grants or funding assistance currently available to farmers, ranchers and rural people in general.
The programs and services offered through the Connections Service Directory can be explored and discussed with staff by calling, toll-free, 1-866-680-0006 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday to Friday. Through discussion to gain an understanding of their needs and interests, CONNECTIONS staff will identify current programs and services that most closely match the need. Staff, in doing so, will provide a brief description of the program or services for which the person may qualify.
The directory can also be accessed through the website: www.agr.gov.sk.ca/connections. Internet service is also available through the public library system.
The federal government offers words of caution to farmers who may be invited to buy information about government programs and services. “There's no need to pay for information that's freely available,” says Ellen Funk, a spokesperson for farm financial programs at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's Winnipeg offices.
"We've received calls here from farmers and farm organizations, who are concerned because there are a number of private sector companies that are soliciting farmers and inviting them to pay money to get information on government programs and services," Funk said. "We're concerned about that because all of that information is available for free. Farmers don't have to pay money to get information on government programs -federal or provincial - or to apply for programs.
“So, we want to get the message out to producers: beware of websites and mailings and other promotional items that ask you to pay money to get information on farm support programs or other programs available for farmers, because all of that information is available to you, for free, from federal and provincial offices.”
Funk says a good clearinghouse for information is the federal government's toll-free information line, 1-800-O Canada (1-800-622-6232), or the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada website at www.agr.gc.ca.
Addresses of federal government programs and services are available on the Government of Canada website.
For more information on Saskatchewan services, call CONNECTIONS toll-free at 1-866-680-0006.
For more information, contact:
Ken Imhoff
Farm Stress Line
Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization
(306) 787-5196
Ellen Funk
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
(204) 984-5751
Every year, farm and ranch families receive letters or see advertising that encourages them to acquire privately published catalogues or directories that list grants, programs and services offered by federal and provincial governments.
These privately compiled and published directories and catalogues have a price tag attached.
However, the same information about federal and provincial government programs is available free of charge through existing toll-free telephone lines and publicly accessible websites.
There is no need to pay for the information, says Ken Imhoff, Manager of the Farm Stress Unit of Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization.
Imhoff says an example of a directory that can be accessed free of charge is the Connections Services Directory, a computer-based, on-line directory of programs and services designed specifically for farm and rural people in Saskatchewan.
This electronic directory provides not only current provincial and federal information, but also information on community-based organizations and their programs and services. Informed decisions can be made on the most appropriate service to access, whether that be business development, financial, legal, education, farm safety or personal and family services. Since the CONNECTIONS Services Directory was developed to serve rural Saskatchewan, descriptions of services include information on any grants or funding assistance currently available to farmers, ranchers and rural people in general.
The programs and services offered through the Connections Service Directory can be explored and discussed with staff by calling, toll-free, 1-866-680-0006 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday to Friday. Through discussion to gain an understanding of their needs and interests, CONNECTIONS staff will identify current programs and services that most closely match the need. Staff, in doing so, will provide a brief description of the program or services for which the person may qualify.
The directory can also be accessed through the website: www.agr.gov.sk.ca/connections. Internet service is also available through the public library system.
The federal government offers words of caution to farmers who may be invited to buy information about government programs and services. “There's no need to pay for information that's freely available,” says Ellen Funk, a spokesperson for farm financial programs at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's Winnipeg offices.
"We've received calls here from farmers and farm organizations, who are concerned because there are a number of private sector companies that are soliciting farmers and inviting them to pay money to get information on government programs and services," Funk said. "We're concerned about that because all of that information is available for free. Farmers don't have to pay money to get information on government programs -federal or provincial - or to apply for programs.
“So, we want to get the message out to producers: beware of websites and mailings and other promotional items that ask you to pay money to get information on farm support programs or other programs available for farmers, because all of that information is available to you, for free, from federal and provincial offices.”
Funk says a good clearinghouse for information is the federal government's toll-free information line, 1-800-O Canada (1-800-622-6232), or the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada website at www.agr.gc.ca.
Addresses of federal government programs and services are available on the Government of Canada website.
For more information on Saskatchewan services, call CONNECTIONS toll-free at 1-866-680-0006.
For more information, contact:
Ken Imhoff
Farm Stress Line
Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization
(306) 787-5196
Ellen Funk
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
(204) 984-5751
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