Manitoba farmers say they have less confidence in their provincial ag ministry than in Saskatchewan, according to a survey by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.

Only 19 per cent of Manitoba farmer members feel Manitoba Agriculture, Food, and Rural Development (MAFRD) has a strong vision for agribusiness, whereas in Saskatchewan, the Ministry of Agriculture got a 66 per cent vote of confidence.

CFIB's Elliot Sims says this is because the Saskatchewan government takes a more consultative approach than in Manitoba.

"In Manitoba we've seen the complete opposite," he says, "in most departments outside of the ag industry, there's very little consultation done with ag industry groups and producers to ensure new rules, be it in Water Stewardship and Conservation or the Department of Labour, actually understand the realities of running an agribusiness today."

Manitoba's Ag Minister Ron Kostyshyn disagrees, saying they work industry and producers groups constantly, citing the agriculture insurance task force as an example.

"We're working with a number of industries, we're working with producers groups constantly. We're always looking at investment in research and innovation," he says.

Kostyshyn also says they put such work into growing the agriculture industry. And CFIB's report highlights growth as a trend across the country, saying 44 per cent of Canadian agribusinesses are looking to expand their operations, with farmers twice as likely to hire more employees in the next three years than fire them.

"We talk about the innovation of nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals, we're talking about the grain and innovation hub," Kostyshyn says. "These are things the province of Manitoba is doing and we continue to work. We have opportunities for exporting our products — we talk about the hemp industry in the province of Manitoba."

However, CFIB's report shows the highest priority concern for Manitoba farmer members is total tax burdens, noting fuel taxes on marked fuel and the increase in PST.

"At almost every turn in the last five years, our provincial government has been putting in policies that are increasing the total tax burden on farmers and burying them in red tape, which is regulations that are basically run amuck and aren't doing what they are supposed to do," says Sims, adding they want the government to reverse the $5,000 cap on Farmland School Tax rebates.

Kostyshyn says they've paid out over $300 million to farm families in school tax rebates, and finds it somewhat challenging to accept the idea they're not doing any tax saving for producers.

CFIB's report also shows some of the positives in Manitoba agriculture, such as the first-ever Farm and Food Awareness Week in September.