The Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration (PFRA) offices in Watrous, Melville, Weyburn and North Battleford are being closed by the federal government with all employees at those offices receiving layoff notices.

Fabian Murphy, first vice-president of the Public Service Alliance of Canada Agriculture Union, said they are shocked by the cuts. He said it was expected the employees would be relocated instead of being laid off.

“Those offices were the old Agro-Environmental Services or the old PFRA sites, small work sites,” said Murphy. “(When) Agro-Environmental Services was combined with Science and Technology a couple years ago and (the federal government) announced the closure of the PFRA farms it was anticipated that those employees would be affected to a certain degree, but we were certainly taken by surprise when they were given their notice.”

Murphy said this would affect PFRA patrons as they would no longer be able to utilize these offices to carry out their work as well as gain the “human resources assistance” available to them from these employees. He said the union has not received information on when exactly the offices would close, but that also depends on the employees.

“They have some options to decide if they’re going to be taking the transitional measure and leaving right away or if they’re going to try and hang around for a while,” he said. “They’re entitled to 120 days to make their decision and then after that they’re entitled to, if they choose, stay on for a year. The end date on those employees depends on their positions.”

Patrick Girard, senior media relations officer with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), said the government is closing these PFRA offices because they are shifting focus in the way it supports innovation and environmental work. He said with these closures they would now be fully integrated with the rest of the department’s research.

“This is enabling AAFC to better integrate agronomic and environmental expertise to address productivity (and) sustainability challenge in a more holistic way,” said Girard.

To read more please see the May 27 print edition of The Davidson Leader.