REGINA -- The Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS) is the latest organization to weigh in on the Co-op Refinery labour dispute, saying demonstrations at Co-op facilities could negatively affect farmer’s seeding.

A recent release from APAS said farmers raised some concerns following a Unifor picket line at a Co-op facility in Moose Jaw.

"It's a difficult situation for producers and they certainly don't need any delays," said APAS President Todd Lewis. “Our members have a very short window in which to seed our 2020 crop, and this year many producers are still racing to complete their 2019 harvest.”

“In the face of COVID-19, we’re already dealing with a very tenuous food supply situation in Canada and around the world. The very last thing that farmers need right now is to have seeding compromised by not been able to get fuel.”

Lewis noted that many Saskatchewan farmers also rely on cardlock stations to fill up their vehicles and machinery with fuel.

"There's lots of places to picket in Saskatchewan that will get the message across, but a card lock is a bad place to do it. This spring especially,” said Lewis. “We're just asking that the card locks be left alone so the producers can get their fuel."

Kevin Bittman, the President of Unifor 594, says he understands how the over five month dispute could be affecting producers, but the union is focused on continuing demonstrating peacefully at Co-op facilities.

“We’re a bunch of people that actually grew up in small communities, so we understand that it’s going to affect farmers a little bit,” said Bittman. “We are trying to get our message out there. We’re setting up peaceful pickets, we’re not stopping anyone from getting in there, we just want to get our information out to the people.”

Co-op says it is confident that its facilities will be able to meet the demands of farmers.

Cameron Zimmer, a communications and public relations manager with Federated Co-operatives Limited, said the company understands producers concerns, but currently has all time high fuel levels.

“Any action by Unifor isn't going to shake our commitment to ensure the fuel reaches local Co-ops,” said Zimmer. “These Co-ops supply farmers in spring seeding, they’re supplying trucks, distributing much needed supplies and they’re supplying fuel to all of their customers and members.”

APAS is asking the union and Co-op to work to ensure producers are able to access the facilities needed to have a productive growing season.

“Disrupting our essential fuel supply at a critical, time-sensitive period for agriculture is not to anyone’s advantage,” said Lewis.

If producers run into anything delaying them from accessing Co-op facilities, Zimmer said they have several alternative options.

“There are many card lock options and many fuel options for them across the Co-op network, and we encourage them to look at all of those options at present, and we will do our best to ensure that they are fueled up this spring.”

For Unifor, Bittman said rallies and picket lines will continue as long as the dispute goes on.

“We’re going to continue until we get a deal that gets us all back to work, with a deal we can accept.”

The labour dispute began on December 5, 2019. Unifor voted 89 per cent against Co-op’s latest offer.