American man fights land law to keep century-old family farm in Saskatchewan

Dale Kreimeyer has been given until November to sell nearly all of the 640 acres that his grandfather, Paul Berndt, first settled in Midale in 1909. But Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister Bob Bjornerud suggested Wednesday that the notice is unfair.

"This is part of a family that had farmed land here for years," said Bjornerud.

"All of a sudden we're instructing someone they have to sell that land and that seems a bit ridiculous to me at this point."

Bjornerud said he doesn't see "the big problem" when someone inherits the land.

Kreimeyer inherited the land in southeastern Saskatchewan from his mother, Myrtle, in 1998.

Myrtle was born and raised on the farm and loved Midale - pronounced my-dale - so much that she named her son after the community. She moved to the United States to work as a nurse during the Second World War, eventually marrying an American.

Kreimeyer is an American citizen - and that's the catch.

Saskatchewan law limits foreign ownership of farmland to 10 acres. The law is aimed at preventing both absentee and corporate ownership of large tracts of land.

"I know they have to have laws in regard to restrictions and I respect that, but just in this case this farm is no threat to anyone," said Kreimeyer.

"I wanted to keep the family farm for sentimental value. My grandfather was an original homesteader in 1909, so the farm has been in the family for 99 years. Before my mom passed away she wanted the farm to go to my sister and myself and then to the grandchildren."

"It's my roots," said Kreimeyer.

Kreimeyer said his grandfather worked hard in the early days, dealing with grasshopper infestations, drought and hail storms. Paul Berndt persevered through the Depression in the 1930s when many farmers gave up.

"My grandfather, he was not a quitter. He showed the Saskatchewan spirit to go forward and that's what I sort of want to hang onto," said Kreimeyer.

The fate of Kreimeyer's farm, which also sits on the Bakken oil field formation - the largest conventional oil pool discovered in Canada in more than 50 years - will be up for discussion Thursday. The newly appointed members of the Farm Land Security Board are expected to review the case.

Bjornerud was to meet with the board members Wednesday night.

"I think the first thing I'm going to tell them to start, when you make a decision use common sense. They have exemptions they can make ... and in this case should have been, I feel personally as a farmer from the past, should have been used," said Bjornerud.

"I think common sense tells you this isn't something that threatens our way of life on the family farm."

Kreimeyer had been given two exemptions in the past, but was denied a third. He wants a lifetime family exemption, so that his sons don't have to fight the same battle in the future.

Bjornerud suggested legislative changes might be needed, but he was cautious about foreign ownership.

"We don't want to open it up to the point where all of a sudden there's corporations from all over the world owning big blocks of land here - as a farmer I think that would hinder my business," said Bjornerud.

"There's a level playing field in the middle here and we have to find that balance."