Most Canadian farmers and their organizations have continued to lobby Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and Federal Government Members of Parliament to hold off on implementation of the new Agricultural Policy Framework (APF) and its associated Business Risk Management programs.
AAFC Minister Lyle Vanclief has strongly resisted the recommendations of the farmers who wanted the existing NISA (Net Income Stabilization Account) program maintained for another year, allowing time for testing of the proposed program before implementation.
Ontario Federation of Agriculture Vice-President Bill Mailloux questioned the minister’s willingness to heed the advice of farmers when he spoke at the recent annual meeting of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA).
“We came to a decision nationally at CFA on how to deliver those dollars ($600 million in bridge funding) and we believe that was ignored (by AAFC). You’re (Minister Vanclief) asking for advice on the transition dollars. What is the assurance that you would actually take our advice on the consensus of the dollars this year?” Mailloux asked.
CFA President Bob Friesen told Minister Vanclief that the $600 million for this year should not be used as seed money for the new APF. “If you have to use $600 million to seed the new program it shows right there the program cannot stand on its own,” Friesen said.
In an effort to convince MPs and Minister Vanclief to hold off on implementing the new APF Business Risk Management program as scheduled on April 1, 2003, a nation-wide petition campaign is being launched. The formal petition states: “Therefore your petitioners request that Parliament direct the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Cabinet to maintain current programs until the new APF safety nets are adequately designed to move agriculture beyond crisis management, not deeper into crisis management.”
That petition and the opportunity to send it to MPs in Ottawa can be viewed at www.hcfa.on.ca or www.ofa.on.ca and by clicking on “petition”.
Divisions between AAFC, provincial agriculture ministers and farmers’ organizations from across the country were obvious following the January meeting of agriculture ministers in Toronto. While many provincial ministers were reluctant to sign onto the APF plan, including Ontario’s Minister Helen Johns, as that meeting concluded, some have changed. Saskatchewan’s agriculture minister, Clay Serby, announced in Saskatoon on March 11 that his government was agreeing to the terms of AAFC’s APF.
~Ron Bonnett~
President, Ontario Federation of Agriculture
~Bill Mailloux~
Vice-President, Ontario Federation of Agriculture