Last week’s rally by almost 1,000 farmers on Parliament Hill in Ottawa was successful in a number of areas. It delivered agriculture’s message to our federal politicians, and with the large media presence we are confident the general public has a better understanding of the situation Canada’s livestock producers face today.
A key point made to both groups was that the BSE crisis is far from over. Movement of specialized cuts of boxed meats across the border into the United States is a far cry from the full resumption of trade in live animals and meat products that Canadian livestock producers need to restore their industry to its former position.
We also made the point in Ottawa that there is little sign of a visible, co-ordinated effort by our national government to resolve the crisis for our livestock sector and all its associated parts.
Support for Canadian livestock producers from Canada’s opposition parties was strong throughout the event, and continued during Question Period in the House of Commons. The Ontario Federation of Agriculture and the Canadian Federation of Agriculture are communicating with members of the Ontario Liberal Rural Caucus in an effort to move the issue forward.
Emphasis has been put on additional funding to see the livestock industry through until full trade in livestock and meat products has been restored with the United States and other nations. If the news out of a recent meeting of agriculture ministers is any indication, we have a lot of work ahead to assist the victims of the BSE crisis.
Opposition party leaders acknowledged the worsening economic situation the crisis is creating for rural Canada. When we met with members of the Ontario Liberal Rural Caucus in Ottawa, it became clear they have a different view and believe the proposed Business Risk Management program of the Agricultural Policy Framework is capable of responding to the BSE crisis.
Ontario farm organizations are concerned that without modifications, the proposed programs will fail to respond adequately to farmers’ concerns. An independent analysis of the Business Risk Management proposal, done by the George Morris Centre in Guelph, supports the concerns of OFA and other Ontario farm organizations.
It remains obvious to OFA and its partners that the Business Risk Management plan would not provide adequate compensation for BSE and other catastrophic events that may strike agriculture. Livestock producers would receive limited coverage under the proposed program, and uncertainty exists over how practical it is to assume that Production Insurance, as proposed, would be able to replace existing Self-Directed Risk Management and Market Revenue Insurance programs.
Farm organizations have submitted specific recommendations to address these concerns, and the Ontario Rural Liberal Caucus has asked that we work with them to resolve all outstanding issues that relate to the BSE crisis and the Agricultural Policy Framework. We will take the George Morris Centre recommendations directly to individual Members of Parliament in search of an acceptable compromise.
We will continue efforts with the Canadian Federation of Agriculture and commodity partners to work with federal opposition parties and the Liberal Caucus members to reach solutions to the BSE crisis and make the Agricultural Policy Framework into a workable program.
Time is critical for all of this as rural Canada’s future hangs in the balance. We must act decisively with the concerns of farmers foremost in our minds.
~Ron Bonnett~
President, Ontario Federation of Agriculture