What Ontario farmers need from their governments:
Federal –
- An urgent infusion of cash to overcome the economic devastation caused by ten months of BSE impacts with border restrictions on meat and live animal sales and unprecedented low domestic values for slaughter animals.
- Income tax treatment to allow producers to defer taxes on inventory sales when they can’t afford to restock their feedlots before yearend because of reduced borrowing capacity as a result of BSE.
- A realistic approach to enforcement by Department of Environment officials in situations where farm animals have historically had access to streams and waterways – initiate a more consultative approach similar to that taken by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
Provincial –
- An immediate commitment to funding necessary to assist farmers comply with regulations contained in the Nutrient Management Act. Farmers need to know what level of public support they can expect before proceeding with plans to upgrade facilities to compliance standards.
- Development of an acceptable definition of agricultural operations for assessment purposes. Farmers with value added facilities as part of their operations are experiencing unacceptably high property assessments when such things as on-farm maple syrup evaporator facilities and on-farm grain drying facilities are assessed as industrial.
- A willingness by Ministry of Natural Resources officials to meet and develop with Ontario Federation of Agriculture representatives the necessary guidelines to reduce predator damage to crops, livestock and facilities of farmers. A more realistic level of compensation for such damage is also required from the Ministry of Natural Resources.
- Ontario farmers need a commitment from Ontario’s Energy Ministry that energy rates for farm-use electricity will be reduced to more closely reflect the actual cost of the energy supplied to farmers, both for transmission and the energy used.
- Retail sales tax, as it is applied to the purchase of farm-related goods, needs revision, exempting at point of purchase a list of items already recognized in provinces where the GST and PST have been harmonized.
- Ontario’s land transfer tax system requires amendments that would exempt within-family transactions, similar to sales to corporations.
Some Suggestions from OFA – Questions for your MP, MPP