OTTAWA – Dozens of farmers from the counties surrounding Parliament Hill spent Thursday meeting with politicians – MPs, Senators, and their staff – discussing current problems facing agriculture and solutions being proposed.
There were about 40 such meetings as members of county federations of agriculture sat with the politicians to review the issues threatening the farming sector. Bette Jean Crews, President of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA), said it was a successful event that gave farmers an opportunity to put necessary details into the hands of the politicians and bureaucrats.
It was the fifth such event bringing farmers and politicians face to face to discuss solutions to the issues threatening agriculture – adequate risk management programming to provide a more secure future for farmers and their families and a more secure food supply for Canadians.
“We need to have the Business Risk Management Program funded through a national AgriFlexibility program,” she said. “We also need changes to AgriStability making it retroactive to 2008 so farmers can weather the perfect storm brought on by crises upon crises in recent years.”
The development of a National Food Strategy was also at the top of the list of topics the farmers took to the politicians. Crews said she had a good meeting with Pierre Lemieux, MP for Glengarry, Prescott and Russell, and Parliamentary Secretary to Hon. Gerry Ritz, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
Crews stressed the urgency of adequate Risk Management Programs in place to bring greater stability to the industry for farmers.
The meetings with the politicians and their staff delivered a clear message that farmers are the ones designing the programs they are requesting – farm leaders are elected by farmers to talk to government on behalf of the industry, Crews said.
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Contact:
Bette Jean Crews 613-921-0597
For immediate Release
February 8, 2010
IT’S DÉJÀ VU ALL OVER AGAIN AT THE AG FPT MEETINGS:
Improvements to Federal Business Risk Management programming discussed again
Toronto – Ontario and Quebec Grain Farmers from Windsor, Ontario to Rimouski, Quebec appear to be suffering from a bad case of déjà vu when it comes to the federal government’s Business Risk Management strategic review.For the fourth straight FPT meeting, the ministers discussed the federal government’s BRM strategic review and agreed that improvements need to be made.“We appreciate the recognition by the Ministers that there are shortcomings with federal agricultural programming, however, we are concerned that we are being stalled and delayed,” said Leo Guilbeault, Ontario chair for the Ontario-Quebec Grain Farmers Coalition.
Due to the shortcomings of the Federal government’s agriculture programming, provincial governments have had to respond with programs to stabilize farm income during tough times, known as business risk management.In the case of Ontario, the provincial government worked with Grains and Oilseeds farmers to develop the Risk Management Program (RMP) to fill this programming vacuum.RMPis a proactive, self-directed and producer designed program. Similar to an insurance program, farmers pay into the program to provide bankability and predictability to a sector that suffered through negative margins in the early 2000s. “In order to be eligible for RMP, farmers are also required to purchase production insurance to protect against weather and disease; this is a proactive and forward thinking program,” added Mr Guilbeault.
“We have a federal solution and it is called AgriFlex,” said William Van Tassel, President of the Coalition and Quebec grain farmer.“We believed we had a breakthrough during the 2008 election when the Conservatives and the Liberals promised an AgriFlex fund in their platforms - to partner with the provinces to deliver needed programming but as it turns out, we were duped, as the AgriFlex fund announced in the Economic Action Plan 2009 specifically excluded the business risk management component,” added Mr Van Tassel.
The version of AgriFlex announced in the Economic Action Plan lacked the flexibility to fund provincial business risk management programs.The federal government has instead told farmers and the provinces that “Ottawa knows best”.
Farming has had its challenges.The viability of the sector has come under attack from excessive international subsidies; unfair trading practices; volatile world prices and currencies; and rising fuel, fertilizer and labour costs.And there always is the unpredictable: poor weather, disease or crop failure.No commodity group has been immune to one or many of these factors at one point or another.Some have suffered through prolonged hard times.Some farmers in one part of the country suffer more than farmers of the same commodity in other parts due to weather, market access or unfair agricultural subsidies.“Agriflex with the Business Risk Management component addresses these regional challenges,” concludes Mr Guilbeault.
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QUOTES ON AGRIFLEX and FEDERAL AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMMING
July 29, 2009
STAKEHOLDERS
Bette Jean Crews, President of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, March 9
Simcoe Reformer
During the (last) federal election campaign, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced a $500 million program to be paid out over four years called the Agricultural Flexibility Program. That was less than the Canadian Federation of Agriculture envisioned when it put forth the idea of AgriFlex as a program to fund business risk management and other programs. Now the recent federal budget has changed the Agricultural Flexibility Program to $500 million over five years with no business risk management component. For Ontario farmers, it means about $20 million per year, none of which would be used to fund the Grain and Oilseed Risk Management Program or similar programs being designed by other commodities.
William Van Tassel, Ontario-Quebec Grain Farmers’ Coalition, February 3, 2009
Ontario Farmer
"By excluding business risk management from this proposal, the government is breaking its election promise. They are making it difficult for the provinces to maintain existing programs, and impossible for them to start new ones,"
Bob Bjornerud, Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister, February 26, 2009
Saskatchewan government Press Release announcing livestock ad-hoc aid
"In the absence of a national solution, we had to take action to help our producers," Bjornerud said. "We will continue to work with our federal counterparts toward a national solution. In the meantime, we urge the federal government to come to the table and top-up this program with their 60 per cent share, or provide some other form of meaningful support."
Bob Bjornerud, Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister, February 26, 2009
News Talk 650
"We've all heard (Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry) Ritz say that the programs are working and I guess we've agreed to disagree on that. I don't believe the programs are working adequately and I don't think there's a producer in this province that would say they're working adequately."
Laurent Pellerin CFA’s first vice-president January 2009
CFA Press Release
“While an agricultural stability program is good news, the details announced are not in keeping with what the farm community has been calling for… Regional needs span both sides of the programming envelope, and this Budget 2009 proposal is not targeting a large portion of the need—need that could be addressed through regional BRM programming.”
Don McCabe Vice-President Ontario Federation of Agriculture, January 2009
OFA Press Release
Farmers were hopeful the Agriflex program, as earlier promised, would be part of this budget. That didn’t happen, McCabe notes – the definition was changed. OFA and the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) will continue to pursue this initiative.
Jack Hextal, President of the Saskatchewan Cattlemen's Association, January 2009
Saskatoon Home Page
The President of the Saskatchewan Cattlemen's Association is disappointed there wasn't any new money for cow-calf producers. Jack Hextall says the business risk management programs need to be fixed.
Greg Marshall, President of the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS), February 2009
Moosejaw.ca
Greg Marshall, revised the D grade that Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall gave the 2009 Federal Budget to an ‘E’… “The D grade by our Premier was for ‘deficit’, ‘delay’ and ‘disappointing’,” said Marshall. “When we examine the budget’s impact on farm families and their communities, we would give the budget an ‘E’ for ‘Empty’ promises, failed ‘Expectations’ and most of all ‘E’ for ‘Exit’
BARRY WILSON, March 7, 2009
Western Producer
Gerry Ritz’s curious fib about ‘agri-flex’
Why did the federal ag minister adopt the farm lobby’s terminology, give them something they didn’t want and then say he was meeting their demands?
Better Farming March 2009
The Corn Producers also plans to continue lobbying “for the correct program that we need,” says president Dale Mountjoy. The program announced by the federal government is “nothing like what we asked for.”
The Association’s safety net committee chair Jeff Davis says they feel the Ontario Risk Management program “would work under the Agri Flex portfolio.”
The Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario was also looking for Agri Flexibility to give “federal support for made-in-Ontario solutions,” says policy adviser Nathan Stevens, adding they’d be on side with wanting to push for changes in what’s being proposed.
QUOTES FROM POLITICIANS
Provincial and Territorial Agricultural Ministers meeting, July 10, 2009
Press Release following meeting
Ministers discussed the business risk management (BRM) strategic review, which is being undertaken to assess current objectives and programs. Ministers directed officials to identify: potential objectives and principles for future BRM programs; the roles and responsibilities of industry and governments in managing risk; and the range of possible program design options. Ministers expect to review and decide on these matters in early 2010. Ministers also directed that an industry engagement strategy be developed for their consideration as soon as possible.
Provincial and Territorial Agricultural Ministers meeting, February 9, 2009
Press Release following meeting
Ministers noted the importance of making progress on the review of the existing demand-driven suite of business risk management (BRM) programs.The review is important to ensure that BRM programming is responsive to Canadian farmers in helping them to manage risks.
Gerry Ritz, Agriculture Minister, March 4, 2009
Agriculture Canada Press Release
Farmers told us they need an agricultural flexibility program and this Government is investing $500 million in that initiative through our Economic Action Plan," said Minister Ritz. "Farmers gave us the vision for the agricultural flexibility program. Now we are working with farmers on the nuts and bolts to make sure the agricultural flexibility program works for the farm gate."
Gerry Ritz, Agriculture Minister, March 4, 2009
Agriculture Canada Press Release
"When it comes to agriculture policy, farmers are the most qualified experts out there," said Minister Ritz. "We are making sure their ideas are the foundation of initiatives such as the agricultural flexibility program."
Larry Miller, MP for Bruce Grey Owen-Sound, May 14, 2009
Owen Sound Times
There is no doubt that things are not perfect when it comes to the federal/provincial programming; but that is why the Minister has been very clear that he plans to continually review programming and work with the provinces and stakeholders to ensure we continue to improve all the programs… This takes time and hard work and for the most part when I talk to farmers they say our government is headed in the right direction. But make no mistake we are not there yet.
Alex Atamanenko, NDP Agriculture Critic, September 16, 2009
House of Commons Agriculture Committee
That the Committee recommend that the government include business risk management as an eligible component of the Agriculture Flexibility (Agri-Flex) program.
Wayne Easter, Liberal Agriculture Critic, April 23, 2009
Owen Sound Times
During the 2008 election campaign, Stephen Harper committed $500 million over four years to create an "Agricultural Flexibility" program to help farmers build flexible programs to meet their local needs… But once re-elected, the Harper government announced a program with less dollars and put rules around it so it could not be used for flexible programs such as the Ontario risk management program.
Wayne Easter, Liberal Agriculture Critic, August 2009
Yorkton News Review
This government (Conservative) in 2008 promised flexible dollars for AgriFlex and then reneged on that promise. In 2007 they promised a new program called AgriInvest but two years later it still isn't up and running. Also in 2007, they promised a $100 million per year cost of production program but then cancelled it before it was implemented.
MICHAEL IGNATIEFF, March 10, 2009
Ontario Farmer
Canada is the breadbasket of the world, and it is our farmers that have kept us that way… As many farmers have told me, "Farmers feed cities."…We will fight to make sure programs are flexible and are not "one size fits all."
BQ Agriculture Critic André Bellavance, February 10, 2009
House of Commons Agriculture Committee Transcripts
(The government) decided not to include income support measures in (the budget). And yet that's precisely what was requested by Quebec producers, who moreover felt that your budget displayed a disturbing insensitivity to the agricultural community. Those were the words of Christian Lacasse, president of Quebec's Union des producteurs agricoles. (The government) even appropriated the term “agri-flexibility” corresponding to the program put in place by the Canada Federation of Agriculture and encouraged by the Fédération des producteurs de cultures commerciales du Québec and the Grain Farmers of Ontario… by excluding income support measures, it is no longer the AgriFlex program at all, as sought by agricultural producers.
