by BETTER FARMING STAFF
The Ontario Superior Court has denied Grain Farmers of Ontario’s request for a stay of a law that requires farmers to greatly restrict the use of neonicotinoid seed treatments next spring.
In a written statement released late afternoon Friday, Mark Brock, Grain Farmers of Ontario’s chairman, expressed disappointment at the judge’s ruling which had been reserved following a hearing on an application made in court on Sept. 28. Brock, who farms near Staffa in Perth County, says the 28,000 member organization “has not conceded on this matter,” and is considering further legal options. Farmers are in a difficult situation as they order seed this fall for planting in the spring, Brock says. Arrangements must be made now with seed dealers to either treat or not treat the ordered seed which is delivered shortly before planting in the spring.
The widespread use of neonicotinoid seed treatments in recent years has been blamed for high losses in hives in overwintering bees. Beekeepers have called for a ban on use of the seed treatments. The regulations that Grain Farmers is fighting came into effect on July 1. Better Farming was unable to reach the Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs. The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change was not able to respond Friday.
UPDATE: Oct. 24, 2015
"We are pleased the court has ruled in favour of the government's actions to improve pollinator health," writes Kate Jordan, spokesperson for the Ontario Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, in an email. "The new requirements support the government of Ontario’s target to reduce the number of acres planted with neonicotinoid-treated corn and soybean seed by 80 per cent by 2017.
"These rules will be phased in to give farmers and seed vendors time to adapt. Government funded training is also available to farmers through to September 2016." BF
Comments
How much is the court action costing producers? How many producers support this court action?
It is likely not costing as much as the Greed Energy act is costing producers . Or much less than an OFA membership costs with no action being taken other than working with the Gov !
Like them or not we elect government and we have to try to find ways to work with them until we vote them out or sway public opinion against them. Now the public sees that a court agrees with the government so public opinion may have moved further against farmers on this. In hindsight maybe this court case wasn't such a good idea.
Rural Ontario didn't elect them. OFA claims they don't agree with the regs however, OFA flip flops and did make supportive statements within the June government press release. 1.Ask your OFA regional director if the OFA supportive quotes within the government regulation media release were approved by the OFA board? 2. Also, ask your OFA regional director what progress has been made to correct the many outstanding issues within the regs?
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In the latest election farmers have voted for and gotten the political party and candidate they wished for. They can do the same with general farm organizations and with representatives within those organizations. Unfortunately with most commodity boards you can't join an alternative you are forced to pay your dues and as someone here said suck it up when there is something you disagree with.
General farm orgs have many divisive issues with members on both sides of the issue. Eg. the very divisive Greed energy Act.
Commodity groups also have democratic local elections each and every year open to producers. Get off your butt and show up. You may just get elected!
Yes you do get a vote as a member of a commodity group but that's where it stops. On the other hand with a general farm organization you get to choose whether or not you want to belong to a farm organization. Then you get to choose which one you want to belong to. Finally you get to vote for which representatives you want on the general farm organization.
Your comment proves that you do not know jack about how things work with general farm orgs .
Thanks for taking time to respond to my statement of facts.
Amazing how so many think the members have any control or say . Yes you get to vote for a local rep . Smoke and mirrors from there on . It is top down not bottom up .
Don't join ...or pick a GFO that you think is doing some good.
Do you have another solution?
If you aren't part of the solution you are likely part of the problem!
Lets see we have Organic , SM or bio/climate change false economy groups . Not any good "general"farm representation . Add to that all that bow down to Gov since they get their money through legislative entitlement .
Ah yes the problem/solution cop out . That is like saying every one got acclaimed in elections because they were doing such a good job .
I will say that elections many times don't change things . At least with all the excuses you get it sure seems that way . Way too many times I have been told that the bureaucracy ( bureaucrats ) are the problem along with their unions . All I can say is if the elected officials are supposed to be running the country/province then get with the program . Ontario has been an example of a liberal gov doing what they want !
That's what this Government prays on, the splintering of farm organizations and farmers alike.You have organic vs conventional,SM farmers vs non SM farmers.Even all Bee Keepers don't agree on the Neonic issues and now you're suggesting GFO farmers don't think along the same lines as well.Its little wonder why farmers and Agriculture matter so little to the Government, we can't all agree on anything ourselves and perhaps never will...divide and conquer!
Farmers are independent by nature but I think the fighting between groups has worsened. Coops and marketing boards reflect this and the supply management bashing by non supply managed producers is another example.
A lot of resources that could be focused on successful ideas get wasted on fighting.
Farmers today are more interested in getting neighbours farmland than working to-gether. Its dog eat dog out there in farm country
Well this is another win for lawyers. Actually when do they ever lose?
yes I agree and they should be. If SM would speak up with the rest of agriculture on issues that effect them to things could be less tiring, BUT O NO the only time you hear from them is when it effects quota, milk, and fish worms and not receiving subsidies (4.3 B TPP ???) . They always let the other commodities do there dirty work
Be it municipal,Provincial,Federal or Farm Organization leaders everybody wants to be remembered for achieving something well in office. Just think of all the things that the McGuinty and Wynne gov't will be remembered forin Hisory.
It matters little what rural Ontario thinks of this Liberal Government and its "legacy"The only ones that count are the urban population that voted them in and quite likely will again.All the scandal's and increased deficits seem to matter little to people in the cities.
Most urban people are just working stiffs with the majority having union jobs . They have nothing invested other than a lunch pail . For the most part they know nothing about running a business or gov for that fact . Many rural people run their own business and have a vested interest in how gov screws them over .
Legacy in farm orgs is who gets what gov appointment and gets remembered for helping gov not farmers .
The crazy thing is that farmers in this province can agree that they love the Conservative party (or maybe it's more about a hatred of the Liberals) but they can't agree on things that might matter more such as how to build consensus among farmers and deal more effectively with whichever government is in power at federal, provincial or municipal levels. "My way or the highway" means that sooner or later, you end up on the highway.
When you look at farm representation compared to percentage of total farm operations , we are being over run by SM . Look at your general farm org boards and CFA . SM is 1/3 of the representation even though they are only 8% of the farms . Need not wonder why the rest of us get the shaft !
Who ever said Supply Management had1/3 representation ? I have been in the OFA for many years and that simply is not the case,in fact it probably is exact opposite.
I can come up with 5 current directors who are SM and one for sure who was SM
So you want to argue 6 out of 18 is one third ?
I did not think that going to court was the best route # years ago I expressed concern that the GFO did not understand what was coming at them. I also said that going to court was a very real concern to me. Stephen Webster blyth.
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