by BETTER FARMING STAFF
“If you take federal money you have to agree to leave the sector and not grow again,” Tom Shenston, director general, strategic policy, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, told Better Farming on Wednesday morning. “There are no strings attached to what you do with the money.” Growers who take the buyout won’t be expected to tear out this year’s crop, he added.
Shenston was clarifying some confusing information from last Friday’s tobacco buyout announcement.
During the announcement, local MP and minister of citizenship and immigration Diane Finley told producers gathered in the auction in Delhi the buyout was open to tobacco quota holders who wish to continue to produce tobacco as well as those who want to exit farming or want to transition to something else. In his speech announcing the buyout at the same podium, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Gerry Ritz said producers must get out and stay out of tobacco production in order to get the buyout from the quota system. An exiting producer can sell his or her tobacco farm to someone who is getting in or staying in.
Shortly after Shenston called, Better Farming received a telephone call from Finley’s press secretary, Tim Vail. Vail agreed with Shenston that the money is available only to producers who exit the industry.
Shenston said he has spoken briefly with an unnamed person working in the office of Leona Dombrowsky, Ontario’s Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. He said the federal government hopes Dombrowsky will come across with monies to match two thirds of the federal spending on the tobacco buyout. The federal government also wants the province to institute a provincial licensing scheme that will ensure that tobacco that is grown in the province doesn’t escape the excise tax system.
On Friday, Dombrowsky said the province did not have plans to contribute to the buyout as had been suggested by the federal government. “I have made it very clear (to Ritz) that Ontario’s position is that it is tobacco users and not the taxpayers of Ontario who should be funding an exit strategy,” she said, adding that this approach was also recommended by the Ontario Flue-Cured Tobacco Growers Marketing Board. Dombrowsky also criticized Ritz for suggesting the province also kick in funds without first discussing the approach with her.
As recently as yesterday, Dombrowsky told the London Free Press that the monies are better spent on health care than on buying out tobacco farmers. BF
$300-million package for tobacco buyout
Many of us have heard from tobacco farmers that after the buyout, they are STILL GOING TO GROW TOBACCO, under their own newly formed organization! SO, why are we buying them out?
clarification on tobacco buyout
Is the government of Canada going to help other farmers hurting? Were the cattle farmers helped in this way? All our farmers are hurting, why is it just the tobacco farmers being assisted? How much assistance have they already had over the years?
clarification on tobacco buyout
We are hearing that the latest offer does NOT include EXITING the tobacco industry! TRUE or FALSE?
tobacco buyout
if the federal gov't of canada is going to allow transfer of ownership of tobacco poundage amongst family members why is the government buying out these farmers? They are still going to grow tobacco one way or another. Where is the common sense of our so called educated leaders. They already get land tax at a reduced rate due to the fact they are farmers (farmers who cheat, grow products that kill, cause cancer, breathing problems, sell to the Indian reserves..cost to OHIP that are astounding. Come on McGuinty--give your head a shake and help the farmers who produce food, grains, the medical professions instead of cutting back more and more nurses and beds and investing money in birthing units like at the brantford general hospital--those rooms could house a lot of sick people who need the medical assistance. Where has common sense gone? How much debt does the government of Canada and Ontario think us the tax payer can endure?