by GEOFF DALE
While the government points to a $150-million increase in agricultural spending, reaction from the agricultural community to Thursday’s Ontario budget is decidedly mixed with some expressing outright shock the industry was not even mentioned in the speech.
“I was certainly disappointed the word ‘agriculture’ did not appear in the speech,” says Ontario Federation of Agriculture president Bette Jean Crews. “But there is an increase in overall spending of $150-million – whether that is simply a case of programs being moved about I’m not sure.”
Giving Finance Minister Dwight Duncan’s financial document a C-plus grade, she adds in a time of recession it was positive to see the retention of some ongoing programs and an announced $2-billion contingency fund.
Don Kenny, chair of the 28,000 member Grain Farmers of Ontario, was less enthusiastic, expressing particular disappointment in the absence of funding to retain the three-year grains and oilseeds risk management pilot project.
“We were anxious for a long-term commitment from the province,” he says. “We appreciate the leadership shown in implementing the program but are very disappointed there was no budgetary commitment in the speech.”
Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario general manager John Clement estimates that sales tax relief from the introduction of the harmonized sales tax will mean about $30-million to farmers, worth about $600 to each farmer, “so on aggregate that’s good.” However, “it is frustrating the government doesn’t signal its support of such a key sector with better communications.”
Sean McGivern, provincial coordinator for the National Farmers Union says he assumed there would be little agricultural support announced in the budget. As a result he emailed the agricultural minister Carol Mitchell Wednesday, requesting a face-to-face meeting on the issue.
“It’s the province’s second largest industry and in the last 30 years we’ve lost 50,000 farmers,” he says. “The fact agriculture wasn’t even mentioned in the speech seems to indicate the government is not that worried about such an alarming statistic.”
Ontario Cattlemen’s Association communications manager Lianne Appleby says at first glance it appears agriculture is simply left out the budget. In advance, the association submitted a request for the risk management program to ensure the sustainability of beef farmers.
“The current risk management programs are not working as we have made clear to the minister,” she says. “The non-supply managed groups in Ontario have come together to form the Ontario Agriculture Sustainability Coalition and have agreed upon one umbrella program to enable producers to better manage the risks inherent in our industry.” She says the association will continue to push for the request.
Wilma Jeffray, chair of Ontario Pork, expressing little surprise about the lack of new fiscal funding, says the coalition is the way the industry will continue to “interface” with the minister. “And there is that contingency money. It would be nice to see the provincial government use some of this as we move toward the implementation of the program we are after.”
Saying the $150-million increase is a step in the right direction, the chair of the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association Brian Gilroy says his group nonetheless “feels for the grains and oilseeds people who were trying for a risk management program and is saddened by that omission.”
“There are positives and negatives here,” he says, referring to the contingency fund and pointing out agriculture is mentioned in background documentation as a key sector. But with “no real hard and fast commitments” to agricultural programs, “it’s a document where you almost have to read between the lines.”
Predictably, Conservative agriculture critic Ernie Hardeman was far from impressed, pointing to the omission in the speech and the lack of any new funding for the industry.
“I don’t know what agriculture would find in this budget to be particularly happy about other than the fact the government is clearly playing with and obviously shifting some numbers around.” BF
Comments
Why would anyone be surprised by the Ontario Government's view of agriculture? It is interesting to compare the attitude toward agriculture between Ontario and Quebec. Two provinces sitting side by side in Canada and yet a vast difference over many years in their focus on farmers. It seems to me that Ontario has always had a keen interest in manufacturing but basically ignores it's farmers. This would indicate that the Ontario government does not really care how many farmers go broke because they would just as soon import food and dwell on the manufacturing side of the economy. It looks like in years to come more and more land will be covered with houses and factories and greenbelts will be primarily for recreation purposes for all the people in those houses and factories.
as other poster stated ag is pretty low on the agenda of dalton's team....they would rather support a program too get rid of livestock guys and just have nice country estates where people can walk in the forest and listen too birds sing while enjoying foreign foods...am I bitter -yes--former long time liberal supporter
Our esteemed lobbyist Warren Kinsella and his Daisy's have been paid 16000.00 / mo for the last 4 + yrs. Two yrs ago the farmers were condemned by this same lobbyist for protesting, and more recently Kinsella's condemnation for all things rural when Mr Murdoch draws light and media to rural persecution by government policy.
Now Kinsella's and boards cry to arms is "if the farmers do not lobby MP/MPPs I can not do the job"
I think he needs a bonus for all his hard work in an imposable situation. He should be paid for exactly the number of times agriculture is mentioned in a budget, program announcement or throne speech.
There, we just saved $16000.00 / mo. for exactly what we got. "0" Not bad for 5 minutes thought. Boards and GFO's should be next
The OFA, the GFO and other ag boards have large memberships similar in size to some tables in the federal unions but appear to have very little political influence. Why is that?
In my view, it is because these ag boards do not know how to use the media and social networks to get their message out to the general public. You just can't write letters; you need to use the radio, TVO segments, Youtube, Facebook, and Twitter to sway public opinion for the need for a sustainable ag industry.
Look at Northern Ontario's success in getting a 25% reduction in the electricity rates to attract businesses in order to create jobs. They were on TVO recently and had socio-economic stats to back-up their arguments. They were impressive.
Unfortunately for Agriculture, we have the same uninspired people in the same key positions in the same organizations year after year.
AG will always be left behind today because such a small percentage of the population is in it.
The only thing the government thinks about is getting their paycheck. If you look around most of the manufacturing jobs have disappeared as well, along with farming.
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