by DAVE PINK
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business has set out to clear up some misconceptions about Canadian agriculture.
“A large number of Canadians have never set foot on a farm,” says Mandy D’Autremont, a senior policy analyst with the federation, and one of the authors its recently released report Realities of Agriculture in Canada. As a result, she says the Canadian public doesn’t know enough about farming to know what’s fact and fiction.
Canadians, according to a federation survey of 18 focus groups last December, believe that agriculture is not innovative or modern; that the agriculture sector is shrinking; that farming is unsustainable and potentially harmful to the environment; and that farms are increasingly moving away from families and into the hands of corporations.
And all of that, based on a survey of 523 Canadian farmers this spring, is wrong, the federation is reporting.
“The public’s perception is not reality,” says D’Autremont. “Hopefully, this report will correct those misconceptions, and shrink the gap in understanding.”
The farmers surveyed live in every food-producing region in Canada and work in the grains, livestock and fruits and vegetable sectors. The survey is freely available on the CFIB website http://www.cfib-fcei.ca/english/index.html, and federation officials are talking it up during every interview opportunity with the media, says D’Autremont.
The survey showed that 81 per cent of Canadian farmers regularly use the Internet for information and when they are considering buying products and services. As well, a large majority of farmers use the most up-to-date technologies for training and budgeting.
“Farming in Canada isn’t an archaic operation,” the report says. “In fact, quite the opposite is true – the variety of business management tools used show that agricultural operations are sophisticated, strategic and modern.”
As for the public’s belief that that Canadian agriculture sector is shrinking, the report points out that a full 44 per cent of Canadian farmers are considering expanding their operations during the next three years, while only 10 per cent said they would probably downsize.
As well, 21 per cent of farmers said they are planning to hire more employees.
“The agriculture industry employs more than two million people, which is equal to one-in-eight jobs in Canada. With more farmers planning on hiring and looking to expand their businesses, it is clear this is a growing industry,” the report says.
The survey also found that a big majority of farmers are taking steps to protect the environment, such as investing in energy-efficient vehicles, making improvements in the handling of hazardous products such as chemicals and waste products such as manure. And, the report says, a greater number of farmers are doing what they can to preserve green spaces and wildlife habitat.
“Only five per cent indicate they have not taken any of these specific environmental actions,” the report says. “Contrary to public concerns of unsustainable or harmful environmental practices, these findings overwhelmingly demonstrate how important environmental protection is to Canadian farmers.”
Also, despite a widespread belief among Canadians that more and more farms are falling into the hands of faceless corporations, the survey shows that an overwhelming number of Canadian farms are still family owned, and are likely to be passed down to the younger generation – even if the traditional business model for the family farm has changed to meet modern demands.
“Understanding Canadians’ misconceptions about agriculture is an important step toward narrowing the disconnect they have about the sector,” the CFIB report says.
“Beyond promoting positive views of the agriculture sector, government policies can also help foster agricultural competitiveness in Canada and ensure the next generation is interested in taking over the farm,” the report concludes. “Farmers’ top priorities for government action include an increased focus on regulatory reform and reducing the total tax burden. Almost half of farmers say an increased focus on industry research, development and innovation would also improve their competitiveness.” BF
Comments
Exactly how many of the mainstream media pick up on the survey ? We can read about it in several Agricultural magazines and such but it will almost never make it to the big city media outlets.Mainly because its not really the news that draws readers.
Other than the front page news of video abuse of animals or Bee and Butterfly loses, the major news media seems transfixed on small niche farmers trying to cater to big city populations with an overabundance of money to spend.
The disconnect between urban and rural has been growing for quite some time,it has become somewhat highlighted in Ontario with the last 2 elections but has been growing long before that.
There was a time when most city dwellers had a uncle,cousin or relative that owned a farm of some description,big or small.Where they could visit but those days are long gone,now they depend on the media to give them their farm facts and the media has only one objective and that is to garner headlines,the farm facts have become blurred.
When farmers fall all over themselves, on this site and elsewhere, to defend supply management and mandated ethanol, two things which aren't supported by:
(A) any basic economic principles at all
(B) the sectors of the farm community disadvantaged by each
the disconnect between farmers and reality is far-worse than any disconnect we may feel there is between the non-farm community and farming.
And when it comes to "blurring" the facts, nobody does it better than agriculture, particularly when it comes to the constant barrage of half-truths coming from supply management and ethanol.
Blaming the media for any "disconnect" between rural and urban is nothing more than pointing fingers in the wrong direction, and ignores the ever-increasing reality that farmers are the authors of any, and all, of the disconnect they feel.
Stephen Thompson, Clinton ON
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