Industry finalizes RMP pitch

Monday, February 1, 2010

by PATRICIA GROTENHUIS

Despite changes at the helm of the Ontario’s agriculture ministry, plans are still on track to present an industry-developed risk management plan during a provincial and federal agriculture ministers’ meeting on Friday.

Bette Jean Crews, president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, and spokesperson for the groups that developed the plan, says Carol Mitchell will ask the federal government for immediate changes to the delivery of risk management, including 60 per cent federal government funding of the industry plan, at the meeting. Mitchell, MPP for Huron-Bruce, was appointed to the province’s agriculture ministry during a Jan. 18 provincial cabinet shuffle.

Crews says the commodity groups involved in developing the proposal approved a basic plan in January and submitted it to the provincial government. Cattle, veal, pork, horticulture, grains and oilseeds as well as sheep commodity groups were among those who developed the proposal along with the OFA and provincial government representatives. Crews says the plan allows for a degree of flexibility to accommodate the varying needs of each commodity.

“The proposed plan is one basic risk management plan like the minister wants, with different details for different commodities,” Crews explains. The details for each commodity group are at various stages of completion, and are being submitted as they are finalized.

Crews stresses the coalition will not help one commodity group at the expense of another.  The proposal won’t jeopardize trade agreements, she adds.

The coalition meets this week to apply the finishing touches and review the plan with Mitchell.

“Everyone in the industry is working together for the good of the entire industry,” says Crews. BF