by BETTER FARMING STAFF
Some Ontario pork producers are disappointed that a date hasn’t been set to protest if efforts to convince Ontario’s politicians to fund a business risk management program for their industry fail.
Delegates to Ontario Pork’s annual meeting in London this week defeated a motion to discuss a late-filed resolution from the Huron County Pork Producers about the issue. The motion called for the commodity organization to set June 15 as the date for a province-wide rally. Delegates defeated the motion 77 to 55.
Ontario Pork chair Wilma Jeffray says establishing the retroactivity of AgriStability program reforms for 2008 and 2009 is a more immediate priority than “a fully fledged up and running” risk management program. AgriStability is shared between the federal government and the provinces and triggered when farmers’ current year program margins fall below 85 per cent of their reference margins.
The 2010 provincial budget has also provided contingency funds, she added.
While responding to Wellington County producer Mike Petkovic’s question of why a deadline was not set to escalate action if agreement is not reached with the province about risk management, Jeffray likened a rally to buffalo jumping off a cliff: “You’ve done it and what if the answer’s still ‘no’?”
Ontario Pork belongs to a coalition of provincial non-supply managed commodities seeking provincial and federal funding for a business risk management program that would offer support when commodity prices fall below historical costs of production. The coalition is developing a series of town hall meetings that target urban politicians and media to make them aware of the situation.
Jeffray called the coalition’s approach “reasoned.” It’s engaging the public and makes the issue about food, the economy and agriculture, she said: “I think we will achieve more success by having a broader engagement with government and getting that urban voter with us as opposed to our minister of agriculture getting down on her knees and begging everyone.”
Petkovic said a rally would make consumers aware of the pork producers’ plight. He was critical of the coalition’s plans to wait until July to get national buy-in to the program. “And if that doesn’t happen, then what?”
Producers had given Ontario Pork board members “clear direction” to organize a rally at an emergency meeting in September and later in the fall, he said.
Jeffray said the establishment of the coalition itself was a significant achievement that has given producers a “much” stronger voice when negotiating with the government. “To say that’s nothing happening in July, we’re telling you in April there’s two significant events that are ongoing from there.” The events include a town hall meeting April 6 in Stratford and outreach efforts April 13 in the provincial Legislature.
Andrew Frew, a producer from Durham Region, supports the idea protesting, but wants more planning rather than more haste. “Let’s take those (protestors) and put them down on the streets of Toronto” to ask urban voters to support the risk management plan, he said.
“Because in the near term we’ll get more support from the government by doing that than putting 1,000 people on Queen’s Park to try and shame the government.” BF
Comments
The government tardiness of AgriStability program reforms for 2008 and 2009 "lese fare" attitude of is not only unacceptable it boarders on illegal.
The problem is the voices of the ag lobby are unprepared to do meaningful battle with the bureaucrats, ministers or government.
What is the objective given to the bureaucrats? Give no money? Cut costs? But add 9.3 % to hydro cost because their cost lines say so? Oh and lets ad HST too, a nice garnish (pun intended) on top
Jeffray is likely right. To rally buffalo or pigs to jump off a cliff leaves little recourse. It would never address the real issue of the producers; just get the animal activists alarmed. Herein lies the problem. Most of the OASK group have little idea how to lobby effectively. No one has considered what if Stratford is a bust?
OASK has had months collectively and individually to get COP numbers assembled with all cost lines included under GAAP. Until you do, you have no real argument and you are not prepared. You should have been. COP numbers should always be current to no less that 30 days
Second Jeffary, and most other leaders would not know how to lead an effective rally. Handing out ice-cream on parliament hill in June and July (as GFO did) gives good optics but makes us look as through we can donate our product for free or we are very rich already.
This strategy or any other gladhanding does not offset the heavy handed downloads from government recently brought to light by Mr Murdoch. Many NGO’s (non government organizations) operate from within the premiers office drawing up legislation against rural Ont to meet their self-severing interest groups. To think that this agenda will be influenced by farmers smiles and explanations of a cheap food policy being bad for consumers amounts to the last pig or buffalo over the cliff.
She has one part right “engaging the public and make the issue about food” but until consumers are feeling hunger or (food) shortage just as farm families do, they nor politicians cannot connect the dots. They have trouble connecting the dots from “agriculture and agri food” to street campaign but they get it when the Food terminal is closed.
Until the action makes the bureaucrats strategy of “do nothing, no money” fail proportionate to public opinion votes … no dough for agriculture. Closing the food terminals was a gutsy new move taken on by the grass root group, not the boards, not GFO’s but it worked. Going to Queens park just got GM, not agriculture, an unexpected 400 million!
Bureaucrats cheques are working fine so no need to do different and no new direction is or will come from government until their present approach fails. Petkovic has it right, because he can relate right from where he sits down.
In another BF story referring to agri invest, typically Wales and OFA are still talking, Stevens (CFFO) is not available, and only Sean McGivern (NFU) says farmers have no money to save themselves.
They liken Agri-Invest to a savings account for farmers used for small income declines. But that is all we have had … continually for some years! Flat line and down, where is the recovery to make the contribution? Farmers can deposit up to 1.5 per cent of their allowable net sales that are all below COP and just so farmers are treated fair “The government contribution plus the interest earned on both the government and farmer's contributions is taxed as investment income upon withdrawal.” At least we are all taxed equal.
Until we have leaders and lobbyists that have the same guts to lead as was done to sway public opinion against caged hens and farrowing crates we will not improve support programs. Unless we are willing to prove through fact and action our skills and our production from those skills is needed daily by consumers we will still be talking about this in years to come. But maybe not, because I have not noticed the age of farmers coming down at any meetings I have attended. Age will cease our skills and we will quit even if this mess is not fixed by us.
You reported that Huron County's late filed resolution calling for a province wide rally by June 15 in the absence of any concrete development of an acceptable risk management program, failed, by a vote of 77 to 55. That is incorrect.
The late filed resolution required a 60% majority to be debated. That vote obtained a 58.3% "yes" and therefore the Huron resolution was NOT debated.
Ahhhh yes... a 1.7 % shortfall or about 3/4 of one producer vote. Technicalities save gutless boards, but could they or would they be able to protest effectively anyway?
If the grass root people have to do the work that elected representatives were expected to do, do you really think they will just give their representation back to the same failed boards and GFO's at the end?
There isnt a board or commidity leader with the cojones ,connections ability or desire to get the job done.
Once again Leo et el showed(oasc rally) why we arent getting anywhere. Waving pom poms with no intention of actually going through with anything. Leo please step aside and let someone with the know how and determaination to do something actually lead. Black balling real leaders only hignlights your inadequacy.
Post new comment