Newsroom
2002
April 10, 2002
Government must earn farmers' trust
Winnipeg - If the Government of Canada wants farmers to buy into the Agricultural Policy Framework, it's going to have to earn their trust. That was the advice the CWB's farmer-controlled Board of Directors put forth yesterday during a meeting with a senior Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada official.
"Farmers are looking for action on a number of immediate issues," stated Ken Ritter, chair of the Board of Directors. "They can't be expected to embrace the government's long-term plans if they don't have any assurance that their pressing concerns are being addressed."
Chief among the issues raised by farmers over the course of the recent accountability meetings that the CWB held in 41 locations across Western Canada were the combined impact of the drought and low commodity prices, trade, genetically-modified wheat, research, transportation costs and consolidation in the grain industry.
"There are some worthwhile initiatives in the government's Agricultural Policy Framework," added Ritter. "But unless there's a meaningful effort to deal with the problems that we're facing right now, farmers will continue to question the government's commitment to agriculture and to grain farming in particular."
During their meeting with the federal official yesterday, CWB Directors called on government to:
- Compensate farmers for trade injury. Lost revenue resulting from European Union and U.S. subsidies is estimated at $1.2 billion.
- Protect access to wheat and barley export markets. Federal policies must not allow the licensing of genetically-modified wheat and barley prior to its acceptance in the marketplace.
- Not reduce or dilute public funding for research. New research initiatives must not take away valuable resources that are needed to ensure the ongoing competitiveness of grains and oilseeds producers.
- Make the transportation system more economical for farmers. Western Canadian agriculture needs a competitive, efficient transportation system.
The CWB's Board of Directors will be forwarding a letter to the Honourable Lyle Vanclief, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, and to the agriculture ministers of all three Prairie provinces outlining the above recommendations as well as farmer concerns that arose during the Directors' meetings with farmers. The Board will be calling on government to act immediately on these issues.
Controlled by western Canadian farmers, the CWB is the largest wheat and barley marketer in the world. As one of Canada's biggest exporters, the Winnipeg-based organization sells grain to more than 70 countries and returns all sales revenue, less the costs of marketing, to Prairie farmers.