The Rural Voice, 2005-12, Page 50L
News in Agriculture
Aim for high-value food products, Guy says
Canada needs to go after high value countervail will go ahead. Big corn government payments.
markets, not commodity markets, if buyers are claiming this is a game of "We live in a time when Americans
farming is to survive, Dennis Guy of Russian roulette, Guy said. don't see the need to support farms,"
Ontario AgRadio Network told the He sympathized with producers' he quoted his friend as saying.
annual meeting of the Bruce County need for a risk management program. Speaking at the same meeting, Paul
Federation of Agriculture. "I would hate to see grains and Steckle, MP for Huron -Bruce, said he
"I don't see a strong future in oilseeds continue to hang its hat on understands there are serious
commodity products," said Guy, CAIS," he said. "Personally, I feel concerns for farmers. "We have
speaking in Underwood, October 28. CAIS is fatally flawed." concerns like we haven't seen in 100
He defined "commodity" as But government thinking seems to years. I've been around long enough
something that is at least three or four be short-term right now, he said. It to know you can't sell product at
steps from being human food. "Corn may be that since the risk below the cost of production," he
is not food. It's an industrial input. management plan is designed by said.
Soybeans are not food." farmers and government won't get a CAIS must be made to work,
Lower-cost producers like Brazil, lot of credit if it's implemented, the Steckle said.
China and others, will more and more government might just let it die. He also expressed concern about
produce commodities, Guy predicted. "This is high-stakes poker," Guy the WTO talks. "If we lose supply
"What we can do is produce the said. "This is not a tractor rally." management, we've lost everything,"
best, highest quality food." Canada Invoking the old Chinese curse he said. Exports might increase
has a reputation to quality and food "may you live in interesting times," through more market access gained
safety that makes it a marketer's Guy said "I can't think of a more as a result of selling out supply
dream, Guy said. "Why can't we interesting time to be a farm management but that won't put
produce the best and the most broadcaster. Agriculture is under money in farmers' pockets, just those
expensive food and ship it all over siege from just about every side of exporters.
the world?" today." He defended proposed dairy
Guy said the risk management plan And while Canadian farmers may labeling legislation. "We want to
put forward by grains and oilseeds envy their American counterparts, make sure you know what you're
commodity groups and the Guy said a well-known American buying," he said. "Processors and
countervail action against U.S. corn, farm broadcaster friend of his told further processors don't care what's
should be watched in tandem. him "The next (U.S.) farm bill is very in the box as long as they're making
Insiders say if the provincial and much in doubt." money. These are the same
federal governments implement the The repercussions of a drop in farm processors who found a way to get
risk management program, the corn support in the U.S. could be around NAFTA and WTO (to import
countervail will be dropped, he said. enormous since it's been estimated dairy product substitutes). That's the
If the government ignores the call for that up to 50 per cent of the increase reason we've lost the ice cream
the risk management plan, the in U.S. farmland prices is due to industry."0
Emerson honoured as BCFA volunteer
In an unusual move the volunteer helped organize the One Voice Rally Farmers Union to become a director
of the year award went to Federation at Queen's Park. He intervened when of the Federation, joining a
President Robert Emerson at the CKNX Radio fired its farm editor to representative of the Christian
2005 annual meeting of the Bruce make sure farm coverage would still Farmers Federation of Ontario who.
County Federation of Agriculture, be a big part of the station's mandate. was already present.
October 28. He urged the Bluewater District Emerson had also agreed to stand
Genie Blake, OFA field rep who School Board to leave its as a regional director for OFA to
presents the award, said she normally headquarters in Chesley instead of succeed Robert Bregman.
doesn't pick anyone from the moving it to Owen Sound. Blake presented the trophy as
executive because normally they're "It was a credit to his dogged Emerson received a standing ovation.
doing what they're expected to do in determination that he was invited to "I enjoy helping farmers, saying what
their position. "This president has meet with Prime Minister Paul needs to be said," he said in
gone beyond all expectations," she Martin when he visited Owen accepting the award. He said he
praised Emerson. He had given Sound," Blake said. enjoyed working with the other
countless interviews on topics from Emerson also opened directors of the Federation. "We get
the BSE crisis to low crop prices. He communications with other farm into some rousing discussions."
has fought for changes to CAIS and organizations by inviting a In his earlier president's address,
for the risk management plan. He representative of the National Continued on page 47
46 THE RURAL VOICE