The Rural Voice, 1998-05, Page 504.11711111 ,00 -
and retailers. An unnamed Canadian
farmer is cited in one of the
newsletters as believing" ... as long
as farmers insist on producing
commodities, they will get what they
deserve," and it concurs with the
Centre's emphasis on product
marketing, as opposed to simply
producing grain or beef.
Dr. Amanor-Boadu would like
to see players in the agri-food
industry get the kind of brand
recognition enjoyed by companies
like Nike.
"(By wearing the logo,) people are
saying, "I like this so much, I'll tell
the rest of the world", he enthuses,
"Why can't we do the same?"
A vision of the farmer as a
market -savvy entrepreneur,
constantly on the lookout for new
opportunities for his value-added
products may not jibe with everyone.
Buying the argument can also be
expensive. The Centre's courses
range from about $295 for
workshops, to just under $2,000 for a
four-day executive course. A 12 -
month subscription to the Canadian
Commodities Review, (one of their
publications), available by fax or e-
mail only, starts at $595.
In the field of economics, there
are always dissenting opinions. In the
Canadian agricultural sector,
however, the George Morris Centre
seems to be the only game in town.
Put simply, if there's another side to
the future of the business, there's no
comparable outlet for its voice.
Although their position is
arguable, the market environment has
undeniably changed — and a lack of
46 THE RURAL VO
dialogue can be dangerous, as Dr.
Amanor-Boadu points out. On the
subject of quotas, in particular, he
worries about a potential collapse of
the industry.
"There are producers with
$500,000 even $1 million quotas on
the books. If we are saying that
tariffs are wrong, then what do they
do with their quotas? The
government won't compensate them
for it. We're not talking about it at all
With the Centre a persistent critic of
supply management, SM producers
often wonder who speaks for them.
— that's the problem."
That the future of the agri-food
business will bring more change is
stating the obvious. At the George
Morris Centre, there's a vision they'd
like to discuss.0
Anya Wassenberg is a freelance
writer living in Hamilton, Ontario.
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