HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2005-12-22, Page 11THE CITIZEN. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2005. PAGE 11.
OFA Commentary
Farmers’ frustration reaches boiling point
By Ron Bonnett,
President of the Ontario
Federation of Agriculture
The frustration and anger that
Ontario farmers are feeling because
of the ongoing income crisis is
boiling out onto public roads. We
want candidates in the Jan. 23.
federal election to understand their
plight and take corrective measures.
Like anyone else, farmers and
their families can’t survive without
making a profit from their
businesses. Politicians and those
who want to be politicians have
fanned the flames of discontent by
ignoring the farm income crisis and
the need for a sound farm policy for
too long
The Ontario Federation of
Agriculture and its partners in the
Yarn dolls
Jasmine carefully crafts her doll of yarn for Pioneer Day at
Grey Central Public School Wednesday, Dec. 14. (Heather
Crawford photo)
for your kind patronage and
wish you all a very merry holiday season.
IMJ Huron T ractor
John Deere
Thamesford
285-3845
1-800-563-3645
Blyth
523-4244
(1-800-265-9002)
St. Thomas
631-7230
(1-877-612-0522)
Exeter
235-1115
(1-800-265-4220)
Township of North Huron
Holiday Office Hours
December 19-23 regular hours
December 26-27 inclusive closed
December 28-30, 2005 regular hours
January 2, 2006 Closed *
Citancit
; X Stall
It's Christmas
On The Town
The town is bright with. Christmas lights
And sounds of celebration.
The windows are a wonder,
With their cheerful decoration,
Peoples' hearts are happy,
And joy is in the air.
It’s Christmas on the town tonight;
It’s Christmas everywhere!
Our heartfelt thanks to all our friends,
Whether far or near.
We wish, you Merry Christmas,
And a wonderful new year!
Unified Voice have laid out a
strategy aimed at getting information
to election candidates about the farm
income crisis. That strategy includes
having the candidates sign a
‘commitment to agriculture’ card
that will identify all candidates who
have signed the card on the OFA’s
website.
Following a very successful rally
of farmers in Wallaceburg this past
week, OFA is encouraging local
federations across the province to
follow the pattern. Organizers of the
Wallaceburg rally, Dennis deBot and
Tim Chinnick, worked hard and had
more than 100 tractors and farm
vehicles in a vacant parking lot for
the rally. Farmer and farm writer,
Philip Shaw, served as chair of the
event that saw local election
candidates address the crowd of
farmers.
OFA wants farm income to be the
focus of candidate attention in this
election, and the Wallaceburg rally
delivered that message loud and
clear. That’s what we need to see in
all areas across the province -
farmer rallies bringing the farm
income crisis to the attention of all
candidates, rural and urban.
We’re aware of other rallies taking
place, but the farm income issue gets
lost in the clutter when there’s no
focus. There are a multitude of
issues facing the farm and rural
community in Ontario, but if there’s
no return to profitability in farming,
the other issues become redundant.
OFA and its Unified Voice
partners have been successful
getting the Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
focused on the farm income issue. A
recent report from OMAFRA
identifies the cumulative need for all
Ontario commodities at just under
one billion dollars - that’s what’s
needed to bring our farming
community back to a position to pay
off losses from recent years of
negative income.
Bringing this information to the
attention of candidates in the federal
election should help agriculture
make the point that the federal
government has to invest more than
the $775 million it offered for all
Canadian farmers in November.
The candidates need to see and
understand the programs Ontario
commodity organizations have
developed as risk management and
income protection tools. These
programs, if implemented by
governments, would address the
income crisis our farmers have
experienced as a result of foreign
farm subsidies and other market
conditions.
We’re asking our governments to
approve these programs and
incorporate their concepts into the
next Agricultural Policy Framework
to make it a real ‘farm bill’. The
current APF expires in 2008, so what
we’re seeking now will deal with
losses from 2005, 2006 and 2007 -
losses that come as a result of
improper planning in the original
APF.
The OFA and other farm
organizations have developed an
election kit with questions designed
to focus in on key issues. This kit is
available on OFA’s website -
www.ofa.on.ca
We’re calling on local federations
and local commodity organizations
to meet with their local election
candidates and get their
commitment.
Farmers have a right (o demand
clear answers from those candidates
asking for the farm vote!
9 Rattenbury St. E., Clinton,
ON N0M 1L0
Ph.: (519) 482-9924
Res.: (519) 524-9260