HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2007-08-29, Page 12Page 12 The Huron Expositor • August 29, 2007
News
Provincial government `finally recognizing need'
of farmers with new RMP announcement
Susan Hundertmark
Huron County -farmers are cele-
brating that the provincial govern-
ment is finally recognizing the need
in the Ontario agricultural commu-
nity by announcing a new risk man-
agement program (RMP) for grain
and oilseed producers, says Huron
County Federation of Agriculture
president Steve Thompson.
But, the fact that the federal gov-
ernment still hasn't bought into the
program is "the fly in the ointment,"
he says.
"It's great. It's been a long time
coming," says Thompson in response
to the recent announcement of a
three-year pilot program designed
to help farmers offset losses caused
by .low grain and oilseed commodity
prices beginnning with the 2007
crop year.
"We have to give the provincial
government full
marks for finally
recognizing the
need. It's a fair,
sound and rea-
sonable plan and
the farm commu-
nity is reason-
ably happy at the
moment," says
Thompson.
However,
Thompson says
farmers are still
frustrated that
the significant
losses suffered in
agriculture in
2005 and 2006
haven't yet been
addressed by
government.
"We're still
hopeful those
losses will be
addressed in
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some way, shape or form," he says.
Bev Hill, a member of the Huron's
grassroots farm group, says the
provincial announcement is "cer-
tainly a start" but adds he
has mixed feelings
about whether or not
the program will bring
Ontario farmers on
par with U.S. and
Quebec farmers.
"The most signifi-
cant reason is the fed-
eral government is not
going to participate or
share in any of the
program costs," he
says, adding that the
federal government
does contribute to
farmers in Quebec.
"We have to view the
provincial govern-
ment's position as a
tial that farmers with the same cir-
cumstances could receive different
pay -outs from the province.
Hill adds that farmers now need
to bring pressure on the
federal government.
"The Harper govern-
ment has not demon-
strated any favourable
position in respect to
agriculture but it
remains to be seen if
changes happen under
the new agriculture
minister - we'll have to
wait and see."
A press release from
Huron -Bruce MPP
Carol Mitchell says the
RMP program, devel-
oped in consultation
with the Ontario
Federation of
Agriculture and repre-
It's a fair,
sound and
reasonable
plan and the
farm
Community is
reasonably
happy at the
moment,'--
Steve Thompson,
HFA president
start. Up until recently, they would
not budge. Well, they've budged," he
says/'
While Hill says he thinks the
RMP program was announced
because of the upcoming provincial
election, he believes it's more than
an election promise.
"They implemented it by order in
council so it's going to happen no
matter who gets into power after
the election," he says.
Hill says he has concerns that the
RMP program has not been based
on generally -accepted accounting
principles, which leaves the poten-
sentatives of the grain and oilseed
sector, will be funded a "tradition"
40 per cent by the province, "while
continuing to encourage the federal
government to provide its 60 per
cent share."
"Farmers are the backbone of our
rural communities and we're stand-
ing behind them so they can succeed
in international markets and con-
tinue to strengthen our economy
and build opportunity in rural
Ontario," says Mitchell in the press
release.
"The risk management program
provides another tool for Ontario
grain and oilseed
farmers to help
meet the chal-
lenges of a
volatile interna-
tional commodity
market," said
Geri Kamenz,
president of the
Ontario
Federation of
Agriculture in
the press release.
"We will be
calling on the
federal govern-
ment to recognize
this important
program and to
contribute to its
success. This
brings -Ontario
producers closer
to the same type
of companion
programs that
have stabilized
farm incomes for
our colleagues in
Quebec," says
Kamenz.
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