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Home My WebLink AboutLucknow Sentinel, 2009-03-18, Page 19.' • - '4 ' , , - • • • "‘"- "'` • rirf +-: •••,1 - —4o • - • `.441rte 1"," ; ' ••*. !•,, • • • - • . • - •-•=:.•• 4- • • • ..-•- • , • . . . - - • - " .••,„ r - - - 4 t t' Lobb confident he can tackle concerns BY CHERYL HEATH Clinton News -Record Staff • Ben Lobb reports grassroots farm- ers have a number of concerns but he is confident the Conservatives are on the right track to tackle them. Pointing to the Jan. 27 federal -bud- get unveiling, Lobb says policies like Agriflex and new food -labeling requirements are just what the farmer ordered. Lobb, who is among a crop of new• Conservative MPs at the House of Commons, says the main concern he is hearing on the street is producers want to see new viability testing for insurance programs. "Tin hearing that Ws not working," he says. "Maybe we need to increase negative margins to 70 per cent." The good news, says Lobb, is both the Canadian and Ontario Cattlemen's Associations are sumxit- ing Conservative initiatives designed to boost the ailing sector. For his part; Lobb notes he recently took time out to meet with OCA president Gord Hardy to. assure him "that we're taking this very serious." In addition, notes Lobb, .the feds are taking the initiative to meet with provincial agriculture ministers to hash out a.priority list for agriculture - based issues. "It's important for the livestock sec- tor to get some help from program- ming," he says. "We need to be sure we're getting it dealt with." . s rvative budget show, says 1...obb, is the popu- lar Agriflex program, which allows regions to use funding as it's needed rather .than the formerly used one - program -fits -all strategy. An increase of 50 per cent in fund- ing over three years to increase slaughterhouse capacity is another step in the right direction for Canadian farmers, saystobb. "We have to be able.to process • Huron-Bnice MP Ben Lobb more of our own products domesti- cally," says Lobb. In refuting criticism that the dollars will be sucked up by the multi-mil- lion dollar prpcessors, Lobb says the funds are available and accessible to all. "Applicants for funding must meet the criteria" says Lobb. "The money will a11� smaller torripitiliesito expand facilities." In the same vain of improving things on the domestic front, obb points to new Product of Canada and Made in Canada labeling rules, which allow consumers to identify where their goods and products hail from. Lobb notes only goods and produce made or grown in, Canada can attach the Product of Canada label, while • goods and products that are only par- tially assembled here can affix the Made in Canada label. Lobb also points to provincially be emulated and further promoted. "It lets Canadians know Canadian jobs are being created," he says. As for election promises not yet delivered, Lobb says farmers should take note that his government is lis- tening to them and more changes are coming down the pipe. Citing a pledged .two- per cent federal excise tax break on diesel fuel as an exain- ple, Lobb says it proved to be not as much of a burning issue this year because fuel prices have -fallen. That is not to say, says Lobb., that the bleak won't be delivered at a later date. "It could be in the budget next yea.r,".he says. Finally, on the international front, Lobb is hopeful bridges to prosperity can be rebuilt with the U.S. now that there has been a change in govern- ment. . "I am very hopeful of the relation- ship between (U.S. President Barack) Obama and (Prime Minister Stephen) Harper," hesays. "NVe'reall need to work together as one continent." Working on and ptomoting bilater- al trade agreements is a means to that end, adds Lobb. Further on the international front, Lobb iftpleased wigt Acricillture iltiiist* terry Ritl"s'tondettesi efforts to hash out new agreements with India and Hong Kong. "Both ts YVould be p enome- nal for producers to sell their prod- ucts into," he says. "It's the govern- ment's job to find agreements and markets for producers." Continuing the push to eliminate restrictions erected following the Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) crisis, sparked in 2003 when an Alberta. cow .tested positive, is another -task on the list, says Lobb. "If we could knock down those based initiatives, like the Ontario tratle barriers, itwould mean $350 Corded Program, designed to boost million at the Farm Gate for beef Canadian products, as something to alone," he says. • . , •:7-4777- •••••'-:1, .; •4 •-.;' • • .• . - - • ..• • . • Farm Progress, March 18, 2009 - Page 3 SERVING RESIDENTIAL, AGRICULTURAL & MUNICIPAL NEEDS SINCE 1958 Ltd SPECIALIZING IN PLEASED CUSTOMERS RR 1 Ripley Phone 519-395-5520 Fax 519-395-3220 Did you know? Ontario greenhouse tomato growers use "beneficial insects" instead of pesticides for pest management. See www.foodland.gov.on.ca for more info Lucknow Auto Parts 564 Campbell St., Lucknow 519-528-2220 Bryan Marriage H & 8 Farms Inc. Harold & Beth Van Doornik Seaforth 519-522-0839 • YDJEIopper& Sons Ltd SINCE 1915 Water A, nothing works without it! 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