QUEBEC CITY – Farmers may be able to exploit the vulnerability of the minority Liberal government in Parliament to get farmer-friendly legislation approved, says a New Brunswick farm leader.
Don Bettle of the Agricultural Producers’ Association of New Brunswick told the semi-annual meeting of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture July 30 that the farm lobby should work with opposition critics to increase leverage on the re-elected but weaker Liberal government.
Except in Atlantic Canada, most rural seats went to opposition MPs in the June 28 election.
“We have an opportunity we haven’t had for 25 years with a minority government,” Bettle said during a debate on farm income problems.
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“We normally talk mainly to government. We should talk to the opposition more as well to bring forward legislation that will work for us. This is a chance.”
Bettle suggested that a two-day meeting planned for Nov. 15-16 in Ottawa, could be used to discuss solutions to chronic farm income problems.
A background paper for the meeting observes that last year, national realized net farm income was negative for the first time in history. Without government payments, losses would have been recorded in 1991 and 2001 as well.
Quebec farm leader and CFA vice-president Laurent Pellerin said solutions must include more farmer involvement in processing and value added production, improved government assistance and greater co-operation with processors and retailers in order to give farmers a bigger share of the pie.
He said farmers provide cheap food for consumers and good profits for corporate players in the food system. Meanwhile, they live on chronically low incomes, depleting equity and growing debt.
Pellerin said the “partners” in the system who do well from farmer production are rarely around to help when farmers are struggling.
Farmers should not be reluctant to ask for government help when the market fails them even as the economy and consumers use their products.
“When we’re in a crisis, our buddies the consumers, the taxpayers, they should come and share the risk,” he said. “That is fair.”
Meanwhile, newly minted deputy agriculture minister Len Edwards stuck his toe into the frigid waters of the farm income and safety net debate last week with a promise to work with farmers and an assurance that government is there to help.
He told the CFA meeting that Ottawa spent $5 billion last year and expects to spend up to $2 billion this year bolstering farm incomes.
“I hope I’m giving you an indication of the financial backing your governments are giving you,” said Edwards.
The deputy minister, who moved from the trade department to agriculture in May, also acknowledged the farm income disaster that occurred in 2003 and continues in 2004 as well as farmer complaints about the government’s new safety net program.
He said the one-year review of the Canadian Agricultural Income Stabilization program will proceed as quickly as possible after being launched this autumn.
And despite some suggestions that bureaucrats want to limit farmer involvement in the process, Edwards said he wants farmers at the table.
“We need your partnership, that’s clear,” said the career bureaucrat and diplomat who grew up on a Saskatchewan farm.
Edwards said his recent exposure to the agriculture industry has been an eye opener.
“The reality of farming has changed enormously from all those years ago (when he left the farm),” he said.
“The internationalization of agriculture has become the driving force in the industry.”
