It isn’t so much what agriculture minister Bob Speller is saying but how he is saying it that is giving the new minister good farmer reviews after his first six weeks in office, says the leader of Ontario’s largest farm group.
On Jan. 21, Speller met the Ontario Federation of Agriculture board of directors and won plaudits for praising them and promising to work with them.
OFA president Ron Bonnett quickly said he appreciated Speller’s “enthusiasm for the future of agriculture.”
In a Jan. 26 interview, he acknowledged Speller’s message about reviewing safety nets and working to open international borders to Canadian beef is not significantly different from comments by former agriculture minister Lyle Vanclief and the previous government.
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“But it seems to be accompanied by a switch in attitude,” he said.
“Speller jumped on a plane and went to Asia to ask them what they want us to do. The prime minister spoke with the president and talked directly to the industry about it. It’s fair to say that we see more involvement, more signs from this government that this is a priority.”
Speller began his remarks to the OFA board by telling them how important they are.
“I can say that within Ottawa, the voice of the OFA is heard,” said the Ontario-based minister. “You are one of the primary agricultural groups in this country and I know a lot of times when you speak, you speak not just for Ontario but indeed you speak for Canada and that is recognized.”
Speller promised to soon appoint a review team for Canada’s new five-year agricultural plan, the agricultural policy framework, saying that when the policy was implemented by Vanclief there were concerns that farm groups weren’t being listened to.
He said industry problems he would like to tackle include commodity prices and farm incomes that are too low and a food industry that is highly concentrated.
His underlying message was that he wants farmers to help design policy that will recognize that primary producers are at the centre of the industry. He jokingly acknowledged that his time in the portfolio may be short, since an election is expected within months and prime minister Paul Martin likely will revamp his cabinet after the election if he wins and ends up with a batch of new MPs.
“I want to work with you over the next number of years … hopefully the next number of years …. I want to work with you over the weeks and months to come towards a new vision for agriculture, one that recognizes the primary role of Canadian farmers and farm families within the value food chain,” Speller said, according to a transcript of his remarks prepared by the OFA.
Bonnett said the goodwill being shown the minister by the industry may erode somewhat as time passes and decisions are made that do not please everyone.
“I know how the cycle works,” he said. “But for the moment I see a new attitude and an opportunity we want to work with.”
