OTTAWA (Staff) – Next summer, perhaps in late June, the federal government will host a national conference of food industry leaders to create a new “business plan” for the sector.
Agriculture minister Ralph Good-ale two weeks ago announced the conference during a meeting of national farm leaders in Ottawa.
He said it will be a meeting that reveals the immediate and medium-term food priorities for the Liberal government.
Part of it will be based on opinions offered during round table sessions with farmers and food sector representatives during the autumn and winter.
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Confidence in future
The meetings have been “a demonstration of optimism, a demonstration of confidence in the future of the industry,” Goodale said Feb. 19. He was speaking at the last policy meeting organized to discuss opportunities and barriers to growth and adaptation in a food sector hit by reduced government support and changing markets.
The seventh and final meeting featured national representatives from farm and food groups gathered in a downtown Ottawa hotel. It began with some farmer skepticism.
Ed Benjamins of Ontario, vice-chair of the Canadian Chicken Marketing Agency, suggested the government was posing questions and interpreting answers to reflect what it wants to do anyway.
“We have some concerns with the process itself,” he said.
Canadian Federation of Agriculture president Jack Wilkinson joined the fray. He said some reports from earlier consultations did not seem to reflect concerns that producers had voiced.
“I’m nervous over some of the questions,” he told Goodale. “I hope we are not being pushed into pre-determined questions.”
The minister adamantly denied it. He told the farm leaders they could raise any issues they wanted and the government would listen.
“The priorities are to be identified by you,” he said. “I assure you 100 percent there is no stacked deck in this process.”
At the end of the day, he said the meeting had identified obstacles ranging from a lack of credit to regulatory problems and lack of co-operation within the industry.
He said there were also opportunities identified, in both domestic and export markets.
Goodale said he is considering establishing an “ideas fund” which could be used to finance research into innovative ideas, as well as a national awards program to recognize those who successfully promote innovation and growth.
