Northern Ontario beef farmer Ron Bonnett has been re-elected without opposition to a new two-year term as Canadian Federation of Agriculture president.
He has been CFA president since 2010.
During the CFA annual meeting in Ottawa this week, vice-president Humphrey Banack from Alberta and Quebec dairy producer Marcel Groleau also were acclaimed without opposition to their positions.
In his speech to the meeting, Bonnett said the CFA continues to be a common voice for farmers despite the loss during the past year of the Canadian Pork Council, the Canadian Horticultural Council and CWB as members.
Read Also
Canada says Australia has re-opened market access for beef and beef products
Australia has lifted a 22-year-old ban on the import of Canadian beef and beef products, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said in a statement on Tuesday.
Bonnett said that while there are some “membership issues” as traditional CFA members drop out, a general farm organization remains more vital than ever.
He argued that a united farm voice still is important. With more diverse voices, “it’s more necessary than ever to build consensus.”
Some CFA leaders were stung by stories about the pork council’s decision to withdraw from the federation and CPC arguments that as an export-oriented sector, it felt unwelcome in an increasingly supply management-dominated and protectionist CFA.
Questions were raised about CFA’s ability to claim it speaks for all farmers.
In his speech, Bonnett said it has never been more important for farmers to develop “common positions” to take to government, industry and consumers.
Agriculture is diverse in Canada and CFA has to reflect that diversity, he said.
“We can’t start polarizing discussions so we are only going forward in one direction.”
Bonnett quoted former agriculture minister Eugene Whelan: “It is a lot easier to tear down than to build up.”
He said the CFA continues to discuss ways it and the pork council can co-operate to rebuild the relationship.
“If we decide to polarize, we will have polarized agriculture,” he said. “We have to recognize CFA is not CFA standing alone. It is us together.”
CFA leaders also said a priority for the next year is to attract new members.
