In his short term as Canadian Federation of Agriculture president, longtime Quebec farm leader Laurent Pellerin set one precedent and one record.The precedent came when he was elected in 2009 as the first CFA leader from Quebec in the 73 year history of Canada’s largest farm lobby. He had been first vice-president for a decade but had never tried for the top job until longtime president Bob Friesen stepped down to run as a Liberal candidate in the 2008 federal election.Pellerin defeated his co-vice-president Ron Bonnett, who now replaces him.The record came when he announced last week he is stepping down to take a government appointment May 31 after 15 months on the job. It is the shortest CFA president’s term in its history.Agriculture minister Gerry Ritz appointed Pellerin chair of the Farm Products Council of Canada effective May 31. It oversees the four supply management boards that govern production and marketing in the egg and poultry sectors.”I’m sad to leave after such a short period like this,” Pellerin said in a May 19 interview. “But this was a good opportunity for me to continue my work in agriculture and I am not nervous at all that the CFA is in good hands.”He applied for the vacant FPCC chair position last fall, just nine months after winning the CFA presidency. During his work with CFA and the 15 months as president, he travelled across Canada to meet with farmers and saw the strength of the federation and its provincial affiliates. “I went everywhere in Canada and I found great support right across the country,” he said. “I think the CFA is a lot stronger now than it was 15 or 20 years ago and I’ve been involved since 1985.”Pellerin said the challenge facing CFA and its new leadership is the same problem that has dogged the industry for years – “how do we bring some profitability for farmers?”He said a project launched by CFA at its February 2010 annual meeting to develop a national food strategy will be part of the answer. While his new job at the FPCC usually lacks visibility, Pellerin said he looks forward to working with poultry and egg sector supply management agencies that are overseen by the council, created in 1972.”I think I can make a contribution at helping develop good relations between farmers and the processors who buy their product,” he said. “But it will be a different role. I will have to keep quiet a little bit more and not comment on agriculture issues the way I have been.”He takes over at a time of tension between the FPCC and Chicken Farmers of Canada.CFC has taken the council to Federal Court over a 2009 dispute over chicken quota allocation decisions.When CFC decided to increase production quotas at a 2009 meeting, processors and further processors complained that in the middle of a recession, supplies should be decreased rather than increased.Council delayed approving the quota decision for several months, prompting Chicken Farmers to go to court asking for a ruling on whether the FPCC exceeded its jurisdiction by interfering with internal marketing board decisions. A decision is expected later this year.
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