CALGARY – Western Canadian cattle organizations are firmly rejecting participation in any future government farm programs.
But the request to Ottawa and provincial governments to leave cattle out of the safety net seems to have fallen on deaf ears, leaving some industry leaders shaking their heads.
All cattle organizations in Western Canada have said no to subsidies, said Alberta Cattle Commission chair Ben Thorlakson.
The ACC, Western Stock Growers and Alberta Cattle Feeders Association have all rejected the idea of any whole farm program, yet some producers and the two levels of government are attempting to devise a program this winter.
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The Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, the British Columbia and Manitoba cattle producers’ associations have also spurned any new subsidies.
Fear trade retaliation
Cattle producers fear retaliation by trading partners if they accept any subsidy which includes government money, said Thorlakson.
Western Stock Growers president Dave Foat said such programs can upset trade patterns in cattle, beef, hogs and pork and will cause further resentment among Americans who are the chief importers of Canadian meat and live animals.
Thorlakson admits producers participate in the Net Income Stabilization Account for protection or to satisfy bankers, but it’s still perceived as a counterproductive subsidy.
“If you offer people money, there’s always people out there who will take it,” he said. “We think it’s an inappropriate use of public funds.”
Thorlakson said he prefers to see money invested in new technology, research and foreign market development. Subsidy programs paid to individuals only sustain marginal producers and do not develop the industry, he said.
