Farm groups have begun meeting with provincial and federal government officials to design a new Canadian agriculture policy.
The goal, according to federal agriculture minister Lyle Vanclief, is to build a policy framework that takes the focus off income disasters.
“Can we do a better job by looking at the whole picture in order to try to avoid crisis situations and have a better management approach to crisis management Ð to hopefully avoid crisis management?” Vanclief asked.
He and officials of eight provincial governments and members of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture met in Winnipeg on June 18 to begin hammering out a new policy direction.
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They plan a continuing series of meetings.
CFA president Bob Friesen said he supports Vanclief’ s direction. Farmers need to be given the ability to earn money for their products in the marketplace.
“We’ re trying to look at ways where we can insure that we have agricultural policy that promotes that, that fosters that, that facilitates that, so that safety net programs are only that, and that is to catch farmers when the tools that we have fail them,” said Friesen.
He said representatives had not yet discussed the amount of money needed to fund any new policy framework so the new design will accomplish its goals.
“This is far more than just about money,” said Friesen.
“This is about looking at the issues and how we can strengthen our agriculture through stronger agriculture policy.”
