WINNIPEG – Farmers have a tougher time getting a pay raise than do people on welfare in the city, says the head of a Winnipeg food bank.
David Northcott told the Manitoba Farm Women’s Conference that the economic system does not value farmers or their produce enough.
Manitoba’s welfare payment rates have risen in the past decade, but farm income has dropped. Winners and losers are created by economics and no business seems willing to say it has enough profits.
He challenged the farm women at next year’s conference to bring in some single-parent moms on welfare so that farm and urban women can tell each other their stories and look for solutions.
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“Share the skills and ideas to learn to speak loudly.”
People power
Northcott said farmers and poor people need to speak to the power holders, whether that is the media, politicians or corporations. He pointed out that McDonald’s restaurants felt the power of people acting together when they agreed to stop serving fast food in Styrofoam containers that damaged the environment.
A campaign like that might help farmers get more for their raw product, he said.
