Disagrees with UN report | Local food for niche markets often carries a premium price
Canadian Federation of Agriculture president Ron Bonnett had his doubts when he heard a United Nations food security advocate complain about Canadian food insecurity in the midst of plenty.
The northwestern Ontario cattle farmer was not challenging the argument that many Canadians lack access to affordable food.
He was challenging the conclusion that part of the problem is an export and large farm-oriented agriculture policy that should be re-engineered to promote local food and small farms.
“I think he was confusing agriculture policy with social policy,” Bonnett said about Olivier De Schutter, the UN’s right to food rapporteur who has visited Canada and is now writing a report.
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“To think that local food will solve the problem of food insecurity for the poor is confusing because most local food near cities actually goes into higher priced niche markets, so I don’t see that as a solution for food insecurity for the poor.”
Agriculture minister Gerry Ritz said De Schutter was following a political agenda rather than concentrating on developing countries where there are food shortages.
Ritz said the government recently launched a program in Saskatchewan and British Columbia to brand Canadian product in stores. As well, a trade-oriented agriculture policy helps meet food needs around the world, he added.
“The single best way to make sure that families in Canada and around the world can access the food they need is to make sure our farmers remain successful,” he said.
“We are making sure that families in Canada and around the world can access the food they need by promoting free and unfettered trade.”
NDP agriculture critic Malcolm Allen said the UN report was an embarrassing condemnation of Canada’s lack of a national food strategy.
Liberal critic Frank Valeriote called it a scathing rebuke of Conservative failure to deal with the gap between rich and poor and the need to deal with food insecurity through a national policy that emphasizes local production.
Bill Jeffrey of the Centre for Science in the Public Interest argued that a national food policy should be written by experts without a conflict of interest.
He suggested farmers and agri-food companies with a stake in export market sales have a conflict of interest in designing a policy for domestic affordable consumption.
Bonnett said that is a bad idea.
“I would get very worried if we are producing a food policy by people with no skin in the game,” he said.
“It has to have a broad representation, but you can’t develop a food policy that doesn’t factor farmers into it.”
