EDMONTON – Preston Manning told agricultural producers and agronomists not to become addicted to government support during troubled times and to organize and lobby for legislation and government support appropriate for their needs.
Speaking to a crowd of about 1,250 packed into a convention hall in Edmonton Jan. 30, the former leader of the Reform and Reform Conservative Alliance parties said difficult economic times are prompting governments to bail out struggling sectors.
“Which has a place, provided it doesn’t create damaging dependencies,” he told FarmTech 2009 conference attendees.
Read Also
Saskatchewan RM declines feedlot application, cites bylaws
Already facing some community pushback, a proposed 2,000-head cattle feedlot south of Swift Current, Sask., has been rejected for a municipal permit, partly over zoning concerns about the minimum distance from a residence.
Likening the current economic conditions to those of the Great Depression, Manning said help should be available to those who need it, but governments need to find ways to deliver the money sparingly and with as little public fanfare as possible so as not impair farmers’ dignity.
Manning, who retired from politics in 2002, is a fellow of the conservative Fraser Institute think-tank and the Canada West Foundation. He told producers that if they want to be compensated by society for their role in protecting the environment the way European farmers are, they should form a group to lobby governments.
He said farmers should also lobby government for funding of biotechnology research that improves agricultural production and helps to secure international markets though competitiveness, as well as legislation that supports its use.
“There are opportunities for innovation through improved (agricultural) productivity that biotechnology, genetic engineering, can deliver.”
He said producers should also support research that examines the ethical, environmental and economic aspects of biotechnology to ensure it meets their needs and those of the greater society.
