February 8, 2005

Breitkreuz’s 2005 Agricultural Forum a Success

On January 13, 2005, farmers from this area and across Canada were invited to attend the annual Agriculture Forum, which I have been pleased to host for the seventh time. The Forum provides an opportunity for our agriculture producers to share ideas and concerns. Since it is televised nationwide, the Forum also gives producers in other regions of Canada and in urban centres a real look into the trials facing western Canadian farm families. Based on the comments I have received since it was held, Canadians are paying attention.

 The Forum featured a number of guest speakers including Conservative Party Leader Stephen Harper, federal Agriculture Minister Andy Mitchell, and Gary Groves, the Counselor for Agricultural Affairs for the Embassy of the United States . The Forum, broadcast on television across Canada via CPAC, proved to be very educational, not only for the audience, but for the guest speakers as well.

Agriculture producers listened to the panel of guest speakers who made presentations on various topics such as international and U.S. cross-border trade relations, input costs versus returns, and the international marketplace. The speakers also heard a near-unanimous message from those attending the forum – the Canadian Agricultural Income Stabilization Program (CAIS) is not working.

Through a questionnaire distributed at the Forum, attending producers were asked if CAIS adequately addresses their personal farming situation. A high level of frustration was evident in the written responses. Only five per cent agree that CAIS has adequately addressed their farming situation. Eighty-nine per cent disagree, meaning CAIS has not adequately addressed their farming situation. Six per cent of respondents had no opinion – one producer is still waiting to hear back from his 2003 claim. On the questionnaire, participants were asked to provide additional comments regarding CAIS. The following are a few of those comments:

“The CAIS Program will eventually stabilize farm income at the poverty level.”

“Too complex, too many expenses not allowed, margin calculations unfair – they must be tied to productivity of the operation. Programs must be simple and transparent.”

“In all the years of farm programs, somehow we have never qualified – we continue to struggle day-in and day-out, but according to all programs, we are financially O.K. There are no other industries that live with the returns we are getting. No benefit, no income, no status.”

In summary, CAIS needs to be scrapped and replaced with a program that is both user-friendly and can benefit all producers in need of assistance. Everyone seems to understand that need except for the Liberal government which, despite examples proving the assistance program is failing our producers, is adamant in its efforts to keep CAIS.

While it may be assumed that the on-going BSE crisis would dominate as the key issue facing agriculture today, the men and women on the frontlines of farming are feeling uncertainty and pressure due to dozens of varying concerns. Here are just some of the comments received from my questionnaire:

“Address the impact of the Aug. 20 (2004) frost as a disaster in the grains and oilseeds sector and the needed assistance for 2005 spring seeding.”

“Why are most of our freezers full of American-processed foods? If we want to corner a food market, why not corner our market? When we sub-contract the U.S. to process our food, their economy benefits, not ours. Let us try to keep more Canadian money in Canada .”

“We need a Canadian controlled packing industry. What can the government do to help them get started so that there is some competition? This especially applies to cull cows and bulls. The market is out there – we lack the kill capacity that costs a lot of dollars. Relying on the opening of the U.S. border to (cattle) under-30 months is not the answer.”

 “How do we survive on $0.78 feed wheat when input costs are sky high. Farmers in the 1920’s and 30’s got higher prices for their product than we do now in 2005.”

With the uncertainty comes a real sense of frustration towards the Liberal government for its lack of support and for not showing the rest of Canada the significance of the agriculture sector.

“Food is a basic necessity – without food, what other issues matter? Canadians want cheap, safe food. As a farmer struggling to survive, I’m tired of providing this to our society.”

“Does food production in Canada have any value to Canadians?”

“What is the role of the government in this agriculture crisis? Where is the leadership? An entire industry is being destroyed and all the government does is talk endlessly about the problem.”

In addition to the speakers representing the federal government, the Official Opposition and the U.S. Embassy, were Terry Hildebrandt, President of the Agriculture Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS); Dr. Al Loyns, President of Prairie Oat Growers; and Liam McCreery, President of the Canadian Agri Food Trade Alliance (CAFTA). These speakers brought to the Forum a look at the agriculture industry from the perspective of their respective organizations and its members. They spoke of the need to treat Canadian agriculture producers as an important economic contributor, as is done in the United States, and gave more direct figures in relation to the August 20^th, 2004, frost. In fact, Mr. Hildebrandt related that while he does not wish to belittle the BSE crisis and its effect on the economy, “those three hours of frost on August 20^th probably has taken three times the economy out of this province than BSE has in two-and-a-half years.”

Mark Wartman, Saskatchewan ’s Minister of Agriculture, also took part in the Forum, accepting an impromptu opportunity to speak to the audience of over 350.

Question-and-answer sessions following each speaker allowed our producers to voice some of their concerns to those speakers, who in turn have developed a better understanding of the plight of our farmers.

The struggle for survival in the agriculture industry happens daily, with much of the battle taking place in the political ring. This Forum provided Canadians to put a name and face to individuals and families living the struggle in rural Canada . Those attending must be commended for their willingness to participate and speak up. Many thanks to all the speakers including Messrs. Mitchell, Harper and Groves who were able to see and hear firsthand how deeply flawed CAIS is as well as the importance of reopening the border to our cattle and the need for fairness at the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Now back in Ottawa , I have delivered the messages of Forum participants in speeches in the House of Commons.