COMMENTARIES

Another summer job for farmers

OFA Commentary 2310 Click here for audio version

By Bette Jean Crews, President, Ontario Federation of Agriculture

Summer is known by most people as the time when farmers are busiest planting, growing and harvesting crops in their fields. There’s another responsibility many farmers will be working on over the next few months – working the fields of politics, seeking ways to improve the business environment for farming in Ontario.

Politicians at both the federal and provincial levels will be back in their ridings, attending barbecues and meeting their constituents, attempting to solidify support for the next elections.

This is when leaders of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, its staff and its members get to work meeting the politicians, going over the issues that are critical to agriculture. The list is widely varied ranging from market shortfalls to regulatory concerns to environmental and business sustainability. Some issues are new and some linger.

The need for improvements to risk management tools from both levels of government still tops the list of what farmers will be seeking when they meet their MPs and MPPs. Ontario commodity organizations have calculated a need for improvements to the AgriStability program retroactive to 2008. That necessary change would inject more than $100 million per year into Ontario farm businesses and help stabilize the farm community and our rural economy.

The implementation of Business Risk Management Plans across those commodities wishing it would further sustain these sectors through the years to come.

Farmers and their businesses would also benefit from changes to the property tax system in Ontario. Farm organizations have developed a simple definition of farming activities that include value-retention   activities, but we are still pushing for the adoption of that definition to clearly identify when the farm property tax class applies. These activities include everything from production of maple syrup to pitting and sugaring of cherries to packaging vegetables. Without these activities, there is no market for such products. That simply means they are farming activities.

OFA wants the province to commit to the cost of implementing source water protection plans – an important component of Ontario’s Clean Water Act. We also need government action to overcome delays in approvals for farm drainage work.

The province’s species at risk legislation has inherent costs and difficulties for farmers and rural municipalities. We encourage the province to ensure that the legislation is administered so that protection of habitat is balanced against farm businesses continuing to operate efficiently and for communities to continue to grow and develop.  If there is impingement to farming there must be compensation.

Farmers have identified other needs from both federal and provincial governments. The Environmental Farm Plans that so many farming operations have used to mitigate agriculture’s impacts on the environment needs continued and improved funding support.

Our members throughout the Greater Toronto Area want more consideration given to the needs of agriculture. Farmers in the Greenbelt find themselves being ignored by the province with preferential treatment going to environmental groups.

Both livestock and crops producers across the province are demanding more realistic action by the provincial government to stop the carnage of lambs and calves by coyotes and crops by elk, deer and turkeys. To this point, the Ministry of Natural Resources has provided recommendations for protecting livestock from coyotes and are developing an elk hunt, but no tangible action yet that will control the wildlife populations.

OFA members – Ontario farmers have much to discuss with our political leaders this summer.  The business of farming and food processing and distribution is big business in Ontario.  Our agri-food system needs Ontario farms to survive. Together, we employ 712,000 people across Ontario. That is big.  Our governments need to understand that and start taking care of business. It is our job to motivate them to do that this summer.