Oh brother........................

[kato]

It's so nice to see that someone cares .............NOT.

from the Western Producer

By Barry Wilson, Ottawa bureau
March 18, 2010
Federal agriculture minister Gerry Ritz says changes to Canadian farm support programs requested by hog industry leaders cannot be done quickly, if at all.

It would cost governments more money at a time when they are trying to cope with record deficits, he said March 17.

"It's a matter of affordability for provinces and territories and the federal government for that matter," he told reporters after an appearance before the House of Commons agriculture committee, where he rejected opposition calls for quick changes to government programs to make them more farmer-supportive. "We've got a deficit we're working on."

Two days earlier, hog producers told the agriculture committee that the AgriStability program should be changed to make it more useful to the sector now in the fourth year of poor or no margins.

Among other requests, Canadian Pork Council president Jurgen Preugschas said the "viability test" should be dropped because a requirement that eligible producers must have recorded profits in two of the three reference years excludes most hog farmers from benefits.

"AgriStability does need some fixing and that is a priority for us without question," he said. "As of this year, our hog producers will get nothing anymore from AgriStability because of the viability test, through no fault of their own."

But Ritz said not to expect quick action and he blamed the provinces. Ottawa cannot respond alone to the industry request even if it wanted to.

"To start with AgriStability, the federal government does not operate arbitrarily," he told Liberal MP Wayne Easter, who had demanded that the government respond. "As you know, it's a shared jurisdiction between the federal government, the provinces and territories."

Although ministers discussed the issue in Toronto last month and it will be back on the table when they meet for their annual summer gathering in Saskatoon in July, Ritz held out little hope for quick action.

And he did not respond to a hog leadership request, raised by Easter, that any money not used this year from existing programs aimed at the industry be spent in other hog programs rather than being returned to the government.

In fact, despite the criticism and reports of an industry in sharp decline and programs being ineffective, Ritz insisted that existing programs have been working well for the hog sector.

"One sector that has been particularly hard hit is pork and our government is there for our pork producers in their time of need," he told MPs. "For 2008 and 2009, livestock producers including pork are projected to receive more than $1 billion through AgriStability and AgriInvest. We've been getting AgriStability benefits out as quickly as possible through new mechanisms such as targeted advances and interim payments."

Ritz also used his appearance before the committee to reiterate his hostility to the Canadian Wheat Board monopoly.

He said the first step in changing the board will be to enact changes to the voters list for CWB elections, eliminating anyone who did not deliver at least 40 tonnes to the board in the previous two years. "That's not a lot. You can do that in your garden on a good day."

The minister said that while the CWB has tried to reform its policies "to mirror the free market," it cannot get it right.

"They just can't seem to do the business model that works," he said.

However, he did not indicate if he will table legislation in this session to try to change the CWB Act to end the monopoly.

"I fully expect he will," Alberta Conservative MP Brian Storseth said afterward.

[hlg]

If they wait long enough the meat sector will correct itself.There will be enough people forced out of business that we won`t be able to supply our domestic needs. This from governments that told us to expand because the world needed our product. this government assumes that it has western seats wrapped up. Mr. Ritz is possibly the biggest disappoint we have ever had represent us. Neither he or king steven have the ability or desire to listen to the people who voted them in!! Bring on the next election..

[grassfarmer]

I particularly liked his criticism of the CWBs inability to "mirror the free market". That would be the one that cattle and hog producers operate in? Hmmm what a wonderful model they present - producers are not "free" as they are restrained by captive supply, but processors that get "free" money any time they want it like in the recent budget. These clowns need a "free" one way ticket to the other planet that their minds inhabit.

[hlg]

Big corperations "free" to **** and pillage all producers at will for campaign support !!

[wmoebis]

I bet Steven and Gerry's portfolio's hold more corparate shares than they do farm shares.

[kato]

I agree totally.

The irony of all this is that on one hand, there is a deficit, so in the name of fiscal responsibility, the government will refuse to find money to even fix the broken programs in place now. Bad news for us.

On the other hand, the reduction of deficits and tightfisted spending practices do nothing but raise the value of the Canadian dollar. More bad news for us.

They better make up their minds on whether or not this country wants an agricultural sector, and a rural economy. Once it's been sold out to the international corporations, it's not going to be easy to get it back.

[rkaiser]

However ---- we do live in a democratic and free country folks. Yes policy is challenging, but we still live in a country where we have the option of taking responsibility ourselves and doing something about it.

There are more niche market farm producers now than there has ever been since I stated in this biz over 30 years ago.

You may have to start small, but the opportunity is still there.

Giving up responsibility to the corporations that we all love to hate will never work.

Food Webs are the only way back to prosperity.

[kato]

I agree, but not everyone is going to go that way. They'd rather sell out, which is where the corporations come in.

But isn't there something fundamentally wrong with the fact that millions go to bed hungry in this world every night, and yet the people who have the ability and will to grow food to prevent that are treated with so much disregard?

Food production is one of the three foundations of life, and yet it is at the bottom of the priority list. It's just bizarre.

[wmoebis]

I think it is because everyone is so unawhere of where there food comes from. Every box store is selling food competing for market share. They think there is no end to supply. That box stores will compete and keep shelves full of cheap food. They don't care who is growing it.
Like I have said before stakeholders just place producers as "suppliers to the industry" and realise that it doesn't matter to them who is producing, corps. or farmers there will always be production. Maybe they would rather deal with corps. who have no feelings just number game.

The world runs on big buissness and personal feelings has no place in buissness. Our education system has driven this home for years till it is engrained into the whole next generation.

[kato]

Scarey isn't it?

[mcfarms]

In regards to Ritz and his programs here's another thing that burns my arse. Agriinvest and the fact that corporate farms in Alberta are in some cases 2 years late in geting their statements and matching funds. We just received our 2010 agristability fee notice with the statement on it that it is due by April 30th or there is a 20% penalty applied. The gov't has still not got my 2008 agriinvest to me do I get a 20 percent penalty included if and when it ever shows up? ON it and our 2009 too. I already know the answer.

[kato]

We don't have our 2008 Agri-invest notice either. I phoned and was told they'd get around to it sooner or later.

I wish we could say the same thing.

[rkaiser]

But people are changing wmoebis. Food Inc. was the 24th most watched movie in the USA last year and that was before Oprah --- is that how you spell her name ----Shit even spell check has Oprah in it...... LOL -- had it on her show.

These are the consumers. These are the people who are paying attention. It is an enormous opportunity for us.

You will always have the "utility" eaters of the world, but their numbers are dwindling while those who are aware are rising. And those who are aware need our story. They are waiting for it and more than glad to hear it.

If we don't do it ourselves, Walmart and Costco will have to keep hiring actors to tell it for them.

[Happytrails]

How did this beef production post turn into a grain and hog NFU whine? There are still a few of us who believe that our food supply is too important to let the government replace the market. I guess the lessons from the Russian Soviet experiment are already forgotten. We do have an unprecidented challenge with the urban/rural disconnect but I don't think that corrupting the market will help solve that one.

[rkaiser]

Government replace the market? Didn't see that anywhere in this thread. Taking responsiblity for ourselves has little or nothing to do with government.