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CDN Pork Council pulls out of CFA

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    CDN Pork Council pulls out of CFA

    Canadian Pork Council pulls out of CFA
    Posted Feb. 22nd, 2013by Barry Wilson

    Western Producer

    Trade policy a sore point | Canadian Federation of
    Agriculture dominated by supply management
    agencies, general farm groups

    The Canadian Pork Council has left the Canadian
    Federation of Agriculture after more than 40 years of
    affiliation, reducing the national farm organization to a
    narrower band of representation.

    The pork council says trade protectionists dominate
    the national farm organization, while the pork industry
    lives on increased trade.

    “We are unwilling to carry on any longer with what for
    us seems to be a perpetual and often lonely struggle
    dealing with policy proposals brought to the CFA table
    and committees, particularly on international trade,
    that are clearly contradictory to and compromising of
    our sector’s predominant interest in more liberalized
    trade,” CPC executive director Martin Rice wrote in the
    letter of withdrawal sent to CFA.

    Once considered the national “house of agriculture”
    and still billing itself as Canada’s largest national farm
    organization, the CFA now represents no national
    commodity sectors beyond supply managed dairy,
    poultry and egg industries and Alberta’s sugar beet
    sector.

    Major grain, cattle, hog, horticulture, pulse and oilseed
    national organizations do not belong.

    CFA membership is dominated by supply management
    agencies and sometimes-weak general farm
    organizations across the country.

    Quebec’s Union des Producteurs Agricoles and the
    Ontario Federation of Agriculture are its two strongest
    provincial members.

    “We regret the decision, but I would argue it doesn’t
    diminish our ability to speak for all agriculture,” CFA
    president Ron Bonnett said.

    “We try to represent all commodities in all parts of the
    country. I think the voice of a group that tries to
    reconcile all voices is as valuable as it always was.”

    The perpetually cash-strapped CFA also loses the
    more than $70,000 that the council pays in annual
    membership fees.

    In the letter of withdrawal, Rice said the CPC had no
    trade allies within CFA membership.

    “It would have been much easier for CPC
    representatives to deal with if there were not
    significant existing gaps in coverage of key agricultural
    sectors in CFA’s current commodity organization
    membership, notably the national organizations
    representing beef cattle, grains and oilseeds
    producers.”

    Broader representation of export-dependent sectors
    would encourage the CFA to take trade policy off the
    table, “thus avoiding this source of friction and
    disharmony between its members.”

    Former CPC president Jurgen Preugschas was blunt,
    saying protectionist forces have taken over the CFA. He
    has been the pork council representative on the CFA
    board for the past five years.

    He said the CFA insists on supporting a “balanced”
    policy that espouses both domestic protection and
    export expansion, rather than shying away from a
    policy position that divided its members.

    “You can’t have a balanced trade policy,” said
    Preugschas. “There is no such thing. You are in favour
    of trade or you’re not and you can’t be both.”

    He said his time on the CFA board was a constant
    struggle.

    “We can’t be tied to a policy that virtually neuters what
    we are trying to work for,” he said.

    “It is really unfortunate that it (the CFA) is being very
    much controlled by the (Quebec) UPA and the SM5
    (supply management groups).”

    Preugschas and Bonnett said the two groups will
    continue to work together on some issues, although
    the former CPC president said the group will also
    lobby in Ottawa on its own.

    The CPC is a member of the Canadian Agri-Food Trade
    Alliance.

    The two groups now divorcing have a long affiliation.

    For several decades, the pork council contracted with
    CFA to have council administration done by a CFA
    employee.

    Until several years ago, the council shared office space
    with the CFA.

    Bonnett defended the CFA’s “balanced position” on
    trade issues.

    “It is very close to the federal government’s own
    position,” he said.

    #2
    Something that was long overdue, IMHO.

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