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.
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.
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