Farmers must work together to restore public confidence

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

New Zealand provides an example to us of how the agricultural sector can leverage its relatively small base and enjoy broad public support and recognition

by DOUG CHORNEY

Today, being a farmer in Canada is much different from the experience of previous generations.

One only needs to look at the issues discussed by the leaders in our recent federal election to realize that we don't get as much attention as we should. When we look at the economic contribution agriculture and agri-food make to our economy, it is difficult to understand why more Canadians fail to appreciate and value farmers more.

It's not the fault of our politicians, since they simply follow polling advice and seek popular support in the hope of forming a government. The fault may lie with farmers not doing a good job of engaging the public with positive messaging about the many ways they benefit from a healthy farm economy.

As a minority of the population, at around two per cent, we cannot rely on our vote driving public policy. Our only hope is to win the hearts and minds of non-farmers to support us and help governments to respond to our concerns. At the very same time, we are also seeing our social license eroding faster than ever.

Every modern farm practice is being looked at under a magnifying glass, often ignoring science or factual studies. Livestock, crop and horticulture producers are all being accused of doing something wrong or following unsustainable methods of production, which at times are linked to numerous problems in the environment.  

An increasingly skeptical public is challenging the world-class high quality products we produce. Our attempts to address problems are often met with further critical comments and investigative reporters seeking to undermine modern farming.

It is critical now, more than ever, for us to join together and work to restore public confidence. Non-farmer activists are setting the stage and defining how the public looks at farming, while themselves having no stake in the industry. In fact, they have created a business out of being activists. They often have well-funded organizations that exist for no reason other then to undermine farming and drive an unrealistic, fear-based agenda.  We are letting them define farm practices and society is responding en masse with support for food retailers and restaurants pandering to this agenda.

Last year, I had the opportunity to travel to New Zealand as part of an initiative called the Global Research Alliance (GRA). The GRA is a coalition of 43 countries around the world working on environmental concerns as they relate to agriculture.

In New Zealand, farmers are viewed as some of the most important people in society due to their economic contribution to the country and the employment the sector creates.  Prior to a federal election, which occurred just before my arrival in September 2014, the national farm group Federated Farmers put out its "Manifesto." This high-quality document outlines the importance of farming to the New Zealand economy and also spells out the top priorities for farmers.

What lessons can we learn from New Zealand? Population-wise, their farmers only constitute about two per cent of the voters, but they have leveraged their relatively small base and enjoy broad public support and recognition.  Federal and regional governments appear to be both aware and engaged in the needs and priorities of farmers.

While the path forward is sure to be challenging, we need to change the direction of public perception. A platform of trust and transparency will form the basis of this effort to preserve our social license. BP

Doug Chorney is a farmer from East Selkirk, Man., and past president of Keystone
Agricultural Producers.