Grey-Bruce and NFU urge pork producer plebiscite

Thursday, January 22, 2009

© Copyright AgMedia Inc

by GEOFF DALE 

Bob Reid, vice-president of the Grey-Bruce Pork Producers Association, says he wants a vote on the restructuring of Ontario Pork – “some sort of a plebiscite.”

Reid’s association recently voted to support Huron County Association’s appeal of the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission’s decision to remove the provincial marketing organization’s monopoly powers. The Commission has set March 1 as the deadline for final restructuring plans and expects the organization to establish a stand-alone marketing arm by spring. Huron’s appeal is the third filed with the Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Appeal Tribunal about the issue. Lambton County producers Tony Felder and Rein Minnema have also filed separate appeals.

“The main concern is this whole process is just moving too fast,” Reid says. “While these structural changes may happen at some point, producers feel this process is being rammed down their throats.” Stressing producers are not necessarily opposed to changes, he says they want to ensure the process is carried out methodically and in a “well-thought-out manner.”

Over the past month concerns such as Reid’s have been raised at annual county producer associations throughout the province. 

This week the National Farmers Union-Ontario added their voice to a call for a producer referendum. Grant Robertson a senior elected official with the NFU-O and a national board member of the NFU notes in a Union commentary that the Farm Products Marketing Commission’s mandate is to “balance the power between many small individual sellers and relatively few buyers.”

Robertson says “the Commission fundamentally violated its own mandate, by throwing away single desk marketing,” without allowing a producer vote. “Pork producers are being abandoned by those who should be working for them,” he argues.

Robertson termed the Commission’s timeline “foolish,” and urged Agriculture Minister Leona Dombrowsky to halt any changes immediately until a vote can be held.

The Ontario Federation of Agriculture the general farm organization representing the lion’s share of the province’s farmers has a policy of non-involvement in commodity issues. 

Kenneth Knox, chair of the Hog Industry Advisory Committee, acknowledges some producers are anxious. His 11-member committee was established by the Commission in November to monitor the transition, which the pork board has until April to complete.

To ease producer anxiety Knox recently urged the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission to send a letter to producers explaining that “yes indeed there are going to be changes; we are going to ensure that they are done both efficiently but effectively.” Committee members are also attending district annual meetings to answer questions.

Knox says small producers are worried about the potential for interruptions in current marketing arrangements before a new structure is in place. The Commission wants the new system up and running by spring. He assures that Ontario Pork will continue to market hogs until the new marketing system is in place. He also notes the committee is seeking pilot marketing projects to test the system.

When asked if a plebiscite might have eased the industry turmoil, Knox, a former chair of the Commission, says handling the decision to restructure through a hearing process is valid under provincial legislation. He points out hearings were used in the handling of the introduction of wheat pooling and one per cent milk into the marketplace in the 1980s.

He explains votes are used when issues involve governance – the creation or demise of a marketing board, for example. In Ontario Pork’s case powers are being changed but there’s no creation or demolition of a marketing board taking place.

Knox suggests more information has helped ease concerns: “My understanding is some of those (appeals) are being reconsidered by some of the appellants now that they understand more clearly what the intent of Ontario Pork is in this process.”

He says the appeals haven’t affected the work of the committee. 

Geri Kamenz, chair of the Commission, says he is waiting for word from the tribunal. “As we speak, we are looking for directions from the tribunal as to what their direction is.”

Tribunal representative Lorne Widmer says no appeals have been withdrawn. The tribunal is considering whether all concerns can be heard at one hearing or whether separate sessions will be required. BF

With additional files from Better Farming staff.