by BETTER FARMING STAFF
Have Canada’s policy makers captured the right issues to foster agriculture’s success in 2020 and beyond? How can the country’s agriculture industry and government work together to foster “a modern, market-responsive agriculture and agri-food sector that is resilient, competitive and sustainable?”
Those are just some of the questions the federal government is putting to farmers and others in the country’s agriculture sector as it begins to develop a successor to the Growing Forward agricultural policy framework.
And, according to a Wednesday news release, you have until June 30 to provide your feedback online.
The online presence is one of a number of strategies the federal government and its provincial and territorial partners are using to gather feedback while shaping the next national agricultural policy.
Last year, the federal government and its provincial and territorial partners consulted with farm leaders and other industry stakeholders to identify challenges and opportunities for the sector.
Since March, they have hosted meetings across the country to discuss the priorities identified.
The online consultation includes a discussion paper, information about the new policy consultation process and a feedback form.
The new framework takes effect once the current five-year policy expires in 2013.
According to the online discussion paper, called Charting the Way Forward to 2020, the new policy “will be an evolution of previous frameworks” and proposes to “better position the sector for growth by capturing opportunities and addressing challenges needed to succeed in the future.”
Calling Canada a “major player” in global markets, the discussion paper notes:
• While there are international market opportunities, especially as the European Union and the United States are “largely mature markets and are expected to have less growth potential,” the slow progress of international trade talks may present a roadblock;
• Concerns about the environment, animal welfare and human health have raised the profile of food production systems with the Canadian public;
• Global uncertainty over food availability and prices has raised food security concerns;
• Consumers want more diverse products;
• Global retailers and processors are embracing labels and certifications that communicate certain standards are in place, such as the Global Food Safety Initiative certification; and
• There is significant growth of supermarket chains in emerging economies such as Mexico, Russia, India and China and to supply “large domestic and global retailers such as Walmart, Tesco and Carrefour, suppliers needed to compete worldwide to provide continuous volumes and consistent quality of goods at competitive prices.” BF
Comments
This seeking of input is nothing but smoke and mirrors - the last time around, many of us dutifully went to meetings, gave our input, and were summarily ignored.
Then, to add insult to injury, when they implemented programs which were at direct odds with what we wanted, politicians boasted they had "given farmers what they wanted", when, in fact, the exact-opposite was the case.
One thing never changes, of course - and that's our collective inability to admit that our protectionist stance on supply management effectively thwarts all of our efforts to capture the export opportunities so many sectors in Canadian agriculture need to survive.
Unless, and until, we are prepared to have a serious discussion about the folly of continuing to try to have it both ways when it comes to Canadian agriculture, and Canadian agricultural policy, most of us would be far-better off staying at home.
Stephen Thompson, Clinton ON
Well said Stephen.
Many farmers took time out for those meetings because they believed they would be heard. Nothing was further from the truth.
When the final report came out, there was wide spread speculation that the report was written long before farmers attended the circus they called "round table" discussions.
Farmers are just wasting their time and efforts with the "consultation" process. The government has shown they have a agenda and it does not include the actual farmer himself.
What,s the use of giving your opinion the only one who gets money is the big guy or somebody that has a friend or family in goverment.
The small and medium size farms that does the work by itself and putting in long hours are given a pat on the back and told they can do a better job?
Look in the stores at the labels on more and more food to see where they come from its not from canada, more like china ,india and many more. There is pickles,relish,prepared fruit cups ,all seafood and so many more to mention, thanks to the big guy thats handed the money to bring in more from other countries not from canada. They should be at least telling the big stores to show people the products that are from Canada. We go shopping and have to put our glasses on to see the labels where there from, then the next time we happened to get home with a product that mada in India or China. We always look for made or grown in canada or usa.
The whole consulation process is a joke. Also, now that Harper has a majority government, do you really think he is going to listen?! But now that it is a "...new policy consultation process..." maybe they will take what the ag. community says into account. Yeah, right - when pigs fly.
Not only that, some of the programs which are (have been) available under the current Growing Forward have been sooooo woefully underfunded they too are a joke. I don't know how the bureaucrats keep a straight face when they are promoting the programs, knowing full-well that only a small percentage of the farmers will actually be successful in getting the assistance.
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