GUELPH, ON (January 31, 2018) – Producer groups from Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada are calling on the Federal Provincial Territorial (FPT) Agriculture Ministers to commit to meaningful engagement in the National Business Risk Management Review (BRM).
In July 2017, the FPT Agriculture Ministers made a commitment to a review of the BRM suite. It is encouraging that the processes have been set up by officials but it is up to the FPT Ministers to set the environment for officials to have a meaningful policy discussion for change.
“The lack of meaningful action in the Review process is raising concerns amoung farm groups in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada including, l'Union des producteurs agricoles (UPA), Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA), Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO), les Producteurs de grains du Québec and the Atlantic Grains Council (AGC).
“The National BRM review must be meaningful, we need a BRM suite that has options that will work for Quebec and Canadian farmers” Said Marcel Groleau, Second Vice-President, UPA and Canadian Federation of Agriculture, Director.
“We urge Agriculture and Agri-food Canada to commit to making this process meaningful not limited to tweaks” said Christian Overbeek, Chairman, les Producteurs de grains du Quebec.
Participation rates in AgStab have declined drastically in recent years – sending a clear message that this program doesn’t work for all farmers. UPA, GFO, OFA, Grain Farmers of Quebec and the Atlantic Grains Council wants the BRM review process to meet the AgGrowth Coalition’s 5 point check list for what constitutes a meaningful review:
- Changing face of farm businesses
- Useful programs on the farm
- Maximum farmer program participation
- Flexible programs and delivery options
- Ongoing industry engagement
“Atlantic grains council supports the principles for a meaningful review laid out by AgGrowth,” said Alan Ling, President, Atlantic Grain Council.
“We fear that the current approach to the National BRM review will fail to truly test the existing status quo and will result in modest program design tweaks with little consideration of possible alternative approache,” said Keith Currie, President, Ontario Federatio of Agriculture.
“This is a rare opportunity to improve agriculture policy and programs to enhance the economic, environmental, and social contributions of farming in Canada but we need to work together in a meaningful fashion to seize it," said Mark Brock, Chairman Grain Farmers of Ontario .
Media Contacts:
Producteurs de grains du Québec
Benoit Legault
(450) 679-0530 ext. 8231
www.pgg.ca
Ontario Federation of Agriculture
Keith Currie
(705) 441-3362
ofa.on.ca
Atlantic Grains Council
Alan Ling
(902) 964-2721
www.atlanticgrainscouncil.ca
Grain Farmers of Ontario
Debra Conlon
(416) 805-4490
www.gfo.ca
L'Union des producteurs agricoles
Patrice Juneau
(450) 679-0540 poste 8591
www.upa.qc.ca