AGgrowth calls on all Federal and Provincial Ministers of Agriculture to return AgriStability to 85% (with no RML)
OTTAWA, ON (October 21, 2020) – The AGgrowth Coalition is formally calling on all Federal and Provincial Ministers of Agriculture to come to a consensus and finally make the much-needed improvements to Canada’s Business Risk Management (BRM) programming, namely AgriStability.
Returning AgriStability coverage to cover losses starting at 85 per cent of historical reference margins with no Reference Margin Limits, has been the long standing ask of the AGgrowth Coalition and other farmer-based organizations. “There has likely never been a single issue or policy where Canadian farm organizations, across all commodities, have been so aligned,” said Markus Haerle, Co-Chair, AGgrowth Coalition.
“On December 18, 2019 the AGgrowth Coalition issued a press release outlining our extreme disappointment in a lack of action coming out of the Special Federal Provincial Territorial (FPT) meeting of Agriculture Ministers in Ottawa. Now, 10 months later we still have not seen any improvements to AgriStability,” said Chris van de Heuvel, Co-Chair, AGgrowth Coalition.
Over the course of 2020, the members of the AGgrowth Coalition have made dozens of representations to federal and provincial governments, from Ministers of Agriculture to central agencies of government.
Farm groups have been asked to intervene and help negotiate with both the federal and provincial levels of government, and have done so in good faith. We now expect elected leaders to do the same to reach a final constructive resolution, and if necessary, proceed with a coalition of provinces willing to make improvements to AgriStability – returning the trigger to 85% and removing the reference margin limit.
“The time for dialogue, consultation and study has long passed, it is time that our federal and provincial Ministers of Agriculture take action,” added Jeff Nielsen, Co-Chair, AGgrowth Coalition. “Farmers have waited long enough and cannot afford continued uncertainty. We need the changes to be made in 2020.”
Canadian Federation of Agriculture
Laurie Karson
Director of Communications
Phone: 613-236-3633 ext. 2322
Email: communications@canadian-farmers.ca
Grain Farmers of Ontario
Debra Conlon
Government Relations
Phone: 416-805-4490
Email: dconlon@gfo.ca
Grain Growers of Canada
Erin Gowriluk
Executive Director
Phone: 613-233-9954 ext. 201
Email: egowriluk@ggc-pgc.ca
Canadian Horticultural Council
Stefan Larass
Chair, Business Risk Management Committee
Phone: 519-803-9914
Canadian Canola Growers Association
Dave Carey
Vice President, Government Relations
Phone: 613-878-5770
Email: davec@ccga.ca
National Sheep Network
Jennifer MacTavish
General Manager
Phone: 519-836-0043
Email: jmactavish@ontariosheep.org