The CFFO Commentary: Farmers Working Together Brings Results

By Henry Stevens

April 1, 2011

The hard work of the Ontario Agricultural Sustainability Coalition has finally produced positive results. As many people know, the 2011 provincial budget was announced this week and farmers received the eagerly anticipated news that new types of Business Risk Management programming are coming for many Ontario Farmers.

Presenting solutions that will cover the programming gaps found in existing programs like Agri-Stability has been the ongoing work of OASC. The coalition, made up of a wide variety of agricultural organizations, including the CFFO, has been concerned about the resiliency of the provincial agricultural sector and has worked tirelessly towards solutions.

Our provincial government recognized that volatility in commodity markets is an issue for farmers in managing business risks. The 2011 Budget announced the extension of the current pilot Risk Management Program for grain and oilseed farmers. Furthermore, the government will also implement a new Risk Management Program for the cattle, hog, sheep and veal sectors. Fruit and vegetable growers will be getting a new Self-Directed Risk Management Program.

These new risk management programs represent an innovative approach in providing bankable, stable and predictable support for Ontario’s farmers while responding to market trends in the long-term.

However, the job for CFFO and OASC isn’t done yet. The federal government still isn’t on board with regionally flexible business risk management programming. Moving forward, the efforts of OASC will need to focus on convincing the federal government that regionally specific programming is a necessity due to the sheer diversity of agriculture across Canada,

The CFFO would like to thank Carol Mitchell, the Minister of Agriculture, and the staff at OMAFRA for their hard work and support in making these new programs a reality. It took courage and leadership on the part of our province to move ahead alone in supporting Ontario’s farmers.

Henry Stevens is the President of the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario. The CFFO Commentary represents the opinions of the writer and does not necessarily represent CFFO policy. It can be heard weekly on CKNX Wingham and CFCO Chatham, Ontario and is archived on the CFFO website: www.christianfarmers.org. The CFFO is supported by 4,200 farm families across Ontario

Comment

You need to be a member of Ontario Agriculture to add comments!

Join Ontario Agriculture

Welcome to
Ontario Agriculture

Sign Up
or Sign In

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

How Much of Your Thanksgiving Dinner Reaches Canadian Farmers?

As Canadians prepare Thanksgiving meals, many wonder how much of their grocery bill goes back to the farm.

A Thanksgiving meal from Canadian farmers

Each province’s ag sector would contribute a different ingredient

Manitoba Crop Alliance announces results of 2026 crop committee delegate nominations

Manitoba Crop Alliance (MCA) is pleased to announce the results of the nomination process for delegate positions on its four crop committees. The nomination period ran from July 1 to Oct. 1, 2026. In total, 15 farmer members were nominated for the 17 available delegate positions across the four crop committees and are thereby elected by acclamation. Among those 15 delegates, four are new to their respective committees and 11 are incumbents. “Our crop committees provide a strong voice for each crop type we represent, while also creating opportunities for collaboration and a cross-commodity approach to the issues all farmers face,” says MCA CEO Pam de Rocquigny. “I would like to thank all the MCA farmer members who let their names stand for nomination and I look forward to seeing how they will help guide the direction of our industry.” Corn: Doug Martin (East Selkirk), Jonothan Hodson (Lenore), Warren McCutcheon (Carman) and Joel Doerksen (MacGregor) were nominated for the four avail

We’re Hiring an Agronomy Assistant for the 2027 Growing Season!

Manitoba Pulse & Soybean Growers’ On-Farm Network is looking for an Agronomy Assistant for a 4-month term in the 2027 growing season! We’re looking for a post-secondary student in Agriculture or a related discipline with strong communication skills, familiarity with prairie crop production and a valid Manitoba driver’s license. You can gain hands-on experience in: Field-scale research and data collection Pest surveillance, crop scouting and reporting field observations Conducting a personal research project The position is based in Carman, MB but job responsibilities take place across agro-Manitoba. We offer: Competitive wages Opportunity to receive a performance bonus Student-friendly working environment

Historic Yorkton Brick Flour Mill Opens Interpretive Centre Strengthening Cultural Tourism to Share Saskatchewan's Agricultural Story

Saskatchewan's oldest remaining brick flour mill is the province's newest cultural tourism destination, sharing the province's rich agricultural heritage with residents and visitors. Supported in part through a $600,000 investment from the Government of Saskatchewan, the Yorkton Brick Flour Mill Interpretive Centre was officially opened yesterday as an educational hub, featuring artifacts, exhibits and displays that bring the region's agricultural history to life. "This is an exciting day for the community of Yorkton and our province's tourism industry," Parks, Culture, Sport, Minister and Minister Responsible for Tourism Saskatchewan Alana Ross said. "This iconic landmark is a cherished part of Yorkton's history and Saskatchewan's agricultural heritage. It is an important part of our story that has been preserved through the extensive and ongoing efforts by the community, and our government is so pleased that we could join with them, provide support, and help the Society complete

More…

Badges | Report an Issue | Terms of Service