Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

EASTER CALLS OUT FARM LEADERS

Finally someone says it out loud in public! Wayne Easter says to the
press at last week's "Farmers Matter" meeting in Stratford Ontario, that
farm leaders need to grow a set of cajones (paraphrased a bit).

It seems like even at last week's "Farmers Matter" gathering in Stratford, we are content to sit around like a bunch of 19th century school girls at a pleasant afternoon tea party, politely discussing the benefits of a woodstove while the house is burning down.

I do not see ONE farm organization that is tackling the income crisis in livestock head on. For all the dues we've paid over the years to the OFA, OCA, CFFO, Corn Producers, we are getting further behind all the time. I sold butcher cattle in the '70s for the same money as we are seeing today.

What have the organizations done for us? And when I asked the OCA why they are not supporting us on our BSE suit mediation request, they duck out for the very reason that Easter gives in the link below - they are scared to ask for real help because they don't want to jeopardize their "working relationship" with the government.

Well guess what - the"help" they are working on is going to be too little too late for many of us. We do not need a RMP nearly as much as we need a big cash infusion NOW and then finds ways to extract more money from the marketplace.
 
The link is from today's Farm News on CKNX radio. Scroll down and click on the audio link. 
 
http://www.am920.ca/news.php?cat_id=6

Views: 119

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Joe Dales on December 2, 2010 at 5:10am
Hi John:
It's a terrible situation....
Keep working at this....I agree that everyone should try a little harder and show more urgency.
Joe

Here is the link to the Audio clip.

http://media.cknxradio.com/atk/uploads/farm/10-11-Nov/FM-Easter_1.mp3
Permalink Reply by That Guy on December 2, 2010 at 11:11am
Grant Robertson who was there representing the NDP sure ripped into the OCA, although not by name when he repeated 3 times captive supply. The past OCA president you might remember called Robertson a communist from the podim during the OCA convention when he was not there to defend himself for daring to suggest that maybe we don't actally have a free market in Canadain beef when just two players control 90% of the processing industry. Robertson might be a lot of things, but communist ain't one of them. S**t disturber, entrapenuer, hockey nut (talk to him sometime) and hopefully the next MP for Huron-Bruce, but the OCA attacks on him were ridiculous.

Easter is right that we are being failed by our farm organizations, but we are also being failed by the people we send to Ottawa who sit there and do nothing. Personally I think a few more s**t disturbers is exactly what we need so I will be voting for Robertson if we do have an election in the spring. Not NDP, but for Grant personally (and for the first time) to go do some s kicking in Ottawa.

I aslo heard that Ontario Pork and the OCA threatened to walk if Bill Jefferie, former Perth Beef Producer President was allowed to be on the panel. There's another s**t disturber we could do with hearing from more. Seems to me folks like Easter and Robertson are right when they say we should stop being so afraid of standing up for ourselves.
Permalink Reply by Colin Lundy on December 3, 2010 at 4:01pm
A friend of mine raises certified organic 100% grass fed beef - red poll, a rare breed. She just made over $1200 on one steer when me and three other friends split it four ways. And guess what, me and my friends got a deal because we bought the whole damn cow. That's right, when people just want some steaks or roasts, they pay a lot more (per pound). She sells everything she can produce. So do a lot of other beef producers I know. They sell it direct to the consumer. It is true for the few pastured pork producers I know too - getting about $5/pound when they sell the whole pig. I know direct marketing is not for everyone, but obviously something is wrong with the value chain as it currently exists. It is time for more livestock producers to think outside the box, not give their animals away to Tyson or Cargill or whoever. And dump OCA and OFA. People in Canada love eating beef and pork! Most probably eat some almost every day. Create a new channel to get it to them and maybe beef and pork production will stabilize somewhere profitable. Sure I am oversimplifying but the status quo is not doing anyone much good.
Permalink Reply by Bristow on December 15, 2010 at 7:05pm

Yes boards are very help to the people they serve, the government love them because they don't pay for them and all they are made up of are gentleman farmers with political or big commercial interests.  We all know the out come, because the agenda is aready set, some words and busness as usual.  If the Industry wants change first thing is to get rid of the whole board, that have political ties with government. Government departments can't run without produce or justify their existance without farmers. If the provence won't talk turkey by pass them, go to fedral legisation deal with them, refuse to pay any and obey their taxes on mass. Get the changes needed to operate a farm, no hinder it and any changes must go through with a majority vote not a back door one. Because if you don't one by one you will fall. Like the meat works.

Permalink Reply by Roadrunner on December 17, 2010 at 1:26pm

Good points everyone.

I have been on a couple of boards and it is a real challenge for part time participants to do much more than try to be positive and ask for help from the politicians.  You can play the mad guy and demand assistance for your farmers but in the end, the politicians have all the power.

I like the idea of selling directly to the consumer, but it just won't work for the large percentage of our agriculture production...we need large domestic and export markets.

 

I also agree with Easter, we all need to grow tougher cajones and get the job done.

 

▶ Reply to Discussion

RSS

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

Trade with China

China’s Anti-Discrimination Investigation On March 8, 2025, China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) announced the outcome of its anti-discrimination investigation initiated in September 2024 as a result of the federal government’s imposition of tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, steel and aluminum. In response to Canada, China’s State Council Tariff Commission will impose a 100 per cent tariff rate on Canadian canola oil and canola meal along with several other tariffs on other Canadian agricultural commodities as of March 20, 2025. Tariffs from the State Council Tariff Commission resulting from the anti-discrimination investigation are separate and distinct from China’s anti-dumping investigation into imports of Canadian canola seed which is ongoing. China’s Anti-Dumping Investigation On August 12, 2025, China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) announced its preliminary ruling as part of its anti-dumping investigation into Canadian canola seed imports. In its ruling, MOFCOM announce

Advocating for Trade and Market Diversification on The Hill

Canadian canola farmers are navigating major trade volatility. Ongoing tariffs have closed access to China, once a $4.9 billion market, while uncertainty around the upcoming Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) review is putting Canada’s two largest export markets under pressure. At the same time, Canada’s growing biofuels sector offers a valuable opportunity for canola farmers. With strong policy support, biofuels can drive new domestic demand for canola and reduce farmers’ exposure to trade disruptions. Canada’s canola farmers rely on predictable market access. These shifts show how quickly geopolitical issues and national policies can ripple back to the farm gate.  As the national representative of Canada’s 40,000 canola farmers, Canadian Canola Growers Association (CCGA) has been front and centre with the federal government, calling for a political solution to the China tariff dispute and for a canola-friendly biofuels policy.  Canola’s Annual Lobby Day Every year, the Board o

Revitalizing rural and agricultural infrastructure

Since 2023, Alberta’s government has taken action to support ag societies through the Agricultural Societies Infrastructure Revitalization Program, strengthening the quality of life in rural communities. The program has delivered $7.5 million in total grants for 106 ag society projects over the past three years, including funds allocated this year. This funding has helped ag societies with improvements and repairs to commercial kitchens, roofs, horse riding arenas and heating and ventilation in ice rinks, and has increased accessibility and energy efficiency in rural facilities. Alberta’s rural communities need up-to-date facilities to promote community involvement and economic growth. These buildings are central hubs, offering residents the opportunity to gather, engage and connect with their neighbours. “Ag societies have an important role in the quality of life for Alberta villages, towns and rural communities. Throughout the year they welcome Albertans to community events, from l

Canada makes commitments to international ag

Canada will spend almost $400 million to support farmers around the world

Growth Promoters and the Environment Revisited

In October 2021, this column described a research project that examined how long residues from growth promoters persist in the feedlot environment. They learned that residues from trenbolone acetate (TBA; used in some growth implants to mimic testosterone) and melengestrol acetate (MGA; sometimes fed to heifers to suppress estrus) dissipate very quickly after they’re excreted. However, residues from ractopamine (a feed additive that improves feed efficiency, weight gain and leanness late in the feeding period) could be found on the pen floor for up to five months after it was last fed. Jon Challis and collaborators at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the University of Saskatchewan recently published a follow-up study to learn whether manure composting, stockpiling or soil incorporation help break down ractopamine residues and whether ractopamine residues can affect hormone levels in other organisms that may come in contact with them in the environment (“Chemical and bioassay-based

© 2025   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service