Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

AALP Class 14 North American Study Tour - July 13, 2012

Friday the 13th, Day 8

Will and Marian led us to the Canadian Embassy in Washington, DC for a briefing from the Counsellor (Agriculture), Economic and Trade Policy. Arriving at the Embassy was much like crossing the border – a security screening and random passport check, all very pleasant, no issues. Dressed in our business formal attire and sitting in the beautiful theatre downstairs full of red seats we have been looking forward to this stop all week. 

Chris Leggett outlined the nature of his role and provided the necessary background on the USDA to set the stage for our morning. Some interesting facts we learned:

  • Agricultural trade between Canada and the U.S. is complementary, at virtually the same value per annum, by country, and is incredibly important to our industry.
  • From 1948 – 2002, as the population of the U.S. (our largest export market) grew by 1% the result was an increase of 1.8% in productivity.  Ironically, 95% of the world’s population lives outside our borders.
  • USDA reflects broader administration priorities than agriculture to include economy, environment and health. We all have a role to play in promoting the importance of a healthy trading relationship.

We’ve been in the U.S. for over a week now and once we entered the Canadian Embassy we felt like we were home, with visual reminders of our nationality and heritage. Then, in walks Dale Moore and within a few words he captured our attention and we quickly remembered that we were in a different place.  The class was surprised to learn that 97% of farms in the U.S. are family-owned. After visiting so many farms this week that are heavily supported by Farm Bill programs we were shocked to learn that 70% of the Farm Bill funding goes to nutrition programs leaving the balance for agriculture and rural development. That’s one expensive Bill! Dale’s experience working on five Farm Bills and his common sense approach was enjoyed. When posed questions by the group, about supply management for example, Dale’s response was, “It is a little hard to complain about Canadian supply management with U.S. sugar in your mouth”. Refreshingly Dale highlighted the importance of putting yourself in the other position when examining agricultural issues.

A number of our classmates mentioned a stomach sinking feeling upon seeing the visit to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum on the itinerary. Rob Black, although unable to join us on the trip, connected with us this morning to prepare us for this visit by sharing, “...the tour of the [museum] was one of the most touching, memorable and powerful couple of hours I have ever spent in a museum”. As expected, it turned out to be an extremely important and very moving experience. A key takeaway from our discussion on the bus afterwards is that all leaders will have followers, regardless of their beliefs, agendas and decisions. Leadership is a tremendous responsibility that we cannot take lightly as it can be very powerful. We felt this quote encompassed the tone and impact of the museum:

“First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a socialist.

Then they came for the trade unionists , and I did not speak out - because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me – and there was no one left to speak for me.” - Martin Niemöller, a German theologian and pastor who was an early Nazi supporter but was later imprisoned for opposing Hitler’s regime.

What can happen when good people stand by and say nothing...

Michel Dignard, Kelly Duffy, Peter VanBoekel - Class 14

Views: 205

Comment

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

Join Ontario Agriculture

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

What Separates the Top-Tier Pork Producers from the Rest?

Some would say the pork industry is on the other side of the biggest financial downturn the industry has seen for the last 30 years. Others say we are not quite there yet. In a Farm Credit peer benchmarking review, Chris Ford, vice president corporate swine lender with Farm Credit, looked back over the past several years to see what differentiated pork operations that have done well and those that have struggled. 1. Production is king. “Producers who have adhered to strong biosecurity measures, embraced technology and have taken a mindset of getting as much production out the door as possible have had as much success as anybody in this industry,” Ford says. 2. Good bookkeeping matters. “Those who have done a nice job with financial acumen and understanding where they’re at from a financial standpoint have survived this downturn,” Ford says. “As a lender, we see that every day. Those producers that keep good sets of books and understand their cost of production make the best decisions

3rd Annual BBQ & Brew at the Ballpark Raises $20,000 for Iowa Food Banks

Hundreds of Iowans gathered at Principal Park on June 21 for the third annual BBQ & Brew at the Ballpark, raising more than $20,000 to support food banks across the state. The family-friendly event was presented by the Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA) in partnership with the Iowa Cubs and Fareway Stores. “Events like BBQ & Brew show how strong our communities are when we come together for a common cause,” said Doug Gruver, IPPA board member and two-time event volunteer. “Giving back is at the heart of what we do as pork producers. Whether it’s raising food or raising funds, we’re proud to serve Iowans beyond the farm. This event is also a great opportunity to showcase the high-quality product we raise in Iowa and the incredible BBQ talent and passion of the teams who compete.” This year’s event featured 24 backyard barbecue teams competing for $12,000 in prize money across three pork categories: loin, ribs, and butt. Fareway Stores played a critical role in making the event pos

Ontario pasture lands get $5M boost

Canada and Ontario are investing $5M to improve community pastures, boost sustainability, support cattle farmers, and enhance soil health through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership.

Soy Canada annual meeting emphasizes opportunity and innovation amid industry challenges

Soy Canada’s annual meeting focussed on solutions that position Canadian soy for success during industry presentations and discussions at this year’s event. The theme, Gather and Grow, challenged participants to focus on finding opportunities amid global challenges created by conflict, uncertainty and volatility.

Canada’s dairy, poultry and egg farmers welcome the passage of Bill C-202

 Canada’s dairy, poultry and egg farmers welcome any effort aimed at ensuring no further supply managed concessions are made in trade negotiations, such as Bill C-202, An Act to amend the Department of Foreign Affairs

© 2025   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service