Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

The CFFO Commentary: The $25,000 Cow - The Rest of the Story (part 3)

By Nathan Stevens
September 16, 2011
 
Andrew Coyne, one of Canada’s most respected journalists, has garnered a lot of attention in his recent article in Maclean’s that turned a harsh eye towards supply management. He makes a number of strong assertions in his article that are worthy of further discussion. This is the third in a series of commentaries that will provide counter-points to those assertions, this time focusing on trade and a final comment on the necessity for scrutiny of the system.
 
Regarding trade, critics of supply management need to remember that nearly all countries have something that they choose to provide special protection for regardless of any outside factor. Japan has rice production. America has the big five grains that receive tremendous support. Europe has shifted how it provides support, but there is still plenty available to farmers who are willing to engage in new environmental programming. Even in free market dairy regions like Australia, supply control is exerted by forcing farmers to own shares in processors before production can be shipped.
 
Furthermore, on an aggregate basis, North America is the most open region in the world in terms of agricultural trade. A balanced position that promotes expanded opportunities for those agricultural commodities that are seeking new markets while maintaining the supply management system is achievable. The CFFO is just one of many agricultural organizations that believe that there are many opportunities for export-oriented farmers to realize new opportunities without requiring the dismantling of supply management.
 
Finally, it is entirely appropriate for scrutiny to be turned towards a system that operates with considerable intervention from government. If supply management stays on target as a system that provides a living for farming families by passing reasonable costs to consumers, then it will continue to have merit. However, if greed and complacency create a system where a handful of farmers are able to gouge consumers at unfair rates, then the system will require an overhaul. Coyne’s article should serve as a reminder to those within supply management that they must always remember the purpose of the system and stay true to it.
 
Andrew Coyne turned a harsh eye towards supply management in his recent Maclean’s article. Such scrutiny is necessary and good for regulated industries from time to time. Trade in agriculture needs to be balanced to provide opportunity for export-oriented industries and stability for a supply management system that stays true to its purpose.
 
Nathan Stevens is the Research and Policy Advisor for the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario. The CFFO Commentary represents the opinions of the writer and does not necessarily represent CFFO policy. The CFFO Commentary is heard weekly on CFCO Chatham, CKNX Wingham, and UCB Canada radio stations in Chatham, Belleville, Bancroft, Brockville and Kingston. It is also archived on the CFFO website: www.christianfarmers.org. CFFO is supported by 4,200 family farmers across Ontario.

Views: 72

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

Waterloo Farmer Convicted for Breaking Detention

On April 27, 2023, investigators with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness’ Regulatory Compliance Unit executed a Provincial Offences Act search warrant at Joris Salverda’s farm in Wilmot on an unrelated matter. Investigators found unlabelled meat product and subsequently detained it to determine if it was from an inspected source. Detention involved marking a potentially non-compliant product with a detention tag and placing it in a freezer or cooler to preserve its integrity until it could be determined whether the meat product was compliant. No person shall move or interfere with a thing that has been detained unless authorized or required to do so by an inspector. Later, officers conducted an inspection at Salverda’s farm and discovered the detained meat product had been removed without authorization. Following an investigation into the movement of the unlabelled meat product, Salverda was charged with one count of breaking detention of a thing without autho

Guelph Business Owner Convicted of Obstructing Inspectors

Background: On October 4, 2023 and January 10, 2024, Compliance and Advisory Officers with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness (then the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs) attended Klops Meat and Deli for the purpose of verifying compliance. On both occasions, the owner/operator, Leszek Rzeznik, refused the inspectors entry to complete an inspection. Subsequently, investigators in the Ministry’s Regulatory Compliance Unit initiated an investigation that resulted in Rzeznik being charged with two counts of obstructing an inspector under the Food Safety and Quality Act, 2001. On January 8, 2025, after a trial in absentia, Rzeznik was convicted on both counts by Justice of the Peace Michael Cuthbertson. Rzeznik was fined $3,000 for each count, plus a 25 per cent victim fine surcharge, which totalled $7,500.

York Region Man Convicted of Obstructing an Inspector

Background: On September 25, 2024, an inspector from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness appointed under the Food Safety Quality Act, 2001 attended Ve & Be Corporation at 793 Alness Street to conduct an unannounced inspection. As a free-standing, licenced meat plant, the business is subject to inspection by ministry inspectors. When the inspector arrived, the plant operator, Andrei Berliaev, behaved in an aggressive manner and prevented the inspector from conducting the inspection. The inspector then left the plant and withdrew the inspection. Following an investigation, Berliaev was charged with one count of obstructing an inspector under the Food Safety Quality Act, 2001.

From soil to supper – how farmers care for the Earth all year long

Every April, countries around the world mark Earth Day – an excellent and vital opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of caring for and protecting our environment. As farmers, we often like to say that every day is Earth Day on the farm, and while that sounds a bit cliched, it actually is very true. That’s because in raising livestock and growing crops of all kinds, farmers work very directly with the soil, the air, and the water every single day. The weather is our constant companion and more than almost anything else, will influence the kind of year we’re going to have. Whether it’s too much or too little rain, temperatures that are hotter or colder than normal, or snow, ice and rain storms, it all impacts the quality and quantity of the products we’re able to produce on our farms. I farm near Burford close to Brantford with my wife and son where we raise sheep and grow hay, corn, and soybeans as well as a biomass crop called miscanthus. I’m also a director on the bo

Q+A: Trevor Jones to draw on experience as Ontario agriculture minister

Chatham-Kent–Leamington MPP Trevor Jones is settling into his role as Ontario agriculture, food and agribusiness minister. The former Leamington town councillor and OPP officer was named to cabinet last month in just his second term as an MPP. We asked Jones about his new role in cabinet. His responses have been edited for style and brevity. Q: Just beginning your second term as an MPP, can you describe the honour of being named minister for a portfolio as prominent as Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness? A: It is an honour . . . I grew up and continue to live and raise my family in Chatham-Kent-Leamington, where our communities have a long tradition of farming, greenhouse growing and food processing. As such, I developed a strong appreciation for this sector and remain inspired by the hard-working people who feed Canada and the world. Early in my career with the OPP, I earned a position on the Emergency Response Team and . . . was given the opportunity to work with members of the

© 2025   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service