OASC Letter to Farmers

Mar 08, 2010

To all Ontario Farmers:

The Ontario Agricultural Sustainability Coalition (OASC) came together last fall to deal with the crisis facing many sectors of our industry. It consists of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, The Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario, Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, Ontario Pork, Ontario Cattlemen’s Association, Ontario Veal, The Ontario Sheep Marketing Agency and Ontario Grains & Oilseeds.

Our concern with the financial stress on our farms is mutual. We all agree on the solutions to the current problems, being:

Implementation of the Business Risk Management Program we have developed as available for all commodities that approve;
Retroactive Implementation of the BRMP to January, 2009; and
Retroactive Implementation of AgriStability reforms for 2008 and 2009.
These investments in agriculture in Ontario will provide needed cash to stabilize our farm businesses and sustain our industries in the years to come.

WE CANNOT WAIT FOR ANOTHER ROUND OF CONSULTATION BY GOVERNMENT. Minister Mitchell understands this. Our job is to ensure her colleagues across Ontario and in the federal government understand the urgency of the situation here in Ontario.

Business Risk Management programs have always been a shared responsibility involving the provincial and the federal government. The province’s share is 40% with the Government of Canada contributing 60%. It is important that we convince both levels of government of the need for these immediate changes.

The OASC member organizations are working hard and with a unified voice to secure these necessary changes to stabilize and sustain a vibrant farm sector in Ontario.

Sincerely,

Bette Jean Crews, President
Ontario Federation of Agriculture

Wilma Jeffray, Chair
Ontario Pork

Brian Gilroy, Chair
Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association

Judy Dirksen, President
Ontario Veal

Curtis Royal, President
Ontario Cattlemen’s’ Association

Markus Wand, Chair
Ontario Sheep Marketing Agency

Henry Stevens, President
Ontario Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario

Leo Guilbeault, Chair
Ontario Grains & Oilseeds

News Source : Ontario Pork

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