Challenges for Ontario’s new ag minister

Jun 04, 2018

Farmers say gov’t should address supply management and hydro rates

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

Ontario producers have a few key priorities on the to-do list for the next minister of ag.

With Kathleen Wynne conceding the election for the Liberals over the weekend, the Progressive Conservatives (PC) or New Democratic Party (NDP) are the frontrunners to form the next government.

A new government means a new cabinet and a new minister of agriculture, food and rural affairs to replace Jeff Leal, who’s held the position for the Liberals since 2013.

PC leader Doug Ford stated along the campaign trail that he would appoint a farmer as the next ag minister. The NDP has not provided any potential cabinet information.

Whoever will represent Ontario’s growers and rural communities at Queen’s Park will have no shortage of issues to address, farmers say.

Re-examining the supply management system to make it fair for new producers should be a key priority, said George Alton, a beef producer from Huron County.

“The purpose of supply management was to protect the family farm,” he told Farms.com today. “Now, all this (quota) expansion is given to the immediate producers in the industry.”

A lottery-type system to ensure new producers can receive quota should be considered. A standardized method, like filling out a form, can help young farmers get into the industry without having to compete against established producers, Alton said.

“If someone puts a farm up for sale, then that (quota) is up for everyone to buy,” he said. “But any new expansions should be given to new producers.”

The new ag minister may also want to devote time to post-secondary ag education.

Ontario’s agribusinesses will need help as older employees and owners move towards retirement, Alton said.

“If you look at the number of people who are going to retire out of agriculture this year, (today’s graduating classes) wouldn’t even come close to recovering what you lose in retirement,” he said.

Hydro rates should also be on the newly appointed ag minister’s itinerary.

The PCs and NDP have discussed ways to cut hydro rates but a more concrete plan needs to be implemented, said Dennis Bryson, a dairy producer from Lambton County.

“You can’t keep (giving little breaks) because what happens is the debt gets saddled onto the next generation,” he told Farms.com today.

Additionally, Bryson hopes the next government would put any further wind energy projects on hold, he said.

Ontarians go to the polls on Thursday.

Check out Farms.com’s previous coverage on the Green Party, Liberal and NDP plans.

The PC’s promises can be found on the party’s website.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.