Farmers are being left in uncompetitive market position

By Mark Reusser, Vice President, OFA

To The Haldimand Press

Despite commitments to support Canadian agriculture through this challenging year, the Federal Government is falling short on supporting farmers facing financial stress as a result of global trade disruptions.

Agricultural ministers from across Canada collectively agreed at their mid-July meeting that the current safety net system is inadequate and have committed to identifying necessary improvements to the AgriStability program. This discussion took place at the Federal, Provincial, and Territorial Agriculture Ministers meeting, where the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA), along with the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA), urged the ministers and federal government to enhance the AgriStability program and support farmers facing unfair financial challenges caused by trade disruptions that are out of their control.

Although the ministers rightly reaffirmed support to supply managed industries for damage caused by trade negotiation outcomes, the federal government refused to commit funding to assist other farmers dealing with limited marketing options and depressed market prices as a result of ongoing trade wars.