The Ontario Federation of Agriculture is threatening more protests if farmers’ concerns continue being ignored. I write about their grievances in this week’s Urban Cowboy column in the Guelph Mercury. We continue to look to agriculture to pull us out of the recession, yet we’re not willing to give farmers what they really need — which is, a fair price for food.
Urban Cowboy
Owen Roberts
Good column. I think this should get some people thinking!
I hope so. If not, they’ll have lots of time to think about it this summer when they’re crawling along the 401, stuck behind a farm blockade making its way to Queen’s Park.
Great column Owen
Now tackle what green belt designation is going to do to Wellington County
Thanks…did you see my column a couple of weeks ago on the Greenbelt? It wasn’t about Wellington County, but the message was transferable — according to some sources, the Greenbelt is tough on small communities.
A great summary of how we feel. Thanks for doing a great job communicating it.
You’re welcome, Melissa. Top marks to the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, too, for not mincing words.
Great article Owen.
Unfortunately the low food prices paid to farmers is not unique to Ontario or Canada.
Dairy farmers in the United Sates are being forced to kill their herds and dump milk because of the disastrous fall in prices they are being paid.
This story sounds all too familiar, similar to our own pork industry here at home.
Just as powerful a message to the consumer as a tractor on the 401 might be empty dairy or meat counters at their local grocery store some day ……………let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.
Terry
Thanks for your comment, Terry.
The unfortunate dairy situation in the U.S. gives supply management proponents in Canada some additional armour, doesn’t it? However, I doubt if it will stop international efforts to abolish supply management here. In fact, they might even intensify, if the U.S. sees the closed Canadian market as part of its problem (even though we’re a comparatively small market).
Thanks…did you see my column a couple of weeks ago on the Greenbelt? It wasn’t about Wellington County, but the message was transferable — according to some sources, the Greenbelt is tough on small communities.