From:
Marjaleena Repo <ccaftnat@sk.sympatico.ca>[[ (The Liberals have cut the federal agricultural budget by almost by 50%, dumping the
costs directly onto farm families. For example, the1995 abolition of the historic
Crow’s Nest Pass agreement, once guaranteed to farmers “in perpetuity”, has
tripled freight costs, an annual increase of about $15,000 per average western grain
farm.)]] At the same time, the government is stamping its feet at the agricultural
policies of the Europeans and Americans demanding, without effect, that they “stop
subsidizing”. Instead of whining about our competitors, Canada should simply
restore its farm support with the pledge to our competitors and trade partners that our
support will be phased out at such time as, and in lock step with, reciprocal reductions
on their part. This action will put Canadian farmers back on a level playing field
and at the same time give the Canadian government the negotiating strength to actually
achieve results on the international stage.
The shopworn excuse that the Canadian treasury is incapable of competing with that of
Europe and the U.S. is inaccurate. Historically Canada maintained a world class
agriculture system, including its long term freight commitments, without ruining the
country’s finances.
On the health and food safety front, there is a growing worldwide consumer reaction to
genetically modified (GM) food. Europe will no longer import GM grains for human
consumption; other customers are balking. Yet Canada continues to pour hundreds of
millions into promotion of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) to the detriment of all
other agriculture policy.
With the introduction and promotion of Monsanto’s “Round-up ready canola,”
about two thirds of prairie canola acreage is transgenetic. Cross pollination with
conventional canola has contaminated the entire canola crop, resulting in the loss of the
European market for all our canola and a subsequent drop in Canadian canola prices.
With virtually all its eggs in the GM basket, Canada has become the world’s third
largest producer of GM crops, a product fewer and fewer wish to purchase. This
reckless promotion of an unproven technology is
hurting Canada’s farmers. By contrast, Brazil, for example, has refused
to allow the commercial release of GM seeds, is now advertising its food exports as GMO
free and is beating us in world markets.
[[GM foods are not, as the government argues, cheaper, safer or more nutritious. 75%
of GM seeds are designed for a single trait, pesticide tolerance, to enable larger sales
of herbicides and pesticides by the companies producing the transgenetic seeds-and a
growing legion of consumers are saying no thanks.]]
Ignoring the customer is a costly business, yet Canada's government is now planning to
allow the introduction of GM wheat, which will extend the consumer resistance, and
resulting market devastation, into our world famous wheat markets. Farm
organizations across North America, including the Canadian Wheat Board, have asked that GM
wheat not be released commercially until all our customers indicate they are prepared to
purchase it, yet the government appears set to force it on the
industry.
Due to a number of factors - sustainability, growing consumer health consciousness, BSE
(mad cow disease) and increasing problems of industrial farming - the fastest growing
agricultural sector in the western world (20-40% annually) is that of organic production
and consumption.
Organic farming, which means production of food without poisonous chemicals, herbicides,
pesticides, artificial fertilizers or genetic modification, has the advantage of being far
less damaging to the environment, the soil and the consumer’s health. (There
has been no mad cow disease in animals raised organically.) Input costs to the
organic farmer are lower and the production receives substantially higher returns. A
recent comprehensive survey of organic farmers in Ontario revealed that less than 15% saw
profit margins as a concern; their products are giving them an adequate return from the
market. Yet,
despite rapidly growing worldwide demand there is virtually no research or promotion being
done in Canada in the field. There is not even a degree granting course in organic
agriculture in the entire country.
[[It is quite clear that organic farming is the way of the future and Canada with its
international reputation as a clean country is ideally positioned to exploit this
opportunity in markets in the U.S., Europe and elsewhere. The demand for Canadian
organic agricultural products currently far outstrips the supply, yet our government has
completely missed the boat, its agriculture support and promotion linked exclusively to
the outmoded chemical and biotech food industries which
are rapidly declining in consumer confidence.]]
A quick, thorough reorientation and updating of agriculture policy based on consumer
demand and long term sustainability is required. This means a moratorium on the
release of new GMOs, backing away from GM canola, soybeans, corn, and potatoes,
introducing transition programs to organic production, sponsoring research oriented to the
problems of non-chemical
agriculture and energetic promotion of Canada’s chemical free and non-GM food
products to waiting markets. These steps, combined with restoration of our basic
agricultural support infrastructure, would go a long way to put Canada’s agriculture
sector back on its feet.
----------------
DAVID ORCHARD was runner-up in the '98 federal Progressive Conservative Party leadership
race. He farms at Borden, Saskatchewan and is the author of a best-selling book, The Fight
for Canada: Four Centuries of Resistance to American Expansionism.
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DAVID ORCHARD CAMPAIGN FOR CANADA
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tel: (306)664-8443, fax: (306)244-3790
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tel: (604)683-FREE(3733), fax: (604)683-3749
email: ccaftnat@sk.sympatico. ca & ccafttor@sympatico.ca
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