The leaders of the four Western Canada general farm organizations were busy at work in Ottawa recently, representing the interests of agricultural producers in a series of meetings with Parliamentary decision makers and industry stakeholders.
Officials from the British Columbia Agricultural Council (BCAC), Alberta Federation of Agriculture (AFA), Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS), and Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) combined their participation in the Annual General and Board Meetings of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) with extensive lobbying efforts.
While in Ottawa participants met as a group and severally with various members of the House of Commons, including Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz; Transport Minister Lisa Raitt; NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair; Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau; Saskatchewan MPs Ralph Goodale, Garry Breitkreuz and Randy Hoback, and Alberta MP LaVar Payne.
Topping the agenda was the current crisis in grain transportation. According to BCAC director Garnet Etsell, "British Columbia producers, myself included, can't get rail delivery of the feed grain we need right now. Something needs to be done immediately to get that grain moving."
In raising the grain transportation issue throughout the week, it was clear, he says, that Parliamentarians and industry stakeholders alike know that the backlog of grain is having a severe negative economic impact. Norm Hall, APAS president, notes, "lost markets and the big hit producers are taking on the price they get because of the backlog will cost the economies of Western Canada and the country billions. It is creating a major cash flow crunch for many producers because they can't move their grain and get paid."
The week was highlighted by a meeting with Transport Minister Raitt. "We particularly appreciated the opportunity to share our concerns directly with the Transport Minister and welcomed her acknowledgement that this is a top priority," says AFA President Lynn Jacobson.
Leaders also met with Pulse Canada and applaud their current efforts to identify and quantify the rail transportation shortfall.
"We urge ongoing support for this initiative and ask the Transport Minister to work closely with Pulse Canada to develop the tools that are needed immediately to get the grain moving", says KAP President Doug Chorney.
Streamlining the approval process for generic chemicals by reducing excessive red tape and pricing of fertilizer for this year's crop were also raised with officials of the Pesticide Regulatory Management Agency (PRMA) and the Canadian Fertilizer Institute.
The CFA annual general meeting provided a productive forum for delegates to consider issues of importance to the agricultural industry.
Resolutions, presentations and discussions focused on agriculture research, pipeline construction, risk management, agriculture machinery safety, food processing in Canada, land prices and their relationship to commodity prices, and opportunities in agriculture.
The family farm was in the spotlight as well, with presentations and discussion on how family farms are adjusting to international trade featuring representatives from New Zealand, Japan, the U.S., and the European Union.
Delegates also learned about the 'Continental Dialogue on Family Farming in North America' event taking place in Quebec City in April.
