Our cattlemen are still under the gun

We have now passed the third anniversary of the BSE crisis, and Ontario’s beef farmers are still suffering fallout.  In addition to lost equity, due to the plummeting price, farmers continue to face a US border closed to cattle over the age of 30 months.

Cattlemen want normalized trade with the US – including all beef and live cattle over 30 months and breeding stock.  According to the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, the present restrictions in trade are still costing Canadian beef farmers over $1.2 million a day.

Canada’s beef producers have reacted well to the BSE crisis.  We know that 115,000 animals have been tested for BSE since 2004, with 31,500 of them being tested so far this year alone.  In light of this hard work and progress at the border, cattle farmers are concerned that policy makers believe the BSE crisis is over. 

We cannot afford to forget about the remaining obstacles and challenges.  In addition to export bans, issues for cattlemen include the enhanced feed ban, current WTO negotiations and the need for reform of CAIS.

As well, R-CALF – the US group fighting the import of Canadian cattle – has filed notice of appeal of the April 5, 2006 judge’s order denying R-CALF’s Motion for Summary Judgement and request for a permanent injunction of the final rule.

Despite being shunned by the Ontario government, there have been flickers of hope for agriculture, including the cattle industry.  The federal government recently announced a number of changes to the CAIS program – the federal/provincial partnership aimed at helping farmers get through bad years.

On May 18th, the federal Minister of Agriculture announced changes to the CAIS support program.  These changes adjusted inventory valuation calculations, and made them retroactive to 2003, 2004, and 2005.  In making these changes, the federal government has deferred collection of overpayments made to farmers through the CAIS program.  In addition, the federal level has announced broader negative margin coverage.

Unfortunately, Ontario’s cattle producers will not be able to experience the full benefit of the federal government’s leadership until Premier McGuinty and Agriculture Minister Dombrowsky come through with similar changes.

Historically, assistance to farmers has been split between the two levels of government.  The federal government contributes 60 per cent of the total cost, with the provincial government providing the remaining 40 per cent.  Ontario’s beef farmers are still waiting for Premier McGuinty to bring forward the provincial share.

On June 21, my colleague MPP Laurie Scott asked Minister Dombrowsky when the province would make the necessary changes.  The Minister responded, saying Ontario’s beef farmers didn’t want the support.  Respectfully, I say she is wrong.

During the onslaught of tractor rallies over the past winter, I continually read signs saying that on agriculture, the present Ontario government is good at only three things: study, stall, and study.  Despite the real problems that farmers face on a daily basis, government seems incapable of providing tangible help.  Announcements, re-announcements, and more studies are cold comfort when the bank calls and hope is lost.

That’s why I was under-whelmed this month when the McGuinty government created a committee to develop a vision for the future of agriculture.  It is unacceptable for a government to approach the final year of its mandate before developing its vision. 

But, given the expertise and qualifications of the members of the committee, I’m hopeful it will give the government some good advice.