For immediate release:
Sept. 21, 2005

Barrett, Tory and Farm Leaders meet on short-term/ long term strategies

International Plowing Match, Listowel – Instead of getting much needed government support, farmers at the International Plowing Match received little more than the announcement of Foodland Ontario’s annual ad campaign.

Premier McGuinty announced the campaign titled, “the more you know, the fresher the taste,” as farmers awaited real action and plans to help divert the growing farm crises.

“Last week, the McGuinty government missed an opportunity to give our farmers certainty for their future at the Ontario Outdoor Farm Show – and now we get more platitudes about agriculture,” said MPP Toby Barrett, PC Agriculture Critic. “This time around we get a luke-warm endorsement of an annual ad campaign – somewhat underwhelming to put it mildly!”

When they were elected in 2003, the McGuinty Liberals promised to make the Ministry of Agriculture and Food one of their lead ministries. But, Ontario farmers have repeatedly had their budget cut.

In a time of record high input costs, many farmers are reeling from low prices for their commodities. Add to this, new regulatory requirements, additional red-tape, and continuing trade and border problems.

 "Dalton McGuinty's talk of one ad campaign at the Plowing Match today is thin gruel for farmers trying to bring in their harvest in the midst of sky high fuel prices and a crisis in agriculture," said Tory. "This move comes at a time when the McGuinty Liberals are cutting $169 million from the province's agriculture budget this year and showing a complete lack of support for farm families."

After plowing, Tory and Barrett hosted a get-together with farm and rural leaders. A common concern was inadequate responses to short-term problems and a lack of planning for the long-term.

 “I am hearing increasingly desperate reports from farmers of everything from a hidden crisis to a looming crisis to a full blown crisis in our farm and rural communities,” Barrett reiterated. “Government has a responsibility to be out-front, planning and providing leadership for a sector that has been consistently getting the short-end of the stick since this urban-dominated regime took power.”

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For more information please contact
MPP Toby Barrett at: 519-428-0446, 416-325-8404 or 1-800-903-8629