For Immediate Release
February 24, 2005

Barrett’s Farm Implement bill resurrected in Ontario Legislature

Queen’s Park – A Private Members Bill, first introduced by Haldimand-Norfolk-Brant MPP Toby Barrett in June 2001, was resurrected in the Ontario Legislature today.

Oxford MPP Ernie Hardeman introduced the legislation this time as Bill 168, An Act to Ensure Fairness, to Foster Competition and Consumer Choice and to Encourage Innovation in the Farm Implement Sector.

“I thank my colleague Ernie Hardeman for resurrecting this particular piece of legislation designed to protect farm implement dealers from certain business practices of the large manufacturers,” Barrett told members of the Legislature. “Dealer purity or exclusivity is currently being used in dealer contracts by some of the large farm equipment manufacturers in order to force the dealers to sell products exclusive to that manufacturer.”

Barrett went on to explain that farmers in his riding who grow tobacco, ginseng, horseradish, peanuts, cucumbers, cabbage and potatoes – specialized crops – require specialized machinery. Large manufacturers do not offer such products; therefore farmers must turn to short-liners who have long been threatened by dealer purity policy.

“This bill would essentially eliminate dealer purity policies and allow dealers more choice, will allow farmers more choice on the brands of equipment and parts that they can purchase and will help foster competition,” Barrett said. “Bill 168 is similar to what we have already in the provinces of Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Prince Edward Island. Governments in the United States have found it necessary to introduce legislation. Dealer purity is illegal in the United States.”

If passed, Bill 168 will respond to requests from farmers and farm implement dealers and short-liners who are asking for increased flexibility.

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For more information please contact
MPP Toby Barrett at: 519-428-0446, 905-765-8413 or 1-800-903-8629