For Immediate Release:
March 4, 2004

Beef farmers getting raw deal from Ontario government

Toronto – Haldimand-Norfolk-Brant MPP Toby Barrett says reports that the Ontario government has spent its limit on BSE-related initiatives leave beef-farmers out in the cold.

“To hear reports that the province can't afford additional help for farmers is disappointing – especially when none of last week’s announced $10 million for a new cull-animal strategy will make it into farmers hands.” Barrett said. “To argue that we’re tapped out due to ‘difficult financial times’ when farmers are facing suffocating debt and unpaid bills is a bit of a slap in the face.”

Barrett commented following reports that Ontario cannot afford more support for farmers in addition to the funding announced last week. The $74 million announcement included $64 million for all eligible farmers to ease the transition to a new generation of farm safety nets and $10 million to support a new cull-animal strategy. The $10 million comprises $7 million to licensed abattoirs to expand the province’s capacity for the slaughter of cull animals, and $3 million for the Ontario Cattlemen’s Association to fund market development and other projects.

“And the $64 million announced for safety net funding is money farmers knew was coming and have actually been waiting to see for months now,” said Barrett. “The federal portion of this program was already distributed to farmers in need last year and I have received calls from these same farmers asking when they could expect to see money from the province.”

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For more information contact: MPP Toby Barrett
519-428-0446 or 1-800-903-8629