For immediate release:
June 05, 2007

It's about time to return fairness to farmers

Chatham – After years of neglect, it’s time to give farmers the support and fairness they deserve according to PC Agriculture Critic Toby Barrett and Monte McNaughton, Lambton-Kent Middlesex PC Candidate.

Barrett and McNaugton were referring to Opposition Leader John Tory’s announcement that a PC government will add an additional $300 million annually for farmers by the end of its first term.

“Cash-crop, hort, beef, tobacco – all Ontario commodities – need a level playing field to compete with neighbouring jurisdictions”, Barrett explained at a meeting with Chatham Kent area farm leaders.

The Tory plan for an additional $300 million annually by the end of the first term starting with an additional $150 million in the first budget will give farm families the stability and certainty they need to run their business.

"Farmers will see a government willing to work hand-in-hand to use additional, new funding to develop commodity-specific programs custom tailored to their specific sector," stated Lambton-Kent-Middlesex PC Candidate Monte McNaughton. "We know there is not a one-size-fits all solution and I look forward to working with John Tory and a PC Government to design necessary programs in partnership with our farmers".

Along with the new funding, the PC plan calls for:

* Work with farmers to negotiate a long-term, stable and flexible model of farm supports with the Federal Government based upon the Quebec agricultural model - The Programme D’Assurance Stabilisation Des Revenus Agricoles (ASRA)

* Within 30 days of taking office, the new PC Government Minister of Agriculture would meet with farm organizations and work to develop a better process to avoid payment delays;

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