[Marcarc]

If you look at those 'recommendations' one thing becomes very clear-who couldn't get that information from a five minute discussion with a farmer? Such think tanks seem to be designed to provide a buffer between government and the people it is supposed to serve. The 100 grand is clearly just bizarre. Anybody with that kind of available cash already has government's ear.

[badsector]

Farming in G7 countries is affected by international issues. G7 governments, pressured by corporations, recently signed the Doha agreement, which is basically a death sentence to farming in developed countries. According to this shameful agreement, G7 countries will gradually phase out export subsidies to farmers by 2012. The same time, they provide quote-free access to their markets to Third World countries. Food production in those countries will be done by corporations with infinite spending power and they can take an advantage of low production cost.<br /> <br /> In the Western Hemisphere, Brazil is becoming for agriculture what China is for industry and India for services. Brazil has a destitute population of 186 million and huge unused farm lands. Now that the Doha agreement is signed, Western corporations are moving into Brazil and buying up land, which they can either farm or lease to farmers. Most major US, Canadian and American food producers have had a presence in Brazil for a long time, but now this presence is becoming an agricultural boom. Soon, our markets will be flooded by cheap Brazilian products. The same thing will happen to our farmers that has happened to the manufacturing industry: they will become obsolete and "inefficient".<br /> <br /> A large Canadian business delegation was scheduled to travel to Brazil in early February (<a href="http://db.itm.gov.mb.ca/MBIS/BC.nsf/EVYearMonth/6E7D903079692B468625711700702A64?OpenDocument">link here</a>, to discover "opportunities", led by Paul Martin. This mission was cancelled, for obvious reason, however I really would be interested in knowing where the Harper government stands on this issue.<br /> <br /> I am wondering why the farming community is not making a whole lot more noise about this issue. Now would be the time to do it, don't wait until they foreclose the family farm.

[Rural]

This commentary tells of more reports and gives a link to them, is this just more hot air? I wish they would post these summaries as HTM and not PDF for better access, perhaps the full reports are posted elseware, I have not checked!<br /> <br /> Farm & Countryside Commentary by Elbert van Donkersgoed<br /> February 27, 2006<br /> <br /> Last year’s bumper crop of major reports on fixing Canadian agriculture are coming under close scrutiny by the members and friends of the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario. CFFO’s 2006 seminar series will ask if the solutions proposed by the four reports clash or converge. Combined, there is a lot of advice in the four reports but are they offering solutions that family farmers appreciate? The seminar series will focus on two of the themes in the reports<br /> • The solutions to farmers’ lack of clout in the marketplace; and<br /> • The solutions proposed for the farm gate financial crisis.<br /> <br /> CFFO has posted a summary of the solutions proposed by each of the four reports (in PDF format) on its website: http://www.christianfarmers.org The four reports are:<br /> • The Honourable Wayne Easter, Parliamentary Secretary to the former Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food in the Liberal government produced “Empowering Canadian Farmers in the Marketplace” last July.<br /> • The National Farmers Union wrote “The Farm Crisis: Its Causes and Solutions,” also last July.<br /> • The Agriculture Institute of Canada commissioned a discussion paper, “Big Farms, Small Farms: Strategies in Sustainable Agriculture to fit All Sizes,” last September.<br /> • The Canadian Federation of Agriculture wrote “Agricultural Policy Framework II: A Canadian Farm Bill” last November.<br /> <br /> The variety of proposed solutions is quite dramatic. Proposals for fixing the farm gate financial crisis include the following:<br /> • Enhance returns from the marketplace by organizing international meetings of farm ministers and consulting farmers.<br /> • Create distinct agricultural programs for small and large farms.<br /> • Give smaller farmers preferential access to processors. <br /> • Pay short-term incentives to farmers who idle land to better match supply to demand for grain<br /> • Invest in alternative uses for agricultural land, like biomass for fuel production.<br /> • Give farmers incentives for marketing livestock at lower weights.<br /> • Make safety nets and risk management programs affordable, predictable, responsiveness and equitable across the country.<br /> • Guarantee that at least 95% of farmers recover their full costs of production.<br /> • Put a consumer levy on food to fund the adoption of sustainable practices.<br /> • Target farm aid programs to small- and medium-scale producers.<br /> • Identify costs, such as inspection fees, that governments can pay for entirely.<br /> • When farmers are required to take steps, like traceability, for the benefit of the public good, the public should pay.<br /> • Implement a payment system for environmental goods and services.<br /> • Expand agricultural production into processing and distribution.<br /> • Encourage young farmers with incentives.<br /> <br /> Elbert van Donkersgoed P. Ag. (Hon.) is the Strategic Policy Advisor of the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario, Canada.<br /> <a>