GUELPH, ON – Grain Farmers of Ontario, the province‘s largest commodity organization, representing Ontario‘s 28,000 barley, corn, oat, soybean and wheat farmers today launched the second phase of its awareness campaign, sending a message about the lack of action by the Canadian government to safeguard Canada‘s food supply.
The COVID-19 pandemic issues and shutdowns are having an impact on Canada‘s farmers and putting Canada‘s food system at risk. Grain farmers have continuously asked for proper programming to be put in place and the Canadian government is not responding. This new phase of the Grain Farmers of Ontario campaign shines a light on this lack of action and the risks associated with it.
“Almost two thirds of Grain farmers in Ontario are worried they cannot survive this downturn, and Justin Trudeau doesn‘t seem to care,” said Markus Haerle, Chair, Grain Farmers of Ontario. “We cannot compete with the low prices U.S. farmers can sell for, given the U.S. government‘s $22 billion in subsidies to farmers. We have our farmer-members facing $130-$170 per acre loss, before taking one cent of income, on every acre of corn. What business can withstand that?”
Grain Farmers of Ontario have been meeting with the federal government raising the issues from the COVID shutdown facing their grain in Ontario for months with no action.
“We are taking this next step in the campaign, to let the Canadian government know before it‘s too late for Canada‘s food supply,” said Haerle. “If Trudeau doesn‘t put in safeguards for our food system, and Ontario loses farmers, will we have to turn to the U.S. for food? I think that is a question everyone should be asking.”
Source : GFO