June 4, 2009
MEMBERS’ STATEMENT
CATTLE FARMERS

Mr. Ernie Hardeman: Today, members and staff of this Legislature have been treated to a great lunch of high-quality Ontario corn-fed beef. I want to thank the Ontario Cattlemen's Association for providing lunch and doing a great job of letting us know the challenges that our farmers are facing.

However, I'm disappointed that the items they are asking for today are similar to the ones they needed last year. It seems a sad statement on the responsiveness of this government and the Minister of Agriculture that in that time no progress seems to have been made.

The Ontario cattlemen are still asking for a $20-million corn-fed beef ledger account to provide stability to our cattle farmers. As the minister drags her feet, statistics are showing that there are fewer and fewer cattle being raised in Ontario.

They are still asking this minister to admit that the AgriStability program-that she signed on to-isn't working; since, the minister hasn't been addressing the problem of helping young farmers.

The Ontario Cattlemen held round tables to talk about the challenges beginning farmers are facing and what solutions are needed. They have heard from young farmers that we need to look at interest-free start-up loans. While we wait for a response from the minister, our farmers continue to get older.

Since the government has created this long summer break, I hope the Minister of Agriculture will use it to get out to the farms, talk to our farmers and take real action to help our farmers succeed.

Thank you to the cattlemen of Ontario for being here to provide us with that great barbecue on the front lawn of the Legislature.