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For Immediate Release PC Caucus supports Grain and Oilseed Farmers QUEEN’S PARK – Today in the Ontario Legislature Ernie Hardeman, Oxford MPP and PC critic for Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs reiterated PC caucus support for a grain and oilseed business risk management plan based on cost of production. “We believe that the grain and oilseed business risk management program should be made permanent so our farmers can depend on it,” said Hardeman during the statement. “Bankers won’t approve an operating line based on the hope that the government will be forced to do the right thing.” Hardeman made the statement after attending a Queen’s Park breakfast hosted by the Grain and Oilseeds Safety Net committee. They came to Queen’s Park to deliver the message that that the business risk management program needs to be permanent. “We are pushing for the permanent implementation of the Risk Management Program to provide us with stability and predictability so our businesses can remain viable for decades to come,” said Leo Guilbeault, Chair of the Ontario Grains and Oilseeds Safety Net at the breakfast. “Farmers have signed up and paid their premiums to the program in spite of the fact that commodity prices are high and we have no assurances that the program will exist next year.” Ontario PC leader Tim Hudak has committed that if elected a PC government would work with farm leaders to develop a business risk management program based on cost of production for all commodities. The grain and oilseed business risk management program was introduced in 2007 for three years. In July 2010 the government announced a one-year extension to cover 2010 crops but that has now expired. “Today we are in the same position as we were a year ago,” said Hardeman. “Once again our grain and oilseed farmers are being asked to plant without knowing whether there is a program they can count on.” - 30 - |
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QUEEN’S PARK – Today in the Ontario Legislature Ernie Hardeman, Oxford MPP and PC critic for Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs reiterated PC caucus support for a grain and oilseed business risk management plan based on cost of production. “We believe that the grain and oilseed business risk management program should be made permanent so our farmers can depend on it,” said Hardeman during the statement. “Bankers won’t approve an operating line based on the hope that the government will be forced to do the right thing.” Hardeman made the statement after attending a Queen’s Park breakfast hosted by the Grain and Oilseeds Safety Net committee. They came to Queen’s Park to deliver the message that that the business risk management program needs to be permanent. “We are pushing for the permanent implementation of the Risk Management Program to provide us with stability and predictability so our businesses can remain viable for decades to come,” said Leo Guilbeault, Chair of the Ontario Grains and Oilseeds Safety Net at the breakfast. “Farmers have signed up and paid their premiums to the program in spite of the fact that commodity prices are high and we have no assurances that the program will exist next year.” Ontario PC leader Tim Hudak has committed that if elected a PC government would work with farm leaders to develop a business risk management program based on cost of production for all commodities. The grain and oilseed business risk management program was introduced in 2007 for three years. In July 2010 the government announced a one-year extension to cover 2010 crops but that has now expired. “Today we are in the same position as we were a year ago,” said Hardeman. “Once again our grain and oilseed farmers are being asked to plant without knowing whether there is a program they can count on.” - 30 - |
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