national
farmers union
national
farmers union
TEVIOTDALE, Ont. - "The Family Farm Tribute celebrated good food and good music," said Ineke Booy, National Farmers Union Ontario Coordinator. "But Canadians can't go on expecting to get both at such low discount prices. Farmers have to get a fairer share of the consumer dollar, or the farm crisis will continue."
Booy and her family, together with NFU President Cory Ollikka of Waskatenau, Alberta, and Stewart Wells of Swift Current, Saskatchewan, were in Toronto on Sunday for the Family Farm Tribute concert, endorsed by the NFU. "Farmers are heartened that so many citizens, artists and organizers went out of their way to support Canada's farm families," Ollikka said. "Now we need our federal government to do the same. So far, that hasn't been happening."
"The government is still not putting back anywhere near as much money as their policies have taken out of the rural economy in recent years," Wells commented. "In transportation alone, they have taken away the Crow Benefit in western Canada and Feed Freight Assistance in the east. It's the same story in other policy areas that affect farmers. Basically, the government has abandoned the family farm."
"Those policies do not reflect the will of Canadians," Ollikka continued. "The family farm is the cornerstone of the system that brings safe, abundant, nutritious food to everyone who eats. That's why the musicians at the concert and the many, many people who came by the NFU display booth want to see the family farm not only survive, but flourish.""Everyone involved knows that one concert is not going to suddenly solve the farm crisis," said Booy. "The problems remain - plunging prices and rising costs, deregulation of food safety and transportation, corporate take-over of more and more aspects of production. But urban people are now joining farmers in calling for decisive government- funding and policies to ensure economic and ecological sustainability for Canada's family farms. The politicians are going to have to pay attention."
"Farming, like music, is a core part of Canada's heritage," Ollikka added. "If we just rely on imports, we'll disappear. Culture and agriculture are both vital to our survival. That's what the Family Farm Tribute was all about."
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