Letter to your MP—Climate and Community
Dear NFU members,
We are in a climate and farm crisis and we need action from our elected political leaders that are supposed to represent our interests! As members of the National Farmers Union (NFU), you know there is strength in union. We are encouraging NFU members to organize and mobilize around the climate and farm crisis, starting with engaging your MP on the issues impacting farmers.
Farmers need:
- funds and support to access funds to implement climate action on farm;
- climate change response programs that flex to their needs, size, structure, and other on farm realities;
- income security now.
These issues are deeply intertwined, as are the solutions. Tell this to your MP! Even if you don’t receive an answer, the volume of letters highlighting the realities of farmers will be tracked and this is still a valuable step to holding them accountable.
We’ve drafted a letter below for you to send to your MP. We encourage you to send it off today! You can simply pop in the highlighted information and send it off or customize the letter to reflect your climate and income security priorities before sending.
Use this link to find your local MP.
In union, we are strong. Let’s make sure farmers are heard and have what they need to have a secure livelihood now and into the future.
In solidarity,
National Farmers Union team
DATE
MP NAME
MP ADDRESS
Dear MP NAME,
I am a farmer in your riding writing to express urgent concern for farmers and eaters in the face of climate change. Farmers are acutely experiencing the impacts of the climate crisis, and they’re paying for it which is accelerating the farm crisis and viability of farming. This should concern us all as eaters.
A National Farmers Union (NFU) press release reports; “public data shows that corporate food processors and retailers have relentlessly, for decades, pushed up retail prices even as the prices paid to farmers remained largely stagnant”. According to the Who Will Feed Us? report, in the 1930’s, 1 in 3 Canadians were involved in farming. Today, farmers constitute less than 1% of the Canadian population (Stats Can).
Against this backdrop, farmers are acutely experiencing the impacts of the climate crisis, especially small farms. The 2016 census shows that over 40% of BC farms are small, reporting less than $10,000 in receipts. The climate crisis is taking yet another share of farmers’ income. Farmers need help now.
A group of BC and Yukon farmers recently organized a gathering to discuss climate change impacts on our farms. One participant said; “when my farm rapidly flooded, it was a pretty direct cut of my personal income. I have staff that I have to pay, and I reduced their hours a bit, but we still needed to re-plant crops and get back on track, so I had the upfront spring expenses a second time for the year, and it came out of my wage”. The same farmer noted he wasn’t able to access relief programs to help following a flood; “you have to show a loss of income over the previous year and because my business is still very young, I’m aiming to expand by 20 to 30% in my gross revenue from year to year”.
Farmers need:
- funds and support to access funds to implement climate action on farm;
- climate change response programs that flex to their needs, size, structure, and other on farm realities;
- income security now.
We know the federal government has made commitments to climate recovery and climate solutions on farms. What specific actions will you take towards ensuring these programs are swiftly delivered and reflect farmers’ realities, and that farm income security is addressed at the root? Please respond with answers to these key questions.
Sincerely,
Signature
NAME
ADDRESS
