News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 25, 2004

(ACROSS CANADA) - Canada is now in a federal election. In every province, Canadian farmers are reminding political party leaders and candidates to make agriculture issues a priority in their policy platforms and campaigns.

'It's as simple as this: a country that can't feed itself, can't govern itself. In addition to providing the food on our plates, Canadian farmers make a major economic contribution to this country,' said Bob Friesen, President of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA). 'By putting agriculture issues at the forefront of their campaigns candidates demonstrate they understand that fact, and show they support the rural Canadian economy and way of life.'

Agriculture and agri-food is one of the largest industries in Canada. According to Statistics Canada, the agri-food industry generates nearly nine per cent of our Gross Domestic Product, and employs nearly two million Canadians. The Canadian rural economy and communities are rooted in the agriculture industry. For consumers, Canadian farmers deliver one of the highest quality, safest and lowest-cost grocery baskets in the world. Canadians spend roughly 10 per cent of their household expenditures on food, compared to 10.5 in Australia, 14.4 in France, and 23.9 in Mexico.

'With the contribution agriculture makes to this country, producers have a right to expect political candidates to give this industry and its issues a place of prominence in their policies and their campaign speeches,' said Friesen. 'Producers are going to be very active during this election, asking questions and getting commitments from all candidates.'

In this federal election the Canadian Federation of Agriculture is asking party leaders and candidates to have clear positions on: farm income and profitability, government business risk management programs, handling animal and crop disasters such as BSE and Avian Influenza, Canada's trade position in international trade negotiations, food safety programs, and agriculture and the environment.

As such, CFA has organized and will host a debate on agriculture issues in Ottawa with Minister Bob Speller, Conservative Agriculture Critic Gerry Ritz, NDP Agriculture Critic Dick Proctor, and M. Louis Plamondon, Porte-parole du Bloc Québécois en manière d'Agriculture. The debate will be held during the election period. Details will be released as they become available.

A summary of current agriculture issues and policy suggestions can be found in the CFA booklet 'Cast a Vote for Agriculture', available from the CFA Ottawa office, through CFA member organizations and on the CFA web site: www.cfa-fca.ca

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Founded in 1935 to provide Canada's farmers with a single voice in Ottawa, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture is the country's largest farmers' organization. Its members include provincial general farm organizations as well as national and inter-provincial commodity organizations from every province. Through its members, CFA represents over 200,000 Canadian farmers and farm families.