News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 30, 2004

(QUEBEC CITY) - World Trade Organization talks and the ongoing bovine spongiform encephalophy (BSE) crisis facing Canadian producers dominated the discussions and presentations at the 2004 semi-annual meeting of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) – Canada’s largest national farmers’ organization. Farm leaders from every province and commodity sector came together in Quebec City for four days of meetings.

Throughout the week CFA President Bob Friesen, who has been leading a team of Canadian farm representatives at the WTO talks in Geneva, gave meeting delegates frequent updates by telephone on the situation in Geneva. Delegates also received a briefing Thursday from Canada’s chief WTO agriculture negotiator Steve Verheul. The CFA delegation has been supporting the Canadian negotiators’ efforts to gain Canada greater international market access, to bring down agricultural subsidies in major subsidizing nations like the U.S. and Europe, and to preserve Canada’s right to maintain non-trade-distorting orderly marketing systems like the Canadian Wheat Board and supply management.

Delegates were pleased newly-appointed Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) Minister Andrew Mitchell was able to participate in a conference call from Geneva and speak with them. The farm leaders also welcomed the opportunity to speak in person with AAFC Deputy Minister Leonard Edwards. To both the Minister and the Deputy Minister CFA members delivered a strong message about the necessity of maintaining a strong industry-government partnership and ensuring producers have a seat at the policy-making table.

The session Friday afternoon was dedicated to a discussion of issues surrounding the BSE crisis. Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) President Stan Eby was present to share ideas and offer the perspective of his organization. Farm leaders talked about the need to increase processing capability, address the income crisis facing producers, diversify Canada’s international markets for the cattle industry, and deal with pressing issues surrounding beef and dairy herd populations.

"Realistically, at this point we can’t base our plans on an open border," said Laurent Pellerin, CFA First Vice-President. "Industry groups need to work together to arrive at a plan to present to governments to ensure the survival of our cattle and ruminant producers while Canada works to reopen borders."

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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.