NDP, Green Party offer broad agriculture proposals

OTTAWA--Canadian farmers will find a broad range of agriculture policy proposals in the platforms of the NDP and the Green Party. However, they will likely be left with questions on how those proposals would be implemented.

Both platforms referred to implementing broad organic agriculture strategies, but lacked further information on how such strategies would be put in place.   

Specifically, CFA was pleased to see the NDP platform has included broad funding initiatives for :

• Manufacturing and agriculture sector strategies - $250 million each year for 4 years
• Support new producer cooperatives - $10 million each year for 4 years 
• Promote sustainable agriculture - $10 million each year for 4 years
  

CFA was encouraged to read that both parties would develop a cap-and-trade system; however the Federation stresses that any carbon offsets provided by farmers must be recognized by the  government, and farmers must have access to the carbon market.

CFA warns that the Green Party's plan to institute a carbon tax at a rate of $50/tonne of CO2 would increase farmers' production costs substantially.

'While the CFA appreciates the development of any programs that could help farmers, there is a great need to create programs and policies that provide incentives and develop markets, not add additional cost, for the many environmental goods and services conventional farmers provide to society,' said Ron Bonnett, CFA 2nd Vice President.

CFA has concerns that the NDP's platform is unclear about whether the party will continue to support Environmental Farm Planning or recognize the valuable environmental role conventional agriculture has in rural communities.

By contrast, the CFA is encouraged by the Green Party's support of Environmental Farm Planning and cost sharing programs that recognizes the large and positive stewardship role farmers play in the rural environment.   

While the strategies outlined above offer much promise for farmers, CFA urges both parties to expand on their broad-based proposals.

'Primarily, farmers would like to see more information on issues such as business risk management (BRM) and trade agreements for our export-oriented commodities. Neither the NDP platform nor Green Party platform contained many details these subjects,' said Laurent Pellerin, CFA 1st Vice President.

On international trade, the NDP did specify that it would seek the elimination of high levels our trading partners' domestic support, which is in line with CFA policy, but didn't refer to expanding market access for exporters. CFA was pleased to see that both platforms emphasize the role of orderly marketing systems, such as supply management and the Canadian Wheat Board.  

Turning to the Bloc Quebecois, CFA notes its platform provides many positive proposals for Quebec farmers, including:

• the preservation of supply management systems
• a reinvestment in reliable safety net programs
• an investment for the renewal of the sector 
• establishing a cap-and-trade system 
   

About the Canadian Federation of Agriculture
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, national and inter-provincial commodity organizations, and cooperatives from every province. Through its members, CFA represents over 225,000 Canadian farmers and farm families.