Who has signed the declaration for agriculture?

(OTTAWA, October 10, 2008) - As farmers are considering how to vote in the Oct. 14 federal election, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture is advising its members of which party leaders have signed its Declaration in Support of Maintaining and Strengthening Canadian Agriculture.
 
As of Friday, Oct. 10, CFA has received signed declarations from NDP leader Jack Layton, Bloc Québécois leader Gilles Duceppe, and Green Party leader Elizabeth May.   
 
'Farmers will be encouraged that these leaders have signaled clear support for Canada's agricutural industry,' said Laurent Pellerin, CFA 1st Vice President.
 
'This demonstrated commitment to agriculture will certainly be important for farmers on voting day,' added Ron Bonnett, CFA 2nd Vice President.
 
While CFA regrets that two leaders have not yet endorsed the declaration, the Federation anticipates post-election opportunities to communicate with each party on issues of significance to Canada's food producers.
 
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A Declaration in Support of Maintaining and Strengthening Canadian Agriculture

WHEREAS  agriculture and farmers are basic to feeding the world;
 
AND WHEREAS countries have the basic right to assure the food security of their citizens and the duty to provide fair treatment to those who produce the food;
I, the undersigned, ______________________________________declare:
my party supports and recognizes:

• that an independent, sustainable and viable home-grown food supply is the cornerstone of Canada's economy;
• the need for government to continue its ongoing enabling role to fund industry-led initiatives that benefit the public good such as food safety programs and ecological goods and services;
• the need to invest and address issues in the infrastructure that currently impede competitive growth within the industry such as transportation, trade, research, and tax issues;
• the need to maintain Canada's ability to establish and operate effective orderly marketing systems which enable farmers to earn fair and profitable returns from the marketplace, and recognize that it should remain the prerogative of producers collectively to establish and sustain these marketing tools ; and
• the legitimacy of duly elected farm organizations to work collectively with government in the development of agriculture policy.

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.