FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 18, 2017
QUEEN’S PARK – Unsatisfied with answers he received in regards to the current stalemate between the province’s processing vegetable growers and the government, Opposition Agriculture Critic Toby Barrett continued to push for the election of directors to the Processing Vegetable Growers’ board, as well as a release of the government’s economic impact analysis and the establishment of the industry advisory committee.
Barrett, also Haldimand-Norfolk MPP, was dissatisfied with the answer he received from Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Jeff Leal as the minister said a pending court case was restricting how much he could say.
“First of all, very clearly, where is this economic impact study? There has been considerable time now,” Barrett said in the Legislature. “Secondly, I asked when we will see the establishment of the industry advisory committee that has been talked about for the last 10 or 11 months or a year. I also asked when we will see the election of directors and the appointment of staff to make the required decisions during harvest.”
During a special night Question Period, Barrett charged: “During question period, I asked about the status of the government’s detailed economic analysis. The reason for that, Speaker, was that back on August 17, 2016, Minister Leal issued a directive to the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission. He indicated they were to develop a plan for engagement and consultation with interested parties and stakeholders and, ‘at a minimum, the plan shall include … a detailed economic analysis of industry competitiveness and opportunities for growth considered by the commission in support of any proposed amendments.’ That was nine or 10 months ago.”
Barrett reiterated the growing concern of an appointed trustee still in place after price negotiations have been completed.
“The growers believe the province sided with the processors to reach a contract price point. The growers have said that the impasse in negotiations could and should have been resolved by binding arbitration. Obviously, when there is an impasse—it was resolved; it’s over with. Why do we have this continued situation of an appointed trustee?”
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For more information, contact MPP Toby Barrett at 519-428-0446 or toby.barrett@pc.ola.org
ONTARIO LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
OFFICIAL HANSARD
May 16, 2017
Agri-food industry
The Acting Speaker (Mr. Ted Arnott): The member for Haldimand–Norfolk has given notice of his dissatisfaction with an answer to a question given by the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. The member now has five minutes to debate the matter, and the minister or his parliamentary assistant may reply for up to five minutes.
I’m pleased to recognize the member for Haldimand–Norfolk.
Mr. Toby Barrett: As I indicated, the reason for my dissatisfaction with that response from the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs—it was a question on processing vegetable marketing. I felt the information could have been shared in this House and would not influence a pending court case.
During question period, I asked about the status of the government’s detailed economic analysis. The reason for that, Speaker, was that back on August 17, 2016, Minister Leal issued a directive to the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission. He indicated they were to develop a plan for engagement and consultation with interested parties and stakeholders and, “at a minimum, the plan shall include … a detailed economic analysis of industry competitiveness and opportunities for growth considered by the commission in support of any proposed amendments.” That was nine or 10 months ago.
First of all, very clearly, where is this economic impact study? There has been considerable time now. Secondly, I asked when we will see the establishment of the industry advisory committee that has been talked about for the last 10 or 11 months or a year. I also asked when we will see the election of directors and the appointment of staff to make the required decisions during harvest. Planting, irrigating and harvesting are looming, and there is the need for oversight with respect to grading, adjusting contracts, filling contracts, given changes—who knows what the weather will be like then, and so many other factors that can have a dramatic influence on the production of a crop.
Last summer, we circulated a petition. I attended so many meetings, primarily of cucumber growers and tomato growers. I will just read in part; it concluded by saying,
“Therefore we, the undersigned, petition the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as follows:
“That the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the government of Ontario support the Ontario Processing Vegetable Growers’ right to negotiate price terms and conditions of contracts for processing vegetables in Ontario….”
There was an article recently—it would be this month—in the Farmers Forum, and it brings us up to date a bit. It indicates that the processing vegetable growers are looking to overturn what they say is a dangerous precedent set by the province after the growers’ organization board of directors was fired by the province and replaced by an appointed trustee to act as a negotiator.
The growers believe the province sided with the processors to reach a contract price point. The growers have said that the impasse in negotiations could and should have been resolved by binding arbitration. Obviously, when there is an impasse—it was resolved; it’s over with. Why do we have this continued situation of an appointed trustee?
Myself and the member from Chatham–Kent–Essex have been working on this for so many months now. We feel there’s inadequate representation with respect to the negotiation process. We’ve received so many emails. Here’s one, for example: “The wish of the growers to move on into more successful seasons of negotiations and harvests has been hampered by the lack of elected representatives with the appropriate supports and respect to be equal negotiating partners to members of the processing industry. The refusal of the government of Ontario to replace the trustee—who fully admitted his lack of knowledge and experience with the processing vegetable industry—with elected grower representatives is taking the power to negotiate with processors out of the hands of the growers. Inadequate representation reduces the faith of the grower in the long-term sustainability of the industry, and can greatly impact their financial decisions and choice to remain a member of the growing community.”
Speaker, something like this happened down in Australia a number of years ago. It did not end well for the growers, for the processers and for the industry overall, and our concern remains.