FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 17, 2017
QUEEN’S PARK – Toby Barrett, Haldimand-Norfolk MPP and Opposition Critic to the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, asked the Minister of Agriculture for an update on the processing vegetable industry during Question Period this week.
“When will we see your government’s promised economic impact study—it has been 10 months now—and when will we see the establishment of the industry advisory committee?,” Barrett asked in the Legislature.
He continued with this line of questioning, asking when will there be an election of directors for the Ontario Processing Vegetable Growers Association
“However, planting, irrigating—harvest is looming, with the attendant need for oversight of grading, filling contracts and adjusting contracts, ever mindful of the vagaries of weather and other externalities. Minister, growers need their elected and trusted organization back to ensure orderly marketing. They need the representation with directors, committees, support staff. When will we see the election of directors and when will we see the appointment of staff to make the required decisions during harvest?”
After the minister restricted his answer due to a court case, Barrett made plans to follow up with a late show question on what could be discussed outside of the legal issues.
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For more information, contact MPP Toby Barrett at 519-428-0446 or toby.barrett@pc.ola.org
YouTube link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1uRZNFTORM&feature=youtu.be
ONTARIO LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
OFFICIAL HANSARD
Tuesday, May 16, 2017
Agri-food industry
Mr. Toby Barrett: To the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs: We have now seen 10 months of turmoil in Ontario’s processing vegetable market. It’s incumbent on the government to work through a process consistent with the needs of both growers and processors while supporting regulated marketing and supporting the growth of Ontario’s processing vegetable industry. The 2017 crop negotiations are wrapped up. There’s more work to do.
When will we see your government’s promised economic impact study—it has been 10 months now—and when will we see the establishment of the industry advisory committee?
Hon. Jeff Leal: I want to thank the member from Haldimand–Norfolk for a very thoughtful question this morning. We, of course, had issued regulation 440, a process that we’re working through. We had a particular challenge this early spring with the tomato crop in the province of Ontario. We appointed one of the most distinguished people in the province of Ontario, a former agriculture minister, the honourable Elmer Buchanan, who served so well in this House from 1990 to 1995, to act as a trustee. Now, Mr. Speaker, there is a court case that is potentially pending. Because that court case is potentially pending, I can’t comment any further.
The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?
Mr. Toby Barrett: Well, look, the vegetable processing industry has invested thousands of dollars in land, labour, plant and equipment, machinery, and information. We mentioned regulation 440. The growers and the processors have now negotiated a minimum price, and terms and conditions of agreement for the coming season.
However, planting, irrigating—harvest is looming, with the attendant need for oversight of grading, filling contracts and adjusting contracts, ever mindful of the vagaries of weather and other externalities. Minister, growers need their elected and trusted organization back to ensure orderly marketing. They need the representation with directors, committees, support staff. When will we see the election of directors and when will we see the appointment of staff to make the required decisions during harvest?
Hon. Jeff Leal: I want to thank the member for his supplementary question. We were faced with a situation where we wanted to make sure that we protected a crop in 2017. We wanted to protect family farms and we wanted to protect the processing industry, which is so important to agriculture in the province of Ontario. We appointed, as I said, one of the most distinguished people in agriculture in the province of Ontario today, the honourable Elmer Buchanan. He acted as a trustee. He was able to negotiate contracts to make sure that we got those crops planted in the ground and potentially harvested, for a robust sector of that part of Ontario’s agriculture. I take the member’s representation this morning, but there is a pending court case and I can’t comment any further.