While most of you have been busy in the fields this fall, the Board and staff of the PEIFA have been working on a number of important issues and initiatives. Over the past number of months, the PEIFA has been faced with an issue where a number of industry players have been quietly working together toward a common goal. As many of you are aware, the Advance Payment Program is administered to PEI farmers through our office and we take pride in delivering a quality service to all farmers in the program. In this year alone, we have provided our clients with over $30 million in working capital. Our APP administrators, Tim Seeber and Andrew Wood are committed to balancing the needs of farmers with the administrative requirements placed upon them by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Over the summer, the APP program was audited and the auditors took note of the high quality of our delivery.

There are times when we have to balance program delivery with our lobbying efforts. In 2008, livestock farmers across Canada received payments through the APP program under a severe economic hardship protocol. Repayment of these loans was put on hold and a Stay of Default was put in place. Even though the economic conditions the loans were made under have not changed, we’ve recently received word from Minister Ritz that repayment on these beef and hog loans is set to begin in the not too distant future. As program administrators, we have been required by AAFC to send notice of this out to our farmers and to establish their repayment ability.

At the same time, the PEIFA has been working very hard to come to a reasonable solution for our farmers. We have been told that, under no circumstances, will the loans be written off. We have formed a loose coalition of groups and individuals who have been lobbying Minister Ritz to stretch repayment of these loans over a very long period of time. Involved in this lobbying effort are PEI’s Agriculture Minister George Webster, Fisheries and Oceans Minister Gail Shea. Several meetings and conference calls have been made on this throughout the summer and fall by all of the players. Recently, we had representatives from AAFC here to meet with a number of affected farmers in order to put a real face on the situation. One of the problems facing us is that other provinces (particularly in the West) have been saying that they are ready to begin repayment on these loans. That may now change since farmers in the West are looking for assistance so they can deal with high feed costs resulting from this summer’s heavy rains.

As we mentioned earlier, we are trying our best to balance delivery of this important program while continuing to lobby for positive changes for our members. This is indeed a challenge however, we will not avoid our responsibility to work on your behalf.

Farm Safety Program Update – Spring 2010

With farms getting geared to swing into planting mode, the issue of Farm Safety comes significantly to the forefront.  Potential hazards lurk in every activity and taking the extra time to ensure safe equipment and practices can save a lot of long term grief.  Equipment that has been sitting idle over the winter, and maybe even since last spring, needs to be checked to ensure that guards are in place, that things are functioning as they should, and that proper lighting and signage is in place before venturing out onto public roadways.  When time is short and work is pressing, it is almost certain that farmers will be in a rush. This is when we need to be safety conscious maybe more than ever.  Don’t cut corners with band aid repairs or by not taking the necessary precautions.  The pain of regret is not worth it.

As mentioned in the Winter issues of AgriMag, the Federation began working on educational material in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture and the Highway Safety Division of the Department of Transportation to raise awareness in the farm community of safety regulations in the Highway Traffic Act that apply to Agriculture equipment and practices which have been identified as issues of non-compliance by the various enforcement agencies.  The design work is pretty close to being completed, and over the next few months it is planned to run an awareness campaign in various PEI publications and to be a presence with educational banners, pamphlets, etc. at as many agriculture exhibits as possible.  Pamphlets will be mailed to farms on PEI, posters will be distributed to agriculture supply and service entities around the Island, audio/visual material will be made available to the various commodity organizations for their use as well as there will be a web page activated at PEIRoadSafety.com for producers to get the details regarding the elements that are the focus of the campaign.

The Canadian Agriculture Safety Association launched Canadian Agriculture Safety Week on March 8th at Kool Breeze Farms in Travellers Rest which drew the attention to the importance of on Farm Safety programs and practices.

By now most producers have finished planting another crop. A lot of decisions had to be made again this year about what crops we might grow to make a profit. I had a conversation with a local seed sales person as to what types of grain I should grow in order to make a reasonable return. The sales person told me they had the same conversation with someone else 30 years ago. So I guess some things never change!

The PEI Federation of Agriculture continues to work on your behalf. There always seem to be meetings to attend. Recently at an Atlantic Federation of Agriculture meeting, discussions took place about work being done to start an Atlantic brand. This brand would compliment provincial brands now in place. Hopefully something will happen to help promote our agriculture products in this region and to improve the prices we receive for them.

We are working on our defence of electricity rates for farmers which will be heard at IRAC public hearings starting on June 14.  This will be a challenging debate but we will make sure to have our voices heard over the concerns of ever increasing energy costs for PEI farmers and how this makes competition with our colleagues in other provinces even more difficult.

The Federal standing committee on agriculture was on the Island in May as part of their cross-Canada consultations with the agriculture community. Some harsh criticism of Federal agriculture policy was presented to them by many individuals; as well as the PEI Federation of Agriculture.  We focused our attention, among other things,  on the need to make sure that food imported into Canada meets the same standards as Canadian producers are asked to meet and to fix Business Risk Management (BRM) programs.

The Canadian Federation of Agriculture has developed a national food policy and presented it to the Federal Government. We undoubtedly need more direction as to where our industry is heading. 40% of the food we eat is now imported. Do we want that to continue to increase? With stronger industry driven policy for agriculture maybe we’ll get the feds onside to make the changes we need to improve the situation.

As many of you are aware of by now, our Executive Director Mike Nabuurs has tendered his resignation and has accepted a new job with Atlantic Beef Products.  Mike’s commitment to the organization is evident in the work he has done over the last six years. In that time, he has demonstrated his passion for the agriculture industry time and time again. We wish Mike all the best in his new job.

By now most producers have finished planting another crop. A lot of decisions had to be made again this year about what crops we might grow to make a profit. I had a conversation with a local seed sales person as to what types of grain I should grow in order to make a reasonable return. The sales person told me they had the same conversation with someone else 30 years ago. So I guess some things never change!

The PEI Federation of Agriculture continues to work on your behalf. There always seem to be meetings to attend. Recently at an Atlantic Federation of Agriculture meeting, discussions took place about work being done to start an Atlantic brand. This brand would compliment provincial brands now in place. Hopefully something will happen to help promote our agriculture products in this region and to improve the prices we receive for them.

We are working on our defence of electricity rates for farmers which will be heard at IRAC public hearings starting on June 14.  This will be a challenging debate but we will make sure to have our voices heard over the concerns of ever increasing energy costs for PEI farmers and how this makes competition with our colleagues in other provinces even more difficult.  The Federal standing committee on agriculture was on the Island in May as part of their cross-Canada consultations with the agriculture community. Some harsh criticism of Federal agriculture policy was presented to them by many individuals; as well as the PEI Federation of Agriculture.  We focused our attention, among other things,  on the need to make sure that food imported into Canada meets the same standards as Canadian producers are asked to meet and to fix Business Risk Management (BRM) programs.

The Canadian Federation of Agriculture has developed a national food policy and presented it to the Federal Government. We undoubtedly need more direction as to where our industry is heading. 40% of the food we eat is now imported. Do we want that to continue to increase? With stronger industry driven policy for agriculture maybe we’ll get the feds onside to make the changes we need to improve the situation.

As many of you are aware of by now, our Executive Director Mike Nabuurs has tendered his resignation and has accepted a new job with Atlantic Beef Products.  Mike’s commitment to the organization is evident in the work he has done over the last six years. In that time, he has demonstrated his passion for the agriculture industry time and time again. We wish Mike all the best in his new job.

John Jamieson assumed the post in June taking over for Mike Nabuurs, who has accepted a position as vice-president of Atlantic Beef Products Inc. A Professional Agrologist and Certified Nutrient Management Planner, Mr. Jamieson has worked in the agriculture industry for a number of years and has a wide variety of experience.

He has worked with the Federation of Agriculture since 2004 with the Environmental Farm Plan program. Prior to that Mr. Jamieson worked with the PEI Hog Marketing Board as a food safety consultant and with the Atlantic Swine Research Partnership as a communications officer.

Mr. Jamieson is also very involved in community activities. He is the current chair of the Bonshaw Community Council, Co-Chair of the West River Watershed Enhancement Committee, Past-President of the Central Queens Wildlife Federation and President-Elect of the PEI Institute of Agrologists.

AGRImag sat down with John after he had been on the job for just over a month.

AGRImag: What has the job been like so far?

John: I have been quite busy bringing myself up to date on a number of issues and there have been some staffing changes in our office. The fact that I am familiar with the way the office works should lead to a smoother transition. I know all the board and the executive and who to call in the federal and provincial governments so that should shorten the learning curve.

AGRImag: What made you decide to apply for the position?

John: To tell you the truth, I had some mixed feelings about it. I really liked what I was doing with the Environmental Farm Plan program. There are a lot of producers in the province doing some really neat and innovative things and I hope to be able to keep my hand in that a little bit. I would like to thank Ray Arsenault, who chairs the Environmental Farm Plan committee. He has been great to work with and he really encouraged me to apply for this job.

AGRImag: How will your management style differ from that of Mike Nabuurs?

John: Mike did a great job, no question and I wish him well in his new position. He has left me with big shoes to fill, no question. One thing I would like to do is make a practice of calling up members and asking them what they think of a particular issue. Don’t be surprised if you get a call from me. My job is to provide input to the board and executive and to do that I want to talk to as many members as possible. Hopefully that will make the members feel more involved. To be a successful organization, your membership has to be engaged. Obviously all of the input is not going to be positive, but as far as I am concerned, a mistake is only a mistake if you don’t learn from it. Whether the feedback is positive or negative, I want to maintain the connection. We have over 600 members and collectively they have a lot of very positive ideas.

AGRImag: Are you optimistic about the future of the industry?

John: I honestly believe things will turn around. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have taken the job. Things may not be the same as they have been, but every industry is changing and agriculture is no different. There are a lot of producers doing some very innovative things. Many producers are now willing to try new crops for non-food uses like pharmaceuticals and energy. However, we have to be careful—not everything you try is going to work out. We also can’t stop growing crops for food—people still have to eat.

AGRImag: What are some of the issues the industry will be facing in the next 10-15 years?

John: We have to do a better job of telling the non-farming community about the importance of what we do. Already, the population in rural areas is declining, not just in P.E.I. but right across Canada; due in a large part to the financial challenges facing both farming and fishing. That has real social cost in the closure of everything from schools to churches. We have to make the non-farming community see the decreasing number of farmers as a real cost to society as a whole. We also need a national food policy and we are working on that through the Canadian Federation. We have to find a way to encourage more young people to enter the industry. The new farming generation has incredible skills and education and they have so many career options available to them. I think it is very exciting that they have chosen agriculture and we have to make sure that they are treated with the dignity they deserve.

However, the reality is slightly different. Potato warehouses continue to maintain a full schedule. Producers use the opportunity to do routine maintenance on their equipment and train staff, so they can hit the ground running when planting time arrives.

The Federation is developing education materials in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture and the Highway Safety Division of the Department of Transportation. The effort is designed to raise awareness in the farm community of safety regulations in the Highway Traffic Act that apply to Agriculture equipment. Particular emphasis will be placed on practices where enforcement agencies have identified issues of non-compliance.

An awareness campaign is being planned to coincide with spring planting that will include advertisements and articles in various media and displays at as many agricultural related venues as possible. Audio/visual material will be made available to various commodity organizations for their use. As well, there will be a web page specific to Farm Safety incorporated into the existing PEI Federation of Agriculture site.

The Canadian Agriculture Safety Association is finalizing plans for its annual launch of Canadian Agriculture Safety Week, which will take place in Manitoba for Western Canada and here on P.E.I. for Eastern Canada. The venue chosen for the Island initiative is Koolbreeze Farms in Travellers Rest on March 8th. The actual dates of the CASW are March 15th – 19th and producers are encouraged to utilize the opportunity to update their operations and staff on safe farm practices.

If anyone has interest in setting up training for any of the following they are asked to contact Tim Seeber at the Federation office at 368-7289 or by email at seebertw@eastlink.ca.

Tractor Safety Training: Depending on demand this can be scheduled for March Break
Fork Lift Training: This training is done on-site and requires a minimum of 4 people
First Aid Training: Available as sufficient interest dictates.

The meeting was held at the New London Community Complex. All participants on the agenda were able to modify their schedule to accommodate the date change and, as a result, we had a very successful meeting.

A joint federal-provincial funding announcement of approximately $10 Million was made at the meeting by Fisheries and Oceans Minister Gail Shea and Agriculture Minister George Webster on alternative energy initiatives and their implementation at the farm level. Although details on how this money will be made available to farmers are not yet available, this is an encouraging step toward hopefully reducing farm energy costs on PEI.

The guest speaker for the day was Garnet Etsell, president of the BC Agriculture Council and 2nd vice president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture. He spoke to the delegates on the importance of the agriculture sector working together to develop a long term strategy for food production in Canada.

PEIFA president Ernie Mutch, updated the meeting on the many Federation accomplishments this year and some of the initiatives that are being worked on for next year. PEIFA staff also updated those in attendance on the various programs and projects being offered for PEI farmers through the federation office.

There were also many important policy setting resolutions discussed and debated at the meeting which will set direction for the coming year. All in all a very successful meeting, and we look forward to reporting on the actions from this meeting at next year’s AGM.

Setting Policy Direction for the Coming Year at Annual General Meeting
Setting goals and objectives for the coming year is an important part of the discussion that takes place at the annual general meeting. This year, a number of important resolutions went to the floor for debate. The resolutions and their resolved action are listed below. For the full resolutions, including their preamble
‘whereas’ clauses, please visit our website ( www.agrimag.ca ) and download the full resolution 2010 document.

1. AMENDMENTS TO PEIFA CONSTITUTION – ADDITION OF ‘TERM OF OFFICE AND ELIGIBILITY’ FOR BOARD OF DIRECTORS

2. COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW AND UPDATES TO PEI FEDERATION OF AGRICULTURE CONSTITUTION
Be It Resolved that the PEIFA create a committee to complete a comprehensive review of the constitution and make recommendations for appropriate revisions to the board structure and possible amendments to the constitution.

3. COMPENSATION FOR FARMERS WHO HAVE LOST MONEY DUE TO MILLING WHEAT GRADING STANDARD ERRORS
Be It Resolved that the PEIFA lobby the PEI Department of Agriculture to accelerate the processing and payment of valid claims to farmers without further delay.

4. GREATER EMPHASIS ON AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION IN THE CLASSROOM
Be It Resolved that the PEIFA work with the PEI Agriculture Sector Council to help with the promotion and development of current agriculture education curriculum, expansion of the Agriculture Certificate Program into additional high schools, and web based resource development for the Agriculture Certificate Program.

Be It Further Resolved that the PEIFA lobby the PEI Departments of Agriculture, Education, and Innovation and Advanced Learning to implement the changes needed to ensure greater agriculture education options to Island students at all appropriate levels.

5. LAND HOLDING LIMITS REVIEW
Be It Resolved that the Federation of Agriculture implement a committee to review the legislation and determine what specific changes, if any, to the Land Protection Act would be most beneficial
to PEI and, report the results at the 2011 annual meeting.

6. ESTABLISHMENT OF FARM ENERGY CENTRE
Be It Resolved that the PEIFA seek funding to establish a “Farm Energy Centre” to work with farmers to source funding and to help with the implementation of the appropriate on-farm alternative energy development, which will offset their energy cost and ensure return on their investment, while reducing their carbon footprint.

Be It Further Resolved that the Federation of Agriculture lobby the P.E.I. government to implement the appropriate policy to ensure that Island farmers can benefit from these alternative energy investments.

7. ENCOURAGE YOUNG/NEW FARMER MENTORSHIP ON MEMBER ORGANIZATION BOARDS
Be It Resolved that the PEIFA relate the positive experience of having added a young farmer representative to its board and executive committee, and encourage its member organizations to incorporate specific board positions on their respective boards for young farmers.

Be It Further Resolved that these board positions would have limited initial responsibility with the intent to increase the activity of the young farmer over time allowing for experience, knowledge and confidence to grow over time.

8. IMPROVEMENTS TO AGRI-INVEST
Be It Resolved that the PEIFA and CFA lobby the Federal Government to reinstate the option for participants to deem their eligible contribution to Agri-Invest as previously allowed in 2007.

9. ADVANCE PAYMENTS TO LIVESTOCK PRODUCERS UNDER SEVERE ECONOMIC HARDSHIP (SEH) TO BE DEFFERED
Be It Resolved the PEIFA and the CFA lobby the federal government to further extend repayment of advances under SEH beyond September 30 2010.

10. EXTENSION OF ADVANCE PAYMENT PROGRAM REPAYMENT OPTIONS FOR MILLING WHEAT
Be It Resolved that the PEIFA and the CFA lobby the federal government to extend repayment options under the Advance Payment Program without penalty for that portion of the milling
wheat crop that did not make grade.

11. BUFFER ZONES TO BE COMPENSATED UNDER THE ALUS PROGRAM
Be It Resolved the PEIFA lobby the provincial government to remove the 15 meter buffer zone around all water courses and that the perimeter coastline regulation be removed and that regulation return to a 10 meter buffer zone around only inland watercourses.

Be It Further Resolved that these buffer zones be adequately compensated at rates that are at least equal to current payment levels, through the ALUS program.

12. PROTECTION OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF FARMERS UNDER THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT
Be It Resolved that the Federation of Agriculture seek legal interpretation by a constitutional lawyer on a farmer’s rights during and prior to one of these investigations by Environment Officers under the PEI Environmental Protection Act.

13. ENVIRONMENT ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS (from the floor)
Be It Resolved that PEIFA lobby the PEI government to have environmental officers NOT wear bullet proof vests and sidearms when entering a farm property unless the enforcement officer feels that protection is required and the RCMP should be contacted and included in the situation.

14. PESTICIDE LICENSE REQUIREMENTS (from the floor)
Be It Resolved that the PEIFA lobby the provincial government to change the current requirements to renew all pesticide licenses every 5 years, and that once a pesticide license is obtained for the first time, that it be valid forever.

15. CONTINUATION OF POLICY
Be It Resolved that the PEI Federation of Agriculture continue its efforts to bring the issues which require further attention and activity as outlined in Document 1, to the attention of those bodies or interests concerned to ensure the issues are addressed.

In these challenging times for agriculture, a strong and balanced position from the Island’s agricultural community must lead the discussion in the right direction. Ensuring that Island farmers’ concerns are heard, and that agriculture returns to the forefront of future government policy direction on many fronts, is priority number one for the Federation of Agriculture. In order to do this effectively, we need the continued support of farmers. The Federation of Agriculture is proud to represent Island farmers and we appreciate your support.

If you do not receive a form in the mail and wish to register your farm, please visit the Federation website at www.peifa.ca.