Executive Director’s Message

by Mike Nabuurs

I am very pleased to see this initial issue of the AGRImag up and off the ground. It is still very much a ‘work in progress’, but with each issue we hope to add valuable information and timely articles that will inform our members and non members alike of the issues we are working on and the direction we are headed as an agricultural community.

The Federation of Agriculture continues to see the benefit of working closely together with our member organizations. This past month we continue to move more in that direction by welcoming the PEI Certified Organic Producers Cooperative (COPC) into the Federation offices. They have moved in as of October and look forward to working closely with them to move agriculture forward on P.E.I. We now share office space with COPC and the P.E.I. Horticultural Association. We also share resources with the P.E.I. Hog board, and are working jointly on a research funding application with the P.E.I. Grains and Proteins Council.

All of these initiatives are small, but when you put them together they are the beginnings of a more collaborative approach to agriculture industry representation on P.E.I. With each small step we improve efficiency and communication among industry organizations, which makes us more effective at providing services to the farmers of P.E.I.

The Federation is also proud of the programs we deliver to Island farmers. The Enhanced Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) continues to update producer EFP’s and to help them identify the ways and means of implementing the most beneficial environmental enhancements on their farms. The EFP is also working closely with the Department of Agriculture on nutrient management trials with farmers, which are gathering some very useful crop nutrient data to help reduce farmers input costs while also potentially reducing the use of excess nutrients. Participation in this process also saves farmers significantly on their crop insurance premiums, as participation in the trials gets farmers’ rate reduction in the program.

The Advance Payment Program continues to provide working capital to farmers and this year with the support of the provincial government the program now offers an additional $100,000 up to $200,000 interest free with interest bearing advances on the remaining amount up to $400,000. We are proud to be delivering this valuable service to Island farmers.

On agriculture policy, the Federation continues to push for changes and revisions on two major fronts. Tax policy on P.E.I for agriculture places our farmers at a huge financial disadvantage. We need HST and the tax advantages it would provide to P.E.I. farmers which would help to bring us up to a more level playing field with our neighboring provinces. The second major area in need of revision for P.E.I .farmers is the environmental file. Farmers on P.E.I. continue to be the most regulated in any other part of Canada. Environmental sustainability is important and farmers understand this better than anyone as their livelihood depends on it. We need a collaborative approach to environmental challenges on P.E.I. Agriculture has a definite role to play in this process but a regulatory approach will not solve the challenges ahead.

The Federation of Agriculture has formed two subcommittees that, together with the board of directors, are working on solutions to these and other challenges facing the agriculture community in this province. The Environment Committee and the Policy and Direction Committee, both made up of members of the board of directors and interested members of the Federation, are working on strategies on these tough issues. Watch the agrimag.ca and the peifa.ca websites for updates and next steps on these and other important agriculture issues on P.E.I.

President’s Message

by Ernie Mutch

Welcome to the new Federation of Agriculture magazine. We are excited about getting this magazine going, and look forward to seeing it grow and become an important part of farmers getting the information they need along with getting the word out to the general public about the important contributions agriculture makes to PEI.

I have been president of the PEI Federation of Agriculture for about nine months now, and the issues and the challenges facing agriculture in PEI and the Atlantic region seem even larger now that I have taken on this role. We are facing very uncertain times in all sectors of agriculture. The world continues to become a smaller place and international markets continue to shrink the price of commodity based goods. We all know the resiliency and optimism that most farmers possess, and producers remain hopeful the future will be brighter as commodities turn around and prices improve. The question is; how many will be able to weather the storm to see these brighter days?

No one is probably struggling more than the red meat sector in our region. The hog industry is almost on the verge of collapse, and the beef sector is not far behind. Work is underway through the Maritime Feed Grains & Red Meat Working Group to develop a ‘red meat strategy’ for the Atlantic region. This would include a strategy for stabilization of the grains sector through support funding that would help to diminish the highs and lows in feed prices, and permit some longer term stability within the hog and beef industries. This process is in the initial stages, but this concept is gathering support at both provincial and federal levels of government. As long as the primary producers affected by this strategy can agree to move forward together, there is hope for this long term approach.

Unless the federal government changes its policy of ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to national support in the short term for the red meat sector, it will be difficult to achieve the longer term ‘red meat strategy’ goals. As a region, the Atlantic Provinces do not contribute to what is perceived to be a national oversupply of beef and pork. If the federal and provincial governments truly believe in sustaining agriculture in our region and are supportive of buy local and environmental responsibility, then there must be regional flexibility in the delivery of national programs that are developed to support these sectors. What might work in western Canada or Ontario and Quebec will not work the same way in Atlantic Canada.

Federal policy needs revision for the agricultural industry in the region to have a stable, long-term future. The Federation is delivering this message every chance we get when meeting with both provincial and federal government officials. The Atlantic Federations of Agriculture (AFA), made up of the presidents of the Federation in each Atlantic Province, are working closely together to lobby for this recognition as well. Working as a region will give us greater strength to tackle these complex issues, and will also hopefully give us the influence we need to get the changes we need implemented.

There are many other challenges facing agriculture on PEI, and the Federation is proud to be representing Island farmers on these issues. I look forward to reporting progress on them at our Annual meeting in January. I hope to see you all there.