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Post Script - September 2007 | |
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Western Agriculture Ministers’ Meeting
I was pleased to meet and share ideas with the Western Canadian Agriculture Ministers in Regina on August 30. On some issues, we have similar concerns and approaches, and on others, not so much…but we all have the welfare of our provinces’ agriculture producers and industry in mind.
We reviewed the AgriStability, AgriInvest, AgriInsurance and AgriRecovery programs, which will form part of the new Growing Forward initiative that the federal government believes replaces CAIS. In addition, we discussed the traceability initiative, the World Trade Organization talks and other issues. We have common ideas and goals and we agreed to meet and work together more frequently to ensure the needs of western Canadian producers are met.
CWB – Marketing Choice
Although it was not part of the discussion, it’s clear that one thing we do NOT all agree on is the federal court’s ruling on the CWB’s single desk marketing of barley. The court ruled that the federal government could not remove barley from the CWB by regulatory amendments, but would have to go to parliament to do so.
Now that the federal government has announced its intention to appeal the ruling, I would like to make it clear to Alberta’s producers that, should the appeal be granted, Alberta will again apply for intervener status. Alberta’s farmers voted decidedly in the majority for marketing choice and our government will remain in the fight until it is settled.
Great news for cattle producers!
The U.S. Court of Appeals of the Ninth Circuit denied an appeal by R-CALF for a permanent injunction against Canadian live cattle and beef under 30 months of age.
In addition, the U.S. Department of Agriculture published its final rule to normalize cattle trade with Canada, allowing us to export our older cattle and beef, beginning November 19.
The final rule gives the green light to Canadian imports of live cattle and other bovines, like bison, for any use, including breeding, born on or after March 1, 1999, as long as they are age-verified.
Although this is great news and the United States is a valued trading partner, we must continue to pursue new markets in other countries. We know our beef and our cattle are among the safest in the world, and this issue is getting closer to finally being put to rest.
City Slickers
On September 21st, I attended ‘City Slickers’ at Stony Plain. Almost 1,100 children from Edmonton were bussed out to one of four different participating farms to learn about rural traditions: working sheep dogs, an auction, a dairy, combining a wheat field, and more. Many of Alberta’s producer groups had displays and presentations to inform the children about where their food comes from.
In the past, many of us grew up on farms or had relatives we could visit. That’s not the case anymore, and there is a disconnect between the urban and rural populations. Events like ‘City Slickers’ are important to ensure everyone is aware of Alberta’s agricultural roots.
I hope everyone had a pleasant summer. On behalf of Albertans, I’d like to thank all of our producers, who work tirelessly to ensure our agricultural community remains strong and healthy. Your commitment is invaluable to our province’s future. Thank you.
George Groeneveld
Minister
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This information published to the web on September 24, 2007.
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