(Étant une publication anglophone, les archives du Advocate sont disponible en anglais seulement. Nous nous excusons des inconvénients.)
Contenu
- EDITORIAL: QFA Editorial:
- Rural Quebec votes against Liberals
- Farming on the rugged North Shore
- Gambling or grazing?
- Montérégie: a powerhouse for Quebec agri-food
- Conservatives promise one billion for agriculture
- Ottawa increases the exemption on capital gains
- A light at the end of the tunnel
- A good crop of farm-oriented MNAs
- Kamouraska: farm syndicalists set the facts straight
- A shortage of organic maple syrup
- The UPA and market gardeners get involved
- Minority government not a bad thing for rural areas
- Farmers strongly opposed to pipeline corridor
- Variable taxation option remains unused
- Vaccination program a must for cow-calf operators
EDITORIAL: QFA Editorial:
Hold the phone, bilophone!
Ivan Hale
QFA Executive Director
Anglophone, francophone, allophone. All three words are in the media every week so let's see if the vocabulary has kept up with the times. Anglophone equals "English speaking person." Francophone equals "French speaking person," and Allophone—now this is a good one because its usage is almost exclusively restricted to the Quebec context—means someone whose mother tongue is neither French nor English.
Incredibly, these three words are exactly the same in French as they are in English. No problem so far. Right?
All societies develop their own special vocabulary to describe who they are, and Canada is no different. Ours is natural to us. But let's remember that it is also one that seems strange to Americans or just about anyone else in the world. That's because we're different—or as my youngest daughter would say, "we're special."
These words are good descriptors but only to a point. There is some catching up to do. My contention is that we have progressed beyond having just three groupings in Quebec society. Such cannot be said to be true in other parts of Canada because slightly different phenomena exist - each one very interesting in its own right.
Let me illustrate with an example close to home. Many of QFA's members know Pamela Ledoux as the friendly voice at the end of our phone, and the person with boundless energy who looks after our every need at meetings. Pam is a member of Generation X. (Without giving away her age I will tell you she is a recent university graduate. Since it is only fair that I reveal my own age I will also tell you that my two oldest children are in university this year.) Like many Quebec families over the last couple of centuries, Pam has one parent who is Francophone and the other who is Anglophone. But what is different from the past is that both Pam's parents are completely bilingual. Since Pam was a baby, her father has spoken to her in French and her mother has used English. Not surprising therefore, Pam is stumped when asked which one is her mother tongue. She can't choose one over the other so she rightly says both! Like so many younger Quebecers, Pam is completely at home in either culture. Her brain actually works in both languages. This is a remarkable achievement.
So let's return to my language lesson. Keep in mind that a person who is unilingual speaks just one language. A bilingual person speaks two. A trilingual person speaks three, etc. It's becoming commonplace that individuals in Quebec speak two languages. So what word do we have to describe such people? Don't know? Neither do I. I don't think there is a word, and it is high time that we created one that would be uniquely ours. Here's my idea. Let's call them "bilophones." I know it may take a while to get used to the word, but I definitely prefer it to "stereophones." (If you have a better idea please write to us.)
Quebec society is producing a whole new generation of young people who are fully at home in both French and English. A significant number of young people in the Allophone community are also bilophones, although they are probably bilingual in French plus another language other than English. A smaller number of them could be better described as "trilophones"!
Let's celebrate this remarkable evolution and achievement in Quebec society. We don't have to sacrifice our language or our heritage, and it will position us well to compete in global markets and to travel the world. When asked to describe my own children I would like nothing better than to be able to say that they are bilophones—and proud of it, eh!
Rural Quebec votes against Liberals
Andrew McClelland
Advocate Staff Reporter
Quebeckers went to the polls with a fair voter turnout last month, as the province elected its first minority government since 1878. And while all were in agreement that the March 26 election would bring a change to the national assembly, few could have foreseen the dissension at the polls that nearly resulted in an even split between Quebec’s three main parties.
“We are divided at the national assembly, but Quebec has to continue to progress, and the status quo is not acceptable,” said re-elected Quebec Premier Jean Charest at a Quebec City press conference on the day after the election.
“I would have preferred a majority, I won't hide that. But this is a great job, and I'll be working in a very different environment, and that means we'll have to work together.”
At times, it seemed that no voter demographic agreed on who should hold the provincial seat of power. While all ridings identified as Anglophone ridings by Elections Quebec voted Liberal, nearly all Francophone ridings elected Mario Dumont’s Action démocratique du Québec (ADQ) or the Parti québécois (PQ). The provincial Liberal party, who gained tremendous ground with francophones in the 2003 election, managed to win seats in only two ridings where French is the main language of 90 per cent of residents.
Similarly, while the urban centre of the Montreal elected 20 Liberals and no ADQ candidates, the island’s surrounding region—including the ridings of Mirabel, Argenteuil, Deux-Montagnes and others—spread its vote among the three most popular parties. The ADQ picked up 17 seats in the area, the Liberals 11 and 10 for the PQ.
However, one message from the recent election is clear: rural Quebec has lost faith in the Liberals’ ability to fight for their interests. That has many hoping Premier Charest will take last month’s election results as a wake-up call from rural residents and begin paying closer attention to agriculture, forestry and rural issues.
“The lack of understanding between the rural and urban worlds has reached an unprecedented height,” said Bernard Généreux, the recently elected president of the Fédération québecoise des municipalités (FQM). “The current debates going on in the rural areas testify to that.”
With the ADQ gaining the most ground of any party after the closing of the polls, it is easy to see where the right-of-centre party found most of its support. While the Liberals won 47 per cent of the popular vote in Montreal and the urbanized Gatineau region re-elected all its Liberal candidates, the ADQ’s rocket soared in Central Quebec. That region, including the Arthabaska, Trois-Rivières and Richelieu ridings, gave eight of its 11 seats to the ADQ, and 43 per cent of the popular vote.
“The re-establishment of an honest and constructive dialogue between rural areas and the great urban centres must be the priority of the new government,” declared Généreux.
Conservatives quick to act
Hot on the heels of the provincial election, the Harper government reassured Quebec farmers that it would be acting in their interests on national and international stages. Speaking at the annual general meeting of the Fédération des producteurs de cultures commerciales du Québec in Drummondville on March 29, Secretary of State for Agriculture Christian Paradis vowed that his party was behind Quebec’s farm industry.
“Quebec's commercial crops play a very important role in the Quebec economy and Canada's new government is very much aware of the difficult times faced by your industry,” Paradis said. “Our wish to support Quebec producers is unequivocal.”
Paradis went on to announce that in 2006 federal funding of agricultural programs in Quebec amounted to $221 million, and reiterated the Conservatives’ promise to help farmers’ income crisis.
“Over the past year, we have been working with the provinces and territories on programming that is more predictable, bankable and better able to help producers respond to rising costs,” he added.
Farming on the rugged North Shore
A new QFA project explores the agricultural potential of an isolated region on the St. Lawrence…
Ivan Hale
QFA Executive Director
Late last year the Quebec Farmers' Association (QFA) obtained financing from the Department of Canadian Heritage to study the possibility of expanding agricultural production in the region of the North Shore of the St. Lawrence.
The vast territory stretches east from Sept Îles to the border with Labrador. The environment is harsh; high winds are constant, rock is everywhere, soil is scarce, and there is little natural vegetation. Road access to the rest of Quebec is non-existent, although locals keep hoping for a land connection to Natashquan. To add to the isolation, sea ice prevents ships arriving between January and April. Airfare to Montreal costs $700—for a one-way trip! Small wonder, then, that there are currently fewer than ten agricultural producers in the entire region.
Local residents live in clusters along the coastline, all of them working as hunters and fishers. Snowmobiles are an essential means of transportation for much of the year. The homes are small but very well kept. The region was originally settled by the French and English. Most of the local people speak both—and with a lovely Newfoundland accent. For centuries the economic engine of the region was fish, but those days have passed.
To carry out this project, the QFA put together a small team involving the University of Guelph and McGill University. Vanessa McDougal from Kemptville College acted as our lead researcher. She began her assignment by conducting a review of scientific literature to identify successful agricultural enterprises in northern and remote communities around the world. This was completed and yielded surprising and interesting results—more than a dozen potential agricultural enterprises in total.
In January, Ms. McDougal, Dr. Jon Morgan and I visited Blanc Sablon to present the results of the environmental scan of the scientific literature.
The local people provided valuable feedback. As a result, nine types of production were judged as unsuitable for the region. The obstacles included the harsh climate, the lack of road access to markets and the lack of available forages, among others. Types of production eliminated from the list, or assigned a low priority, included: beef, sheep, caribou, deer or elk, birch syrup, wild rice, and mushrooms. Types of production that showed greatest potential and garnered the most interest included: beekeeping and honey, aquaculture (especially shellfish), fur farming, wild berry processing, greenhouse and field vegetables.
Another idea identified during the consultation was the production of a soil amendment or fertilizer. There is an abundant supply of ingredients that could be composted to produce a rich growing medium. Peat moss is close by. Seaweed naturally washes up on the coast, as do small minnow-type fish. As well, fish plants have waste products that are now being dumped back in the sea. Although the cost of delivering the final product to the market may be prohibitive, it could be used in the region to grow fruits, vegetables or flowers. The products could then be consumed locally, thereby increasing access to fresh foods and reducing food costs.
This next phase of the project involves further research into the six types of production identified for further study. The research team will make another visit to Blanc Sablon in the near future to present their findings and to discuss whether there is potential and local interest to embark on new agriculture-related businesses.
Gambling or grazing?
An Alberta pasture specialist shows how beef production doesn’t have to be luck-of-the-draw when you switch to a longer grazing season…
Andrew McClelland
Advocate Staff Reporter
“How many people here enjoy what they do?” asks pasture specialist Grant Lastiwka to the room full of beef producers gathered in Bristol town hall. Without hesitation, almost all of the hands in the room go up. “I ask that question everywhere I speak,” says Lastiwka, “and throughout even the toughest times—through BSE in 2003, through drought in Manitoba—I never found a group where most people didn’t raise their hands.”
Lastiwka is a farmer who loves what he does, and has a passion to share his knowledge with fellow producers. Speaking to an attentive audience of Pontiac beef producers on February 3, Lastiwka delivered an informative talk entitled “Extending the grazing season in the beef sector.” As a forage and beef production specialist with the Alberta Ministry of Agriculture, it’s a subject he understands both in theory and in practice on his home farm in Innisfail, Alberta, about 120 kilometres north of Calgary.
It was from experiences on his own operation that Lastiwka first began to think about making farms profitable through a longer grazing season. Several years ago, after establishing his operation and building a home, Alberta was hit by two years of drought and Canada’s beef sector was thrown into a tailspin from the 2003 BSE crisis. Suffering financially as a beef producer, Lastiwka went to Manitoba when that province was going through a similar drought disaster. What he heard there was a different side of the same story.
“Producers in Manitoba were saying to me, ‘You guys in Alberta are so lucky that you had drought before BSE, and sold your herds beforehand. We can’t sell a cow for a good price anywhere,’” Lastiwka tells. The experience made him sceptical of the entire make-up of farming industry and grazing practices.
“I said to myself, ‘Where is the future of agriculture if a huge disaster like drought can be a blessing? We are going to lose all of the good managers in this business if agriculture is just a crap shoot,’” states Lastiwka. “That’s one question we all have to ask ourselves as beef producers: ‘Are we managing risk with our farms, or are we flat-out gambling?’”
For Lastiwka, the business of good management in the beef sector is simply keeping costs down and ensuring that you get the most out of your pasture. That means stretching the grazing season out longer and finding creative ways to let cattle eat during the harsh Canadian winter.
“Across the board in Alberta, the lowest-cost producers are always the highest profit producers,” says Lastiwka. “And that would be the same without a doubt in Quebec.”
Under Lastiwka’s supervision, many cow-calf operators in his home province have been able to leave their cattle out longer during the winter, letting the herd graze on bales arranged in a grid-like pattern. “I’ve seen some producers leave as many as 400 round bales across 10 acres for their cattle, and the results are astounding,” says Lastiwka.
Stockpiled grass left unharvested from the growing season can also reap in more profits for beef farmers, and producers out west have also had great success with ‘swath grazing.’ A great technique for areas where snowfall is moderate (and cattle are still able to find the windrows of grass), some Quebec producers have had difficulty with swath grazing in the past—which doesn’t surprise Lastiwka one bit.
“Swath grazing may not be as much of an option here,” he mentions. “We’ve had a lot of luck with it in Northern Alberta, where the snowfall isn’t as great, but here in the south of Quebec your cows might not get too excited about digging through five feet of snow for their feed.”
Despite the variations needed to find the best long-season grazing techniques across Canada, Lastiwka is a firm believer that the more grazing days you can add to your calendar, the lower your feed costs will be.
“In any business, you’re a lot better running on your strengths than dwelling on your weaknesses,” says Lastiwka to the Pontiac producers in Bristol town hall. “And when it comes to any side of farm business, we producers are a lot more similar than you’d think.”
Montérégie: a powerhouse for Quebec agri-food
Agriculture and the life of the Montérégie region are inextricably linked. The rich soil, the lay of the land and gentle climate have long made the Montérégie an agricultural Eden. The agri-food industry, with its strong core of food processing and distribution companies, has become a driving force of the regional economy.
Considered both the garden and the breadbasket of Quebec because of its organic and mineral soils and its types of production, the Montérégie region blends culture, agriculture and heritage in an area spanning 10,000 square kilometres. This vast and fertile plain, punctuated by the hills from which the region takes it name, is located southeast of the Island of Montreal, between Ontario, Estrie, Centre-du-Québec and the United States.
The proximity of Montreal, Eastern Seaboard and Ontario markets, accessible via a major road system, is one of the reasons why many of Quebec’s big agri-food companies—and the attendant research and development infrastructure—have put down roots in the Montérégie region, which, thanks to neighbouring port and airport facilities, is also within reach of other international export markets.
Big-name processing companies
The figures, which reflect the vitality of Montérégie’s agri-food industry, say it all. In 2005, this huge economic sector generated farm receipts worth $1.5 billion, food and beverage shipments of $4.6 billion, retail food sales of more than $3.5 billion, and food service sales of $1.2 billion. The industry’s catalytic effect also means job creation for the region. From food production to food service, the links that make up this industry account for some 80,400 jobs.
Of all Quebec regions, Montérégie is second only to Montreal for the size of its food processing sector, as proven by the presence of titans such as Cargill, Agropur, Olymel, Lassonde and Les Aliments Carrière. Food processing is the biggest job creator (18,600) in the region’s manufacturing economy. The 320 Montérégie companies that belong to this particular area of activity—meat, dairy product and produce processing, as well as production of baked and confectionery goods and animal feed, to name but a few—represent 23 per cent of Quebec’s entire processing sector.
Diversified production
The Montérégie region boasts 7,400 farms, one quarter of Quebec’s farm operations. Their main products are commercial field crops (e.g. grain corn, soybeans, field beans, premium hay), milk, beef cattle, hogs, and assorted fruits and vegetables.
Overall, livestock production is Quebec’s predominant agricultural activity, but in Montérégie, 29 per cent of farms businesses are field crop operations, compared with a mere 15 per cent for the rest of Quebec. Given the quality of the land, the climate, and the size of farm businesses, it is no surprise that nearly half (46 per cent) of Quebec’s field crop growers are in Montérégie. The region is also a leading player in other agricultural sectors (44 per cent of vegetable farmers, 39 per cent of fruit growers and 27 per cent of poultry producers in Quebec).
Cornucopia of flavours
Driven by passion for their job and, on the strength of the quality of their products, the farm producers of Montérégie are proud to have visitors discover what they have to offer—hence the increasing popularity of agri-tourism in this part of Quebec. From as early as late April or the beginning of May, fields are readied for the asparagus harvest, and the action continues right through until December, when people flock to the region for their Christmas tree. Montérégie’s agri-tourism is as varied as it is fascinating.
Visitors to the Montérégie region can do their own apple and berry picking, enjoy its vineyards, cider, mead, sugar bushes, greenhouses, gardens and specialized livestock, and stock up on delicious delicacies that strive to outdo each other in excellence. To help visitors make their culinary choices and plan their excursions are the highly rated agri-tourism circuits that crisscross the region, such as the Route des vins (wine circuit), the Route des cidres (cider circuit), the Route bleu (blueberry circuit) and the famous Circuit du paysan, showcasing rural attractions, events, experiences and gastronomy. The Montérégie region is home to Quebec’s second largest agricultural exhibition, the Saint-Hyacinthe fair.
With its diverse farm products, extensive food processing industries, and entrepreneurial-minded producers, the Montérégie region richly deserves its title as the powerhouse for Quebec agri-food. It is an engine of the region’s economy and of the economy of all of Quebec.
Conservatives promise one billion for agriculture
Jean-Charles Gagné
In an announcement while visiting a Saskatchewan farm on March 9, 2007, Prime Minister Stephen Harper promised to invest one billion dollars to improve federal Agriculture Income Stabilization programs. This sum includes a direct assistance of $400 million to help farmers deal with the high production costs experienced over the past four years, particularly for fuel and fertilizer. It also includes $600 million devoted to the creation of a savings account program, which would be an improved version of the former Net Income Stabilization Account (NISA), to be administered directly by producers.
However, in order for farmers to see this money, Harper’s minority government must survive the new budget tabled in the House of Commons on March 19, as well as succeeding with negotiations with the provinces regarding the funding of savings accounts.
“It is a step in the right direction to replace the Canadian Agriculture Income Stabilization (CAIS) program with a more predictable cash program,” declared Christian Paradis, Secretary of State for Agriculture, on March 13. “These proposals are well aligned with demands made by farmers. And up until now, they seem to be well received by Agriculture Minister Strahl’s provincial counterparts as well,” he added.
Many details are missing to fully understand how these programs will work. However, one thing is certain—the $400 million in direct aid will come from the 2005-2006 federal budget, which announced spending of $1.5 billion for agriculture. It will therefore not be new money. “Payments will be made within the next few months,” Paradis affirmed.
Productions under supply management will not be eligible. The federal proposal provides, among other things, for up to $100 million per year to deal with high production costs over the next five years, if necessary. Furthermore, “the $600 million announced in the 2007-2008 budget is, in fact, new money and will be paid out by the federal government when the new savings accounts, managed by the participating producers, are opened,” explained Paradis. “Through this method of auto-stabilization, our aim is that farmers will be able to withdraw money more easily, in order to cover their real and immediate needs.” Paradis also hopes that agreements with the provinces can be concluded by June 2007, at the federal-provincial meeting of Agriculture ministers and that the program will be functional in 2008. The federal government is counting on a provincial contribution of 40 per cent. As for the producers, nothing has yet been determined. The three parties would contribute each year. The Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) had made a proposal that the federal government create a NISA-type program, self-managed by farmers, to cover amounts exceeding 15 per cent of the CAIS program margins. When calculated at three per cent of net annual farm sales, the government cost would be about $100 million per year, according to CFA calculations.
LTCN 2007-03-15
Ottawa increases the exemption on capital gains
Pierre-Yvon Bégin
In the new federal budget, farmers already know that they can count on $600 million to open savings accounts. Minister of Finance Jim Flaherty confirmed the measure in his budget on Monday, March 19 in Ottawa. But producers will also be pleased to learn that the budget, if it is passed, also gives a three-quarter million dollar exemption on the capital gains generated by the sale of their farm assets. Thus, this cumulative exemption increases from $500,000 to $750,000. All agricultural assets are eligible, including the sale of quota. This additional $250,000 exemption on capital gains represents a benefit of approximately $60,000 for a farmer whose tax rate is at the maximum, or 48 per cent. The first $500,000 exemption generally translates into a benefit of about $125,000. “This is the biggest measure in this budget for businesses,” declared Richard Fahey, the Quebec vice-president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses. Fahey believes that this tax measure will benefit young aspiring farmers as much as current producers wishing to retire, permitting them to maximize their retirement account, which is directly dependant on the sale of their business. He claims that one-third of business entrepreneurs intend to retire within the next five years.
Green energy
In order to increase their income, farmers will have to turn towards “green energy.” Stephen Harper’s Conservative government intends to invest the sum of two billion dollars over seven years into the production of renewable fuels. Among these renewable fuels, which reduce greenhouse gas emissions, are ethanol and biodiesel.
In addition to the law requiring that all gas sold in Canada contain an average of five per cent renewable fuel by 2010, the federal government plans to legislate that diesel fuel and fuel oil must contain at least two per cent by 2012. Ottawa calculates that the production of two billion litres of renewable fuel will be necessary to meet these new requirements. The government believes that these provisions will generate enormous business opportunities for farmers. However, as in the case of biodiesel, these new mixed fuels will first have to prove themselves to be efficient under Canadian climate conditions.
It is also through renewable fuels, these so-called next-generation fuels, that both farmers and wood producers will find new markets. Of the two billion dollars, Ottawa intends to reserve $500 million for new prospective fuels. These are produced from wood waste products and agricultural residues, such as wheat straw, corn stalks, woody or fibrous waste and switch grass.
Ottawa believes that Canada is well positioned to become a world leader in the development and marketing of the next-generation fuels. The government cites the example of Iogen Corporation in Ottawa, which operates the only commercial demonstration installation in the world, where biomass is transformed into cellulosic ethanol through the use of enzymes.
The government has also promised to reduce the volume of federal paperwork imposed on small businesses by 20 per cent before November 2008. Like other taxpayers, farmers will also be able to benefit from the reintroduction of child tax credits for children under 18 years old. Each child will thus generate a maximum tax reduction of $310.
Of its total budget of $233 billion dollars, Ottawa has confirmed that it will add one billion dollars for agriculture in 2007, as revealed by Agriculture Minister Chuck Strahl. After promising Quebec a “fair share,” he left Quebec farmers feeling cheated last year, when they received only $50 million of the $900 million that was added to the 2006 budget.
The federal government now confirms that it intends to replace the upper portion (15 per cent of the margin) of the Canadian Income Stabilization (CAIS) program with a new savings account program. It also proposes to add a “cost of production” element to these savings accounts, up to a maximum of $100 million per year. It would then make extra payments into the accounts in the event of increases in the cost of production of the whole agriculture sector. The budget allows for an immediate payment of $400 million and a second injection of $600 million, once the accounts are opened and the agreements with the provinces are completed.
The federal government calculates that the tax loss resulting from these measures will be $110 million in 2007-2008 and $45 million in 2008-2009. Since its election, the Stephen Harper government professes to have directed 4.5 billion dollars to farmers.
LTCN 2007-03-22
A light at the end of the tunnel
Laurent Pellerin
UPA President
Two important events concerning agriculture recently took place on either side of the border: the annual meeting of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA), and for our neighbours to the South, the Agricultural Outlook Forum.
Two assemblies, two different perspectives, almost two different worlds. On the one hand, the Americans, who are continuing to press ahead with their Farm Bill. On the other, a farmers’ federation that has been fighting for almost two years to obtain an agriculture policy, a Canadian version of the recipe that is working so well to the south, but a direction the federal government hesitates to take, in spite of its billion dollar announcement last week.
Certainly, this money will be a welcomed “ointment on the wounds,” but it will not resolve the immense frustration that was evident during the annual CFA meeting. Farmers are resentful that the government is taking so long to act, preferring instead to continue to consult while the barn burns. They have good reason to be fuming! Try to name one other sector of the economy where the government continues to consult with almost everything that moves during an emergency! What farmers are demanding without delay is a policy designed for them, over and above everything else. But a policy that is worthy of its title: “Agriculture.” As agricultural and as efficient as the American Farm Bill.
Why the desire to copy the Farm Bill? Because the objective is to create an environment for farmers which permits them to generate a profit. Mark E. Keenum, secretary of American Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services gave a good explanation last week when asked about the American farm policy. “It is the foundation for the development of market strategies such as ethanol production, for example. But more fundamentally than that, the Farm Bill covers almost everything, starting by the creation of a safety net that helps project a stable and predictable horizon for farmers, that favours investments. Then those who take the investment risks can say, “If it doesn’t work out, at least my income will be guaranteed.”
We are desperately looking for this kind of winning environment in the Canadian agriculture policy. Even more so, due to the fact that the safety net that we are supposed to depend on, the CAIS program, is a real fiasco, particularly for cash crops, where producers will require years to recover. Everyone agrees on this, both farmers and politicians. However, the problem is that it took four years of disastrous statistics for Ottawa to come to the conclusion that an agriculture policy without this basic element is inevitably destined for failure. It is taking too long—especially since, while we are trying to “grab the bull by the tail,” the Americans are racking up record levels of net income, year after year.
Nevertheless, the light is finally starting to show at the end of the tunnel. The announcement last week reintroduced two elements essential to the creation of predictability in the future: self-directed risk management (NISA-type accounts) and the notion of cost of production in the income security formula. But we cannot start celebrating yet. Yes, the effort is commendable, but there are still pieces missing in the puzzle, such as the necessary flexibility of federal funding with regard to provincial programs. So we still have a long way to go, especially since everything depends on the new budget to authorize the financing and then reaching agreements with the provinces…all of this with a federal election on the horizon.
LTCN 2007-03-15
A good crop of farm-oriented MNAs
and Marie-Claude Poulin
The Action démocratique du Québec (ADQ) will not be without a vision of agriculture, thanks to the election of Albert de Martin in the Huntington riding, Sylvie Roy in Lotbinière, Janvier Grondin in Beauce-Nord and Jean Damphousse in Maskinongé. “It was the result of a lot of legwork in the field—but the toughest work is yet to come,” acknowledged Albert de Martin, a field crop producer. This former UPA administrator intends to push for “an environment ministry that looks for solutions rather than being a ministry of police.” He also wants to promote the development of agriculture and harmonious cohabitation. The controversial mayor of Huntington, Stephane Gendron, supported De Martin.
ADQ member Syvie Roy was re-elected in Lotbinière riding with a sweeping majority. Reached by telephone the morning after the election, she confessed to being excited to return to the National Assembly with such a strong team. “The last four years have been difficult. But we did not go through all that to repeat what other parties do. We will listen to the people!”
In the riding of Beauce-Nord, the ADQ member Janvier Grondin was re-elected. A former dairy producer and UPA administrator, Grondin won his election with an 11,000-vote majority. During his last mandate, he was the party’s environment critic. “The government obliges farmers to follow certain environmental rules on one hand, while on the other hand, foreign products that do not respect these norms are allowed in,” he affirmed.
On another front, the ADQ candidate in the Louis-Hébert riding, Jean Norbert, was bitterly disappointed when, having been declared elected around 10:30 p.m. on election night, he saw his election victory slip away by 11:30 p.m. when the advance-poll ballots were counted. It was the Liberal incumbent, Sam Hamad, who won the election with a slim margin of 800 votes. Norbert, a personal friend of Mario Dumont and a co-founder of the ADQ party, was considered as a star candidate who could have played an important role if elected. He also has a farming background, having been a dairy producer before taking up a career in law.
The PQ Party
The ADQ tidal wave wiped out all chances of PQ candidates with agricultural backgrounds. In the riding of Deux-Montagnes, it was a heart-breaking defeat for Daniel Goyer, director of the Farm Employment Services for the Outaouais-Laurentides regional federation of the UPA, who lost to ADQ candidate Lucie Leblanc by a slim margin of 1,132 votes. A former mayor of Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-lac, Leblanc had handily replaced the ADQ candidate Jean-Francois Plante, who was forced to withdraw following his comments on women and the homosexuality of the PQ leader. “It is an indication that the tide was irreversible,” noted Goyer, a long-time sovereigntist. “The population has placed their confidence in Mario Dumont. It is up to him to prove himself.”
In Iberville, the former director of the Fédération des producteurs de pommes de terre du Québec and co-founder of the Fédération des agricultrices du Québec, Marie Bouillé, was defeated by ADQ candidate André Riedl. He was elected with a 5,100-vote majority. On another front, Yvan Loubier, a federal Bloc MP in the House of Commons between 1993 and 2007 and former principal economist for the UPA, was also a victim of the ADQ wave in Saint-Hyacinthe-Bagot, losing to Marc Picard by a crushing 16,760-vote majority.
Julie Mercier
LTCN 2007-03-29
Kamouraska: farm syndicalists set the facts straight
Jean-Claude Gagné
The presidents of four local farm syndicates and of the Fédération de l’UPA de la Côte-du-Sud do not intend to be intimidated by those who are “talking through their hats” regarding the by-law on the development of the pork industry in the MRC de Kamouraska. Lobbyists are bustling about more than ever in the region, following the refusal by Municipal Affairs Minister Natalie Normandeau, to force new pork production units to be based on bedded manure only and to have a capacity less than 625 head. The Fédération québecoise des municipalités passed a resolution on March 1 supporting the right of municipal councils to be respected by the Quebec government when their decisions are based on consecutive consensus following formal public consultations.
Finger pointing
These presidents first pointed a finger at Jacques Proulx, president of Solidarité rural du Québec, for accusing Normandeau of not recognizing the regional consensus and for referring to Environment Minister Claude Bedard’s attitude as “paternalistic and arrogant.” The president of the UPA Fédération, Louis J. Desjardins, pointed out to Proulx that his criticisms of Minister Normandeau could just as well have been directed towards the council of mayors. In fact, they adopted a final version of their by-law that differed from the one that had been forwarded to the various municipal councils, without re-consulting them and without seeking the opinion of the Agriculture Consultation Committee and other organizations, such as the local farm syndicates.
They also emphasized that Minister Normandeau did authorize several limitations on the development of pork production in order to promote cohabitation harmony. These included the zoning of productions close to town boundaries and the Ouelle River, limitations on the number of pork operations (1.5 km between pig barns), distances from houses, protected real estate and recreational zones, as well as other control measures (manure storage covers, odour-controlling windbreaks, water economizers).
Simon Michaud, president of the local syndicate Berceau de Kamouraska, questioned the validity of the “so-called Kamouraska citizens and merchants committee,” saying that 77 owners of businesses and enterprises, who create over 2,000 jobs, support the farmers’ position. Claude Lavoie, president of the Syndicat des producteurs de porcs, emphasized that farmers have invested $1.9 million in the completion of 19 projects for the protection of the environment. He added that according to the agricultural profile compiled by the Kamouraska River watershed committee, the liquid and solid manure produced there is insufficient to meet the crop requirements. In addition, water quality in the Fouquette River has improved as a result of the efforts of farmers, according to Céline Dumont, president of the Saint-Alexandre local syndicate.
Unacceptable
The presidents, along with Minister Normandeau, believe that it is unacceptable to prohibit new pork operations that use liquid manure management. The first vice-president of the regional UPA, Charles Proulx, revealed that the executive council has demanded that the MRC authorize the construction of new production operations, to a maximum of 50 per cent of the capacity of existing operations, without regard to the type of manure management. This would be in addition to the 4,300 animal units (21,500 hogs) already authorized by the MRC bylaw for the expansion of existing operations. The farm unionists also announced that the MRC de Kamouraska, which is the most agricultural MRC in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region, is based primarily on dairy production. The 22 pork producers established in Kamouraska produce only 0.7 per cent of the Quebec production, while two pork meatpacking plants located there represent 20 per cent of the provincial slaughter capacity.
LTCN 2007-03-22
A shortage of organic maple syrup
Thierry Larivière
The trend became apparent in 2005, but it was confirmed in 2006—there is a shortage of organic maple syrup in Quebec.
Since 2004, the production of organic maple syrup has dropped from 12 million to about seven million pounds per year. At the same time, the demand has risen from just under six million to 10 million pounds.
It would seem that an excess of organic syrup producers occurred in 2004, just before the consumer demand intensified. However, if the current trend over the past two years continues, this market should increase by another 20 per cent in 2007 and surpass the 12-million-pound mark. If this happens, there will be a shortage of four million pounds of organic syrup. It should be noted, however, that 2006 was a below-average year and that there are still 5.5 million pounds of organic syrup in reserve.
According to figures from the Fédération des producteurs acéricoles du Québec (FPAQ), there are 239 organic sugar bushes, producing about 12 per cent of Quebec’s total maple production. The 15-cent per pound premium given for organic syrup could entice producers to go in that direction, especially those who tried organic production in 2004 and abandoned it because of the temporary surplus at the time. This is all the more probable since some processors have started again to offer to pay for the cost of certification for organic production, which has not been the case over the last few years. According to Charles-Félix Ross, secretary-general of the FPAQ, the required pre-certification year is a “stumbling block” that does not facilitate rapidly adjusting the supply of organic syrup to the demand. However, maple bushes that were already certified in 2004 would not require much effort to have them re-certified.
According to FPAQ marketing specialist Geneviève Béland, organic maple syrup meets the three current tendencies in food consumption around the world. First, it is an organic product and thus is associated with health. Organic food sales are increasing by 20 per cent each year in grocery stores, with 70 per cent of consumers eating them occasionally and 20 per cent using them regularly. They appeal to a younger clientele, better educated and with more disposable income than the average.
The second general tendency worldwide is the pleasure of discovering new foods, including rich-tasting and “luxury” products. The third tendency is the trend towards practical or prepared foods. Maple syrup is undoubtedly a taste-pleasing product and is not very complicated to use.
The organic market is not the same in different parts of the world. An analysis by Béland revealed, for example, that Japan is interested primarily in the “natural food” aspect rather than organic, but wholesomeness is also important. Marketing strategies are also quite different in North America, where health is the primary issue and in Europe where food safety is at the top of the list, followed by environmental issues and health.
Competition with other products varies from store to store within the same country. In the U.S., the principal outlets for maple syrup are natural food and health stores, supermarkets and industrial processors. In Europe, it is distributed mainly through specialty grocery stores.
LTCN 2007-03-29
The UPA and market gardeners get involved
Pierre-Yvon Bégin
The UPA and the Fédération des producteurs maraîchers du Québec (FPMQ) intend to support the development of a network of public farmers’ markets. They will supply a resource person one day per week to the new Association des marchés publics du Québec, in order to help structure and spread the farmers’ market network across Quebec.
“We are going steady,” joked UPA President Laurent Pellerin with a wink while participating at the unveiling of the agreement at the Melbourne Township municipal hall, located about 40 kilometres north of Sherbrooke. The members of the association, 70 per cent of whom are market gardeners, were in attendance to hold their annual general meeting.
Pellerin reiterated his organization’s interest for the development of alternative marketing strategies and recalled that UPA’s regional federations were the originators of many farmers’ markets. With approximately sixty public markets, he noted that over 700 farmers offer their various products, including about 60 varieties of vegetables, meat, maple syrup and even “edible flowers.”
“In public markets,” affirmed Pellerin, “we are close to the people. It is a worthwhile potential to develop and with the new law regarding controlled appellations, there will be many new avenues to explore. You can count on our regional federations for support.”
The second-vice president of the FPMQ, Normand Legault added that the agreement is a sign of a willingness for mutual collaboration. “My grandfather used to go to public markets,” he declared. “It is very stimulating to see the relationships that develop between farmers and citizens.”
The Ministère de l’Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l’Alimentation du Québec (MAPAQ) also presented a cheque for $45,000 to support the creation of the Association.
Melbourne Farmers’ Market
The association’s general manager, Claude Béchard, is also the founder of the Melbourne farmers’ market. In the summer of 2003, he arrived at the right moment to present his project. The municipality had just received $275,000 from Hydro-Québec in compensation for the construction of the Hertel-Des Cantons electric transmission line. The farmers’ market opened its doors the following year on July 3, 2004. “We were afraid of losing customers because of a lack of products,” Béchard recalls. “The first year, my wife and I would go to neighbouring ‘pick-your-own’ farms on Fridays. We would pick the products ourselves and prepare them that night at home, ready to put them on tables at the market on Saturday morning.”
Last year, the Melbourne market involved 36 different farmers, with an average of 24 each week. Open every Saturday from mid-June until mid-October, the market welcomes an average of 300 customers from about 50 different municipalities. The average client’s food basket amounts to about $32, and the market’s total sales totalled $182,500 last year. An impressive figure since the economic impact on the region is three times that amount.
“We contributed over half a million dollars to the economy of the region,” noted Béchard, with satisfaction. To top off his publicity, the general manager counts on frequent radio announcements by Joël de Bigot, a resident of the region and host for Radio-Canada. He also manages a website at www.marchechampetre.ca.
“A public market is not a brand in itself, but rather a place where people and the locality can express their identity,” added Jacques Proulx, president of Solidarité rurale du Québec.
LTCN 2007-03-29
Minority government not a bad thing for rural areas
Jean-Charles Gagné
The election of a minority government is not necessarily bad news for agriculture or for municipalities and the regions, according to the presidents of the UPA, Laurent Pellerin, and of the Fédération québecoise des municipalités (FQM), Bernard Généreux. Rather, it could be the beginning of a more flexible and productive period, with less arrogance, where more diverse ideas will be discussed. “Generally speaking, agriculture is a winner in this election campaign,” declared Pellerin. “We will continue to work with a Liberal government, which presented a detailed agriculture platform. In addition, the ministers with whom the UPA has had close dealings regarding the interests of both farm and forestry producers are still in place, except for Pierre Corbeil (Natural Resources).”
Nathalie Normandeau (Municipal Affairs), Yvon Vallières (Agriculture), Claude Béchard (Environment), Raymond Bachand (Economic Development) and Laurent Lessard (Labour) were all re-elected. “We would be pleased to work again with Yvon Vallières, if Mr. Charest decides to leave him as minister,” declared Pellerin. In addition, he noted that the Liberals will have to pay more attention to the regions, where their yield was rather sparse, and they will also have to change course regarding the forestry sector.
Keep moving forward
“The biggest surprise is the popularity of the Action démocratique du Québec (ADQ) with Mario Dumont. No one expected that they would form the official opposition and push the Parti québécois (PQ) into third place. The UPA does not have anything against the ADQ, since Mr. Dumont does have an affinity for agriculture and a good knowledge of the issues,” affirmed Pellerin.
According to Pellerin, it will not be easy to govern in this context, but he does not expect things to come to a standstill either. “Agriculture cannot vegetate for very long,” he asserted. “The renewal of the contract with La Financière agricole, along with the appropriate terms and conditions, is a necessity during the next few months.” He stressed that the leaders of the three main parties had all agreed on this during their meeting with the executive of the UPA. In addition “the stalled net-income file will require a solid push or 200,000 Canadian farmers, all sectors combined, will be working for nothing again this year, unable to recover their production costs from the marketplace.” Pellerin recalled that the three principal parties have all recognized the imbalance that exists between what the federal government pays out to Quebec farmers compared to their proportion of the gross national product. Also, Charest gave his promise that he would not sign any agreements regarding a new agriculture policy framework if it is not satisfactory to Quebec.
Fed-up
“By supporting the ADQ and the Parti québecois, the regions have shown that they are fed-up,” declared FQM president, Bernard Généreux. “The Quebec Liberal party has been, for all intents and purposes, banished from the regions and its francophone base. It is inadmissible that Quebec does not form an alliance with rural areas and vice-versa. The regions want to be part of the decision-making regarding the development of Quebec and they will no longer continue to be used every four years to give one party a majority in the National Assembly.”
According to Généreux, the new government’s priority must be to eliminate the divisions between the rural and urban communities. “This election has caused many fractures, but also many new opportunities for the government to hear the messages that we have been desperately trying to send for years. With a minority status for the first time in its history, the government will have no choice but to start to listen.”
LTCN 2007-03-29
Farmers strongly opposed to pipeline corridor
Pierre-Yvon Bégin
The route favoured by the Ultramar petroleum company for the construction of a pipeline between its refinery in Lévis and its storage depot in Montreal “is not satisfactory to the community.” The opening of the public hearings of the Bureau d’audiences publiques sur l’environnement (BAPE) revealed that a good number of farmers and municipalities are still strongly opposed to the chosen path. “Over the past several months, we have met with the oil company on several occasions to present them with propositions for alternative routes, but to no avail,” declared France Beaudry, the person responsible for the file at the Fédération de l’UPA de Saint-Hyacinthe. Also president of the local UPA syndicate Ceinture-Verte, Beaudry took the opportunity to demand that an alternate route be chosen, while making her presentation during the first part of the BAPE hearings.
The Fédération de l’UPA de Saint-Hyacinthe, along with several municipalities and MRCs in the region have been asking that the oil company use the same route as the Esso pipeline, which follows Highway 20. This pipeline is no longer in service. Ultramar, on the other hand, favours a path adjacent to the two 735 kV Hydro-Quebec transmission lines, which cross the municipalities of Sainte-Hélène, Saint-Simon, Saint-Hyacinthe, La Présentation, Saint-Charles-sur-Richelieu, Saint-Marc-sur-Richelieu and Saint-Mathieu-de-Beloeil. “There is a good reason why the Esso pipeline was constructed at the end of the cultivated fields and not right in the middle,” exclaimed Beaudry. “It was to reduce the negative impact on agricultural activities. This is not the case with the corridor favoured by Ultramar, which cuts diagonally across the farms.”
Beaudry also reiterated that the Fédération de Saint-Hyacinthe is not opposed to the Ultramar pipeline construction project. She underlined that the UPA has already signed an agreement with the company concerning compensation to farmers. However, the question of the choice of corridors remains a serious obstacle to the completion of the project.
“We are continuing to recommend to farmers not to sign any contracts with the oil company,” Beaudry confirmed, while adding that the Fédération de l’UPA de Saint-Hyacinthe will keep producers informed of any new developments on this issue.
The BAPE will begin the second part of its hearings, starting on April 16 at 7:00 p.m. at the Hostellerie Rive Gauche, which is located at 1810 Richelieu Boulevard in Beloeil. On April 18, it will move to the Ti-Père BBQ restaurant in Saint-Hyacinthe. Other sessions will be held on April 23 in Princeville and on April 25 in Saint-Étienne-de-Lauzon.
The BAPE Commission’s president, Michel Germain, is assisted by commissioner François Lafond. Whenever possible, the commission would like to know by March 30 of any presentations to be tabled. However, the deadline to receive the texts remains April 12. The commission is due to submit its final report by July 12 at the latest.
LTCN 2007-03-29
Variable taxation option remains unused
Pierre-Yvon Bégin
For fear of opening the door to additional demands, none of the municipalities in the MRC du Granit has ventured to implement a variable tax rate for farming and forestry operations. The fact came to light during the first forum organized jointly by the MRC du Granit and representatives from the agricultural and forestry sectors in the area, along with the regional UPA federations for Beauce and Estrie.
The property tax issue was hotly debated last Thursday in Saint-Romain, a municipality located in the MRC du Granit. About fifty farmers and elected municipal officials participated in the first forum organized to discuss relations between municipal leaders and the agricultural and forestry sectors.
“Agriculture and forestry are not the defendants here. We are holding this forum in partnership. Agriculture, forestry and the future of the municipalities within the MRC du Granit are closely tied together,” acknowledged Maurice Bernier, the MRC’s prefect. At a press conference following the event, Bernier indicated that the forum was the starting point for new strategic planning for the territory. At the end of the exercise, the MRC expects to have a specific development plan for agriculture and forestry, based on the pilot project being tested by the MRC des Etchemins. “Which vocations will we choose to develop?” Bernier asked. “One thing is for sure, intensive production scares people. In our MRC, we wish to preserve nature. We will have to identify our production choices within a framework that totally respects the environment. Do we want to continue producing two-by-fours or do we want to transform the wood into furniture? Do we wish to produce pork for the Japanese market or do we want to favor local ‘terroir’ products that we sell on our regional markets?”
Taxation
The profile of the MRC du Granit shows that the forestry sector is of great importance and that agriculture is concentrated mainly in the municipalities of Saint-Romain, Lambton and Sainte-Cécile. One troubling observation is that the market value of forestry lots has been increasing at a rate of 10 to 12 per cent per year over the last five years.
According to the MRC, this phenomenon is due in large part to the purchase of woodlots by city-dwellers for recreational purposes, notably for hunting. In fact, non-residents have bought three-quarters of the forestry lots during the past five years. As a result, the market value of land affected to forestry operations has skyrocketed and in turn, has caused a tremendous jump in property taxes. “The municipal officials recognize the abnormality of the present situation,” acknowledged André Piette, the CLD’s agro-forestry commissioner for MRC du Granit. “Municipal councilors are very hesitant to implement a variable tax rate because they fear that by favoring certain groups, others will come forward demanding the same treatment.
In order to reduce the tax pressure on woodlot owners, the elected officials are proposing to refrain from taxing the market value of the wood and to consider only the underlying land value. However, this change would require an amendment to the Act respecting municipal taxation.
LTCN 2007-03-15Vaccination program a must for cow-calf operators
André Cécyre, veterinarian
Veterinary Consultation Program
FPBQ
In Quebec, as in the rest of Canada, feeder-calf producers can be separated into three groups. Specialized operations, where the principal income is from the sale of feeder calves, have the largest herds and follow more elaborate animal health programs with detailed records. Mixed operations, where calves are sold in the fall and their revenues supplement the principal income generated from other commercial crops, have less time to spend with their animals. Finally, animal therapy or hobby farms make up a considerable portion of the feeder-calf sector.
No universal recipe
There are marked differences, both between groups and individuals, in terms of herd management and vaccination programs. This is to be expected to a certain extent. The producer who has 200 cows, all calving in March and April, has very different needs compared to the farmer whose 10 cows give birth in the pasture during July and August. However, neither should believe that he can dispense with vaccinations—at least some of the essential ones. Each producer should choose the type of vaccines corresponding to his particular situation, after analyzing all the risks with his veterinarian, who is certainly the best advisor on this subject.
Which vaccines should I use ?
V iral vaccines are essential
The complex virus vaccines—IBR (Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis,) PI-3 (Parainfluenza-3), BVD (Bovine Viral Diarrhea) and BSRV (Bovine Respiratory Syncytial Virus)—are generally combined into a single injection and are essential for all feeder calves.
R ota corona E.coli vaccines are recommended
Vaccines administered to the calf’s mother to prevent calf scours during the first month of its life (rotavirus/coronavirus/ E.coli) should be used more frequently. The loss of a calf because of diarrhea or abortion means the loss of income from that cow for the year.
Respiratory and reproductive problems
Bacterial respiratory conditions, such as Mannheimia haemolytica and Histophilus somni, can benefit from vaccination. Reproductive diseases include leptospirosis, vibriosis and trichomonas infections. As the latter two are most prevalent in Western Canada, it is not always necessary to vaccinate against them here.
Other vaccines
Vaccinations against clostridial diseases (mainly Blackleg) are often recommended and are cost-effective for the protection that they provide. Vaccines against rabies, mange, infectious keratitis, etc. are appropriate in very specific situations.
Vaccination or immunization?
When it is decided to go ahead with these vaccinations, they should be administered with great care. It is only through the use of proper methods that the vaccinated animals will really become immunized. Remember: vaccination does not always translate to immunization.
A calf born from an immunized cow, where colostrum management has been followed, should be protected for five to six months against bovine viral diarrhea and the main respiratory infections. This is referred to as passive immunity, that is to say, immunity transferred from the mother. In theory, this passive immunity can interfere with vaccination during the first months of life.
The best time!
Following this principle in healthy herds, heifers should be vaccinated at about five to six months old, with a booster one to two months before the first breeding. A modified live vaccine is used against IBR, PI-3, BVD and BRSV. In many cases, bacterial vaccines against leptospirosis and clostridia are also added. Subsequently, the vaccination should be given annually at least one month prior to the breeding period. Here again, the modified live viral vaccination is used, as well as a bacterial vaccine against leptospirosis, if required.
The vaccine to protect against calf scours, which is also very important, is administered twice during the first year, specifically at 2 to 3 months before the first calving and then at one month before birth. In subsequent years, a single dose is administered at one month before the calving date.
A compromise
For herds that have a history of calf respiratory problems during the first months of their lives, it may be advantageous to vaccinate all the calves with a modified live vaccine as early as two weeks after their birth. The same vaccine is used (IBR, PI-3, BVD and BRSV), but the immunity provided by this vaccination will be of short duration, if at all. When these animals reach the age of 5 to 6 months, they should be re-vaccinated like the others since this early vaccination will no longer have any beneficial effect. It should be remembered that the need for this early vaccination is a result of other herd management deficiencies. However, it is often the lesser of two evils.
For males only
For males calves destined for the steer slaughter market, the same program as for heifers is used. Vaccination should be done 2 to 4 weeks before auction, using a modified live vaccine (IBR, PI-3, BVD, BRSV), even if they were vaccinated at a very young age, In their case, as in the case of future bulls, vaccination against leptospirosis is not required (i.e. not recommended for bulls going to test stations).
(Framed)
To protect against a hidden enemy
A properly designed vaccination program will help decrease the number of animals susceptible to contracting diseases; it will increase the herd’s overall level of immunity and over time will provide an important protection against a serious enemy, the presence of persistently infected (PI) cattle.
A persistently infected animal is one that has been infected by the BVD virus during the first half of its embryonic growth (45 to 125 days of gestation). This animal is born as a virus transmitter and will spread the disease to nearby animals throughout its entire life.
Good records are worth a thousand words
For all other vaccines, the costs vs. benefits should first be discussed with your veterinarian and then an appropriate decision made. To do this, you will need to keep good health records. When buying a bull or replacement animals, do not make the mistake of losing several years of record keeping. You should request that the seller provide you with the vaccination booklet and the health records of the animals you wish to purchase.
Not only is a vaccination program for you cow-calf herd an advantage; it is a necessity for the success of your business, as well as for your customers.