The Harper Conservatives have once again betrayed their promise of putting farmers first by proposing a $418-million cut to Agriculture Canada’s budget, Liberal Agriculture Critic Wayne Easter said.
“This should end any notion within the farm community that the Harper government was ever sincere about putting farmers first,” said Mr. Easter. “Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and his boss, Stephen Harper, are making policy decisions that are deliberately cutting farm support programs. They are trying to balance their budget on the backs of Canadian farmers.”
Mr. Easter pointed out that what will have the most serious impact from the cuts in the 2011-12 Main Estimates tabled in the House of Commons yesterday is the $250 million being taken out of Business Risk Management programs and $150 million in agricultural research.
“Minister Ritz is cutting the critical investments needed to make our farmers more successful,” said Mr. Easter.
“It is time for the farmers of this country to be the ones working on the design of the programs necessary to sustain them. The Liberal Party has made it clear we are prepared to build the kinds of business risk management programs farmers in all regions of this country require to meet their needs.”
Liberals have committed to farmers that Agricultural policy has to come from the farm up, not Ottawa down. Liberals have committed to develop a National Food Policy and put the flex back in Agriflex, as farmers have asked for – federal funding that can be used for practical programs on the ground such as the RMP in Ontario, ASRA in Quebec, improved crop insurance or a livestock market price insurance program in the west, or a Buy Atlantic program in the east.
