Canadian Dairy, Poultry and Egg Farmers Denounce Lack of Consultations

OTTAWA, Oct. 16 /CNW Telbec/ - Canadian dairy, poultry and egg farmers are strongly disappointed that provincial ministers approved Chapter Nine of the Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) yesterday, despite repeated warnings by agricultural organizations in all provinces that they had legal advice that the 2008 proposed text was ambiguous about supply management.

"The concerns we shared with governments about the 2008 text remain with the text published yesterday," said Jacques Laforge, President of Dairy Farmers of Canada. "Despite the efforts of our members to talk to provincial officials, the officials have refused to hold consultations with farmers and industry about the text related to agriculture and supply management, and they have now approved it."

The provincial governments had committed to consult with farmers and industries but they did not follow up. As a result, despite the public assurances of the Ministers yesterday, and of the Premiers in August or even back in 2007, that the "Chapter would not apply to measures relating to supply management", the text has not changed significantly from the 2008 version and the concerns of Canadian dairy, poultry and egg farmers remain.

Therefore, we will continue to press governments to deliver on the above assurances. We now call on the governments to take the measures necessary to ensure the Agreement upholds these commitments to us.

For further information: Thérèse Beaulieu, Assistant Director Communication and Policy, Dairy Farmers of Canada, Phone: [phone] x 2751, Cell: [phone], [email protected]; Lise Newton-Lalonde, Manager of Communication, Chicken Farmers of Canada, Phone: [phone], Cell: [phone], [email protected]