“Here in Ontario, we believe in supply management – supply management yesterday, supply management today and supply management tomorrow,” Leal stated.
This year’s CDX record attendance of 15,200 dairy enthusiasts along with 350 exhibitors provided a great opportunity for the minister to attend to introduce himself and be present at one of Canada’s largest dairy events of the year.
During the press conference, Leal addressed the media and explained the importance of the dairy industry to the Ontario economy. “The dairy industry is critically important to the agriculture sector of the province of Ontario,” he began.
“The agri-food sector generates $34 billion a year in gross domestic product, is second only to the auto industry in the province and employs 760,000 Ontarians each and every day. The agriculture sector represents 23 percent of Ontario’s manufacturing capacity.”
A project to increase growth in the industry is Premier Kathleen Wynne’s Agri-Food Challenge: Building on Success that was announced on Oct. 7, 2013, at the Agri-Food Summit.
The challenge is to create 120,000 new jobs by the year 2020, doubling the industry’s annual growth rate, which is currently at an average of 1 percent a year.
Deputy Minister Deb Stark is heading up the Agri-Food Growth Steering Committee, which is the working group taking on this challenge.
“We need a representative that represents all of the supply-managed sectors that can speak on the central components, which are fundamentally the same throughout Ontario’s agriculture sectors,” Leal said. Although there is no dairy-specific representation on the committee, Leal assured the industry will be well represented.
He noted that over the next few months, the working group would be meeting to prepare a detailed report that will be presented at the Agri-Food Summit this fall. For more details on the challenge, visit www.omafra.gov.on.ca
The minister confirmed there are some vacancies at OMAFRA due to retirements. “It will be absolutely crucial to fill these positions to meet our challenge of 120,000 new jobs.
In my 30 years with Peterborough City Council, one of the things I have consistently noticed is the great talent that is within those public services.
It’s important for me and my staff to harness that talent in order to reach our objectives by 2020,” he said. Leal added he plans on filling the positions in a timely fashion, which will also be headed up by the deputy minister.
Speaking on supply management, the minister said Ontario continues to support and believe in the system. “The system allows us to make sure that our farmers get an adequate return on their investment and continues to provide a top-quality product for consumers,” Leal said.
“One of the things that continues to be important about our system is innovation,” Leal continued. “More and more in the 21st century, we are continuing to see our supply management system be more flexible in terms of looking at new opportunities within that sector.”
He admitted there is concern as Canada enters into the new deal with the EU and ongoing discussions with the Trans-Pacific group. He shared that it is no secret that some of the players in the Trans-Pacific group, mainly Australia and New Zealand, would like to see Canada give up its supply-managed system.
Leal firmly stated, “Ontario will be relentless to any federal government that wants to trade away our system that covers dairy, eggs and poultry.
It has been the great success story of Ontario and of Canada.” He added that during a recent visit to China, Canada was renowned for its food safety, which is an outcome of a valuable system unique to Canada.
He touched on his discussions with Quebec Minister of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, the Honourable Pierre Paradis, in light of Canada-EU Trade Agreement (CETA).
Quebec and Ontario ministries will be working in unison to ensure that their sectors, particularly the cheese sectors, are fully compensated if any negative impacts arise from the new agreement.
“Every time I get the opportunity to chat with Minister Ritz, he certainly hears my point of view on the absolute defense of supply management,” Leal declared.
The government of Canada’s position is outlined here: “CETA will not affect Canada’s supply management system, which will remain as robust as ever. The supply management system and its three key pillars (production control, import controls and price controls) remain intact.
The vast majority of supply-managed products will be exempt from increases in market access. The government of Canada remains committed to working with industry stakeholders throughout the implementation period to ensure that Canada’s agricultural sector remains strong and vibrant.” PD
PHOTO
Following a press conference, Minister Jeff Leal joined Canadian Dairy XPO (CDX) attendees and participated in Cheesefest to sample some of Ontario’s finest cheeses. He also took the time to meet dairy producers and industry partners while visiting the live cattle on display in the Cow Coliseum. Photo by Lora Bender.
- Lora Bender
- Editor
- Progressive Dairyman
