| According to Liberal Ag Critic Wayne Easter, the Conservative government's announcement that ag programs would be cost neutral is a betrayal of Canadian farmers. |
| "When federal and provincial agriculture ministers agree to keep programs cost neutral it means farmers should expect the same old funding level and that is simply not good enough," said Mr. Easter. "Entrenching financial distress on farm families is not what Agriculture Ministers ought to be doing." |
| Mr. Easter was responding to statements made by Conservative Agriculture Minister Chuck Strahl at a meeting of provincial agriculture ministers in Winnipeg. At that meeting, ministers agreed that income programs would be "cost-shared; cost-neutral for each government; and, will replace the top tier of the income stabilization element of the business risk management suite." |
| "Not two months ago Stephen Harper told farmers he would increase their assistance," said Mr. Easter. "Now we have the Minister telling his provincial colleagues in Winnipeg that the new Conservative plan is that agriculture programs would be cost neutral - no new money for farmers or farm programming. Regardless of the views of provincial ministers of agriculture, the real losers in this new cost-neutral approach will be farmers if Canadian farm income levels do not match our U.S. competitors." |
| The government's announcement was made as Canadian farmers are coming out of their worst three income years in Canadian history while our American counterparts are coming off their three best. Statistics Canada figures show that Canadian farm debt has increased by 300 per cent since 1981, while U.S. farm debt has increased by just 20 per cent. |
| "The government's own annual estimates clearly indicate that over the next four years the intention is to remove more than $520 million from the Business Risk Management spending," Mr. Easter said. "This is not what farmers were led to believe that the 'new' government would deliver. This is nothing short of a betrayal of our farmers." |
