For Immediate Release
January 20, 2005

FARMERS NEED HELP NOW

Yesterday, Laurie Scott, MPP Haliburton-Victoria-Brock attended a meeting of farmers, farm organizations, seed suppliers, equipment suppliers and banks who had come together to try to respond to the desperate situation that farmers are finding themselves in.

A local farmer and small businessman, Joe Hickson pulled together this meeting in less than a week because he knew that his friends and neighbours were finding it difficult to continue and something had to be done before people started losing their farms and livelihoods in even greater numbers than we have seen to this point.

“The purpose of the meeting, was to come up with a game plan or at the very least the start of a plan to address the crisis in Agriculture, more specifically, the crisis that we are facing today and tomorrow,” said Joe Hickson. “I hope that this meeting can be a jumping off point for District 4 farmers as we try to get the Federal and Provincial governments to listen to us before it is too late. All agricultural sectors need to speak with a united voice and stand together.”

Representatives were in attendance from: the Dairy Farmers of Ontario, Ontario Federation of Agriculture, Ontario Wheat Marketing Board, Ontario Corn Growers Association, Farmgate5, National Farmers Union and the Chicken Farmers of Ontario. Although they were unable to attend due to the weather, the Ontario Cattlemen’s Association, Ontario Pork Producers Marketing Board and Christian Farmers of Ontario all provided input.

The meeting was also attended by Provincial PC Party MPPs Laurie Scott, John O’Toole and Garfield Dunlop and Federal MP Bev Oda.

“I know that the agricultural community has had a difficult time getting the ear of the McGuinty government,” said Laurie Scott. “It is nothing short of a crisis when farmers cannot afford to buy the seed they need to plant their crops. We stand to loose small farmers who will not be able to afford to continue farming.”
-30-