The federal agriculture department has stunned farm leaders
by suddenly axing 13 agricultural adaptation councils.
John Kikkert, chairman of the Ontario Agricultural
Adaptation Council, said he was caught by surprise when he was first informed
on Wednesday. He is a director from the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario.
There has been no news release from Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz who is usually quick to jump on any opportunity to tout his department's activities, particularly doling out grants and loans.
The councils have been been told all projects must end by October, 2013, so they still have some time to dispense remaining funds. The councils
must be completely wound down by the end of March, 2014.
The Ontario council employs 13 people at its offices in
Guelph and has dispensed $140 million in federal funds for more than 560
projects since it has established in 1995.
It also administers three programs funded jointly by the
federal and Ontario governments under the Growing Forward program. They are
programs for Farm Innovation, for Agriculture Biosecurity and for Food Safety
and Traceability education. That final program has used up all its funds.
The federal government says it intends to operate the program
out of a central location, but doesn’t say where, although most people expect
it will be Ottawa.
Kikkert said the government has given no reason for ending
the councils.
At every annual meeting except the last one in December,
federal officials and/or politicians have been lavish in praising the
effectiveness, efficiency and integrity of the Ontario council.
The Ontario council has also won consistent praise from
auditors.
Ontario hosted people from all 13 councils during its annual
meeting in December “so we could share best practices and learn from each
other,” Kikkert said.
There is one council for each of the 10 provinces, but two
in Quebec where one is for farmers and the other is for processors, and ones in
the Yukon and Northwest Territories.
Kikkert said the council is one of his favourite farm
organizations. “I love it.”
It brings together leaders from all commodities. It ensures
that funding for research and other projects is immediately and widely shared
with farmers and processors, he said, “and it is regional compared with the
silo mentality in Ottawa.”
He said the councils are meeting a key objective of the
Harper government of “making all commodities more competitive in world trade.”
So, Ritz, I'm sure there are a lot of farm leaders who would like to hear your reasons for axing the councils.
