The Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission has adopted
the regulation it proposed in August to
reform the Ontario Processing Vegetables Marketing Board.
Earlier this year the directors were dismissed, Elmer
Buchanan, vice-chairman of the commission, was put in charge and he negotiated
prices for the 2017 crop.
Then the commission appointed directors to a new board and
set out a two-year process during which most of the directors, but not the
board chairman, will be elected by producers.
The commission will continue to appoint the chairman.
The regulation 440 that was officially adopted this week is,
says the commission, intended to:
“Encourage proactive
communication and collaboration among value chain partners through an Industry
Advisory Committee.
“Support regulated marketing
by ensuring that the Ontario Processing Vegetable Growers continue to be
involved in establishing the way minimum prices are negotiated for crops where
there are numerous processors, while providing all processors and their growers
the opportunity to develop customized agreements to meet specific needs.
“Encourage productive
discussions that lead to agreements that meet the needs of processors and their
growers.
“Establish protocols to help
prevent future negotiation impasses by allowing either the processor or growers
to initiate conciliation and requiring that negotiating agency members meet
with growers prior to deciding to proceed to arbitration.
