Nelson, all:
Until i find the previously mentioned study, I'm just forwarding this,
picked up from one of the local (mostly conventional) approved farming
registration associations' spokesperson.
.....manfred
Corner Post
Farm & Countryside Commentary by Elbert van Donkersgoed
October 25, 2002
What trends contribute to the weakening of farming in Ontario? Farming's
declining share of the consumer food dollar was rated the highest by the
participants in the "Gearing Up for a Better Future" workshop series
organized by the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario last winter.
Eighty-eight percent agreed strongly (68%) or somewhat (20%). About 250
members and friends of CFFO participated in the 18 sessions across the
province.
Dig a little deeper into trends that are weakening Ontario agriculture and
the conversation inevitably turns to commodity agriculture and the drive to
become more efficient in order to live with lower prices.
Commodity agriculture has been a driving force in Ontario agriculture for
decades. It has held back many other approaches to farming with its
willingness to live by the law of the jungle, externalize environmental and
community costs, push the technology treadmill still faster and preach free
markets and open trade while constantly begging for production subsidies in
the form of cash, infrastructure, research and regulations.
Commodity agriculture has survived, in part because it has been willing to
accept some civilizing, some formalizing. Think of best management
practices, livestock management guidelines, nutrient management plans,
quality assurance programs and environmental farm plans.
Change is afoot. Consider the growing list of approaches to farming that
have emerged in the past decades: community supported agriculture,
diversified and value-added agriculture, lifestyle agriculture, organic
agriculture, supply managed agriculture, sustainable agriculture and
voluntary stewardship agriculture.
They are more than surviving. They are growing. Commodity agriculture's
ability to dominate has been undercut.
That is a good thing. The door is open for a new vision for Ontario
agriculture. CFFO's emerging vision is: Farming in Ontario will be diverse
and integrated into a full range of human and natural activities--family
life, community culture, economic development and natural habitat-on a scale
that enhances countryside and is sustainable. Is this vision worthy,
workshop participants were asked?
Seventeen percent of participants expressed doubts about this vision. They
were skeptical about success, defensive about the status quo or flagged
consequences that troubled them.
Twelve percent picked up on one of the major discussion points of the day
and emphasized its importance. Another seven percent focused on the process
of creating change.
Sixty-five percent agreed that this vision was worthy, many without
hesitation (30%) and some (9%) out of a sense of "I see no other choice." A
small group (8%) supported the vision but in the same breath asked for
details and practical next steps. Nineteen percent applauded the vision and
added a "but" or a worry about its implications. We are ready to stand up to
commodity agriculture.
__________
Elbert van Donkersgoed is the Strategic Policy Advisor of the Christian
Farmers Federation of Ontario, Canada. Corner Post can be heard weekly on
CFCO Radio, Chatham and CKNX Radio, Wingham, Ontario. Corner Post is
archived on the website of the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario:
www.christianfarmers.org. CFFO is supported by 4,500 family farmers across
the province of Ontario, Canada. To be added to the electronic distribution
list of Corner Post send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with SUBSCRIBE as
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