President's Report: Oct'09
I have just returned from Niagara Falls and the 34th North American and European Union Agricultural Conference. Ironically, there is certainly no honeymoon visible for agricultural groups in the near future. This NA-EU Agriculture Conference had nineteen different countries represented. APAS has been a full and active participant at this conference for a number of years and our continued attendance should clearly be a priority for the organization.
(For a sense of the impact of these talks, COPA and COGECA from the EU represent mroe than nineteen million farm holders and over fourty thousand cooperatives.)
Discussions centered around the challenges farmers face in collectively feeding the world\'s growing population given the economic downturn, increasing trade barriers, continuing climate change, environmental and consure concerns and inadequate govenment polices.
APAS was able to use the event to express our concerns and the need for immediate action on the GMO Flax Seed issue currently facing Canadian farmers. It is interesting to note that the EU Farm Leaders were not completely aware of the scope of the damage that this issue has done to our market.
More on this important conference later, as starting today, we are hosting a two day meeting of the Prarie Farm Leaders here in Regina.
I and my counterparts from Manitoba and Alberta will spend today and tomorrow discussing AgriStability (strengths, weaknesses and opportunities) and Railway Transportation (cost reveiw, service reveiw, more immedaite concerns) among other things. I can add that the recent Chinese trade action against Canadian canola will also be of primary concern and discussion at the meeting.
On Tuesday, be sure to tune in to CKRM 620 AM at noon as Ian, Humphrey and I will be Jim Smalley\'s special guests on the 620 CKRM NewsLine At Noon. If you have concerns that you want to share, tune in at noon tomorrow and call-in with your comments. In Regina, call 936-6262 or dial toll-free to 1-866-767-0620 from anywhere in Saskatchewan.