By JANET KRAYDEN
CAPITAL
GAINS
Electionbuzz
Election season is coming.
In Ottawa, the talk around the Hill is all
about the federal election. The same may
be true of Alberta with a possible provin-
cial election after the shocking defection
of nine Wildrose to the PCs last December.
As the campaigns gear up, Alberta farmers
need to prepare for election season just
like preparing for seeding and harvest. The
first step is to think through what agricul-
ture issues need focus today and what will
be on the horizon tomorrow.
Don’t wait until the issue becomes
reactive. We can turn to Ontario to learn
this lesson. Due to an activist offensive,
Ontario farmers have to bear the brunt
of a neonicotinoid pesticide ban that
will reduce usage by 80 per cent by 2017.
Details are unclear as to how this will be
implemented or enforced by the province,
yet the policy is proceeding.
The Ontario provincial legislative agen-
da outraced the federal government’s Pest
Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA)
study by a day. The federal study, much
less sensational in approach, found that
bee health is affected by complex condi-
tions such as invasive mites, parasites,
habitat loss, queen bee quality, weather
and hive management. Last on the PMRA
list was pesticide exposure.
Ontario farmers have concentrated sig-
nificant effort and investment working on
best management practices to reduce bee
exposure. Environmental protection is, in
fact, why the majority of farmers and Ca-
nadian industry chose the seed treatment
route rather than aerial spraying.
None of this seems to matter, however.
“Sound science” reasoning is waning as
an effective argument in many political
circles. This puts a century of scientific
advances in agriculture, which have been
beneficial to the environment, at risk.
Within industry circles, what is happen-
ing in Ontario is referred to as the “thin
edge of the wedge”—and justifiably so.
An Ontario Beekeepers’ Association news
release headline states, “Ontario becomes
the first province to act on neonicoti-
noids.” The David Suzuki Foundation
seems to be working in tandem with the
Ontario Beekeepers, proclaiming Ontar-
io to be “the first government in North
America” to legislate a neonic ban. In oth-
er words, this is not a “one-off” for them,
other provinces and governments will be
targeted in the near future.
In December 2014, like the ghost of
Christmas past, the United States Environ-
mental Protection Agency was requesting
comments on the benefits of neonicotinoid
seed treatments on soybeans. This is the
same process that Canadian farmers were
asked to participate in with our own feder-
al government’s PMRA in December 2013.
American farmers, however, are moving
to protect modern agriculture methods
with an interesting proactive policy
approach that warrants consideration.
They are moving to legislatively preserve
the “right” to use modern agriculture
technology such as seed treatments. North
Dakota farmers have done this through a
“right to farm” amendment in their state
constitution that protects a producer’s
right to use scientifically proven and
approved agricultural practices. American
farmers feel this will give them state pro-
tection from special interest groups.
Could this concept be applied in Cana-
da, federally or with agreeable provinces
that still accept sound science principles?
This is something to think about
because Alberta farmers also use neon-
ic seed treatments for crop protection
with no negative reports. This proactive
approach has broader positive implications
in that it could provide a covering from an
activist agenda on usage of scientifically
accepted agriculture practices.
The idea of advocating for modern agri-
culture raises more questions: How do we
move our messages forward during elec-
tion season? How do we make sure that
issues such as protecting producers’ “right
to farm,” agriculture labour shortages, risk
management and transportation remain
up front and centre during an election?
Simple letter writing from associations
or individuals can be effective. Dissemi-
nating an “association platform” of ideas
to each of the political parties in the form
of an open letter released to the media is a
good way to get quality ideas on the books.
Followup is needed in the form of indi-
vidual farmers and associations meeting
with candidates. Plan to attend upcom-
ing public meetings and public political
debates. And have good questions ready to
highlight a proactive agriculture agenda.
If producers are prepared for an elec-
tion, our industry will reap the rewards.
Janet Krayden works for the Canadian
Agricultural Human Resource Council and
lives outside Ottawa. Originally from a mixed
farm near Acme, she specializes in agriculture
communications. Follow her on Twitter,
@CdnAgvocate.
Spring
2015
grainswest.com
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Agat the forefront aheadof federal vote
