The federal Liberals’ agriculture critic was in Chesley on Thursday night to speak with local party supporters about issues facing farming in Canada.
PEI-MP Wayne Easter was speaking at a Liberal fundraiser held at the Klages Mill.
Easter says US Country of Origin labelling regulations have drove Canadian pork prices down seriously and the Harper government hasn’t followed through with its promise to challenge them at the international level.
He says government support for struggling pork and beef producers needs to change.
Easter says the Liberals will grudgingly support legislation being introduced on Monday that will allow for more loans under an existing program, but doesn’t believe adding more debt to cash-strapped producers is the solution.
He says the H1N1 virus and its recent spread to one Alberta farm has compounded the problems in the pork industry because of the fear factor it has created.
Easter says prices fell over 20 dollars in the past ten days. He says if it costs 150 dollars to raise one hog, and the farmer only gets 117 dollars for it, they won’t be able to survive for long, especially when prices have been already declining for some time.
Local pork producers were also meeting with Easter to discuss issues facing their industry.
Wilma Jeffray, Chair of Ontario Pork says the industry has had its share of problems lately, including H1N1, and she was hoping to discuss those concerns with Easter.
Jeffray says the public seems to be accepting the idea that H1N1 is a human health and not a food safety story and is pleased that the World Health Organization has backed up that case.
Easter, a former Liberal Agriculture Minister, sits on the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food, Chaired by Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound Conservative MP Larry Miller.
Easter says he and Miller have a fairly good working relationship, but it can get testy at times.
Easter says one recent example of concern is how the witnesses who appear before the committee are selected.
He has recently introduced a motion to have the steering committee of one Conservative MP and three opposition MP’s select the witnesses who appear before the main committee because he believes the witnesses are becoming too partisan with the Conservatives under Miller’s leadership.
Easter says parliamentary committees are generally supposed to operate in a more non-partisan fashion.