Easter Speaks at Organic Farm Event Monday, September 10, 2007
(Hunter River, September 10, 2007) Agriculture Critic, Wayne Easter spoke at Homestead Organics, Berwick,Ontario on September 8, 2007. Homestead Organics is celebrating their 10 years of service as a supplier of organic farm supplies to the farming industry.
Easter congratulated Tom Manley and his family for their vision in accepting the challenges and starting Homestead Organics, which today is one of the leading organic farm supply businesses in Eastern Canada. This year alone, they will supply some 6000 tonnes of grain, other farm supplies and services to serve and develop organic agriculture.
"Tom, while not actually producing food himself, provides an extremely important function by providing quality control and processing the feeds that are utilized by industry to produce the organic food that lands on consumers tables," said the Malpeque M. P. "Just like the farmers they work with, the Manley family takes great pride in showing their operations and explaining the story from planting to end product."
"Ten years ago when Homestead Organics took up the challenge to serve the organic industry it was not as popular as it is today. Today organic production is the fastest-growing sector in the agriculture industry and consumers are continuing to demand more products," Easter said. "Moving ahead a huge challenge for the industry will be maintaining local control and ensuring that producers are not open to the exploitation that has disadvantaged primary producers in industrialized farming."
The Liberal Opposition Agriculture Critic continued by emphasizing consumers should be informed on where their food comes from and referred to a recommendation by the all Party Standing Committee on Agriculture tabled in June that stated "the standing committee finds it unfortunate that, under current regulations, the "Product of Canada" and "Made in Canada" designations may mislead consumers when imported agriculture ingredients are used in the manufacture of value-added food products. The committee recommends that the government immediately review the labeling legislation and regulations with the goal of implementing a minimum 51% domestic agri-food content rule that would provide better protection for the integrity of the "Product of Canada" designation.
Easter concluded by stating, "agriculture is an important generator of wealth in this country and primary producers have to be assured of reasonable returns on their labor and investment to ensure rural prosperity into the future.”
Returning
MP: Wayne Easter
Province: Prince
Edward Island
Region: Atlantic
Region
Area: 1 663
km2
Population: 33,796
(2006 census)
Major census subdivisions: Charlottetown*
and Cornwall
Other
electoral districts: Cardigan, Egmont, Hillsborough
Polling divisions: 68
Number
of electors on preliminary list: 25,234
(Elections Canada)
*Denotes that a census
subdivision occurs in more than one electoral district.
The agriculture industry is
a complex and multi-level chain comprising of suppliers,
farmers, processors, retailers and consumers in Canada
and abroad. This industry is a generator of wealth,
key to Canada's prosperity.
As Agriculture Critic, I have the opportunity to
work with industry, primary producers and Parliament
to build a stronger, more vibrant rural Canada and
strengthen our farmer's voice in Ottawa.
