From Grain Farmers of Ontario
The risk management program (RMP) for Ontario farmers will remain intact for 2018.
In a letter from the Honourable Jeff Leal, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Grain Farmers of Ontario was notified that the ministry will not proceed with interim changes to RMP. For 2018, this program will remain unchanged as the federal suite of business risk management programs is under review.
“We support the decision by the Minister to leave Ontario’s existing risk management program in place for the next crop season,” says Mark Brock, Chair of Grain Farmers of Ontario. “An interim revision to RMP at this stage would create confusion for our farmer-members and we are pleased the Minister put this on hold.”
With the federal review of business risk management underway, it makes sense that the ministry delays the update to the provincial program at this time. Ontario’s RMP should complement the federal suite, ensuring both programs work together. The Minister, in his letter, confirmed that the ministry will maintain the funding of $100 million throughout the evaluation of the RMP program and any resulting changes.
“Grain Farmers of Ontario is a founding member of the AgGrowth Coalition and is committed to delivering both a federal and a provincial solution to risk management that works for farmers,” says Brock. “We are pleased that the Minister has acknowledged our active participation in this review process and are confident that appropriate risk management options will be available for farmers in the near future.”
The comprehensive review of the federal suite of programs was announced in July at the federal-provincial-territorial meeting with support from all provincial agriculture ministers. The first draft of the federal program revisions is expected in 2018.
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