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Your future, our focus.
This year, we have chosen a very fitting theme for
our Annual General Meeting (AGM): Your Future. Our Focus.
One of my goals as President of the Ontario
Cattlemen’s Association (OCA) has been to maintain a positive focus
for not only the Association but for Ontario producers and the
industry in general.
Admittedly, this is difficult at times. Our industry
has faced a number of challenges with no end of issues to be
addressed, and yet I am confident that the current team of Staff,
Directors and Advisory Councillors has the necessary skill set to
ensure that we conquer those challenges.
I also think we have a lot to be proud of, and would
like to briefly review some of the accomplishments over the last 12
months. These include: P1-P2 retroactive inventory adjustment,
negative margin coverage, the Market Access Program (MAP), our
regional marketing initiative, changes in emergency slaughter
regulations, and elimination of supplementary import permits. We
have also achieved changes to the feeder finance program. In terms
of the cash advance for livestock, changes have been made to the
Agricultural Marketing Programs Act, expanding coverage to livestock
to make it eligible for the advance payment program. OCA has been
very active in these discussions, and will administer this program
as delivered through the Feeder Finance clubs. As well, the number
of splits for feeder finance has increased from two to four, and the
total loan limit has been doubled to $250,000.
I am very proud of these accomplishments. The
achievement that I am most proud of, however, is the way in which
OCA is viewed by government and other industry stakeholders. I truly
believe that we are recognized as one of the most professional,
respected and trusted Ontario commodity organizations. This is due,
in large part, to the lobbying approach that your Board and Staff
have taken over the last few years. Along with our 3rd annual
Queen’s Park barbecue in June, we also partnered with Ontario Pork,
the Ontario Veal Association, and the Ontario Sheep Marketing Agency
to host a reception
for MPPs and their staff, in October. Both of those occasions
afforded us the opportunity to meet with a great number of MPPs,
informing them of the issues that face Ontario producers. This isn’t
to imply that we are in complete support of government all the time.
We will criticize when criticism is warranted.
In 2006, we participated, along with the Canadian
Cattlemen’s Association, in three so-called “Fly-in Days” to Ottawa.
During one of the Fly-in Days, we had the opportunity to meet with
the Manager of Stakeholder Relations in the Prime Minister’s Office.
Opportunities like that do not come without first building respect
for the organization.
Another aspect of lobbying is building relations
with other industry partners. Over the last few months OCA
representatives have had the opportunity to go to the annual
meetings of the Saskatchewan Stockgrowers’ Association, Alberta Beef
Producers, Manitoba Cattle Producers’ Association and La Fédération
des Producteurs de Bovins du Québec. Regardless of whether you are a
cow/calf producer in Victoria county or a feedlot producer near
Brandon, Manitoba, the issues you face are similar. It is important
that we know and understand what our sister organizations are doing.
Open lines of communication with our peer groups are critical to
understanding and solving the issues that we face.
This approach also extends into the United States
(US). OCA representatives have had the opportunity to attend various
state meetings as well as the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
annual meeting. It is very important to keep in touch with our US
counterparts, not only because it allows us to establish
relationships, communicate our issues and work with state
cattlemen’s groups rather than against them, it also ensures that
our industry is abreast of US cattle issues that may affect Ontario.
But, these types of lobbying activities don’t come
cheap.
A great deal of time, effort and expense has been
expended to be able to carry out these activities – both
domestically and internationally. I do think, however, that it has
paid – and will continue to pay - huge dividends. Many of the
accomplishments that I mentioned previously are the result of the
approach that OCA has taken when dealing with government. As we move
forward, I believe that lobbying will continue to be of utmost
importance. With a provincial election coming up in the fall, and
the possibility of a federal election almost anytime, it is critical
that we continue to lobby and that we portray ourselves as the
professionals that we are. It is very easy to look
ahead and see all of the challenges and say to yourself “How will I
ever get through this crisis?” The challenges that we face today are
indeed numerous: competitive issues relating to a higher Canadian
dollar and rising feed prices; impacts to producers of new
regulations around source water and the enhanced feed ban; trade
issues with the US and our inability to get back into certain
Asian markets; weather related issues; issues around the Canadian
Agricultural Income Stabilization (CAIS) program and the lack of a
true disaster program, threat of Foreign Animal Diseases - the list
goes on. In trying to determine where our industry
might be heading over the next 10 years, the Board contracted with a
consortium of consultants to undertake a 10-year visioning project.
The preliminary results of this study will be released at this
year’s AGM. While we do not have any control over some of the
challenges mentioned, with others we do. Through this
visioning project we will determine what we can do to make this
industry sustainable, strong and profitable over the next 10 years.
We are also pleased that the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food
and Rural Affairs has agreed to host a seminar/symposium for
industry in an effort to help us achieve the goals that will be
outlined in the project. I am reminded of an
anonymous saying: “Though no one can go back and make a brand new
start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.” I
would encourage you to think of the visioning project in terms of
this quote. Let us look at today as the start of the
next 10 years. Let us take the opportunity afforded us to buy into
the vision, embrace change that will benefit our industry, and be
part of a new ending in 2015. In closing I would like
to thank my fellow Directors for a job well done in 2006, and to
recognize the hard work, dedication and professionalism provided by
OCA’s Executive Director, Dave Stewart, and his skilled and
competent Staff. I would also like to recognize the contribution
made by our Advisory Councillors and County Association officers.
Your ideas and suggestions throughout the year provided useful input
into the Board’s decision making process I would also
like to thank the delegates who take time away from their operations
to be here in Toronto to participate in this important part of the
democratic process. I would like to close with a
quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson: “What lies behind us
and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies
within us”.
I believe that Ontario producers have it within
themselves to conquer those challenges and embrace the vision that
is to be set out before us. Together, anything is possible and we
can move this industry ahead. It has been a great
privilege to serve as your President in 2006.
Ian McKillop
President
Ontario Cattlemen’s Association
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