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Farmers
visit Ottawa to call attention to BSE crisis
TORONTO
– Beef farmers and their organizations will be visiting to Parliament
Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2003 to call attention to the fact
that the BSE crisis, now in its 16th week, is threatening the
very fabric of rural Canada. Farmers will also be calling on the federal
government to take a more active role in bringing the crisis to a close.
“We’re
concerned our national government has presumed the crisis is over now that
some boneless boxed beef exports are allowed to cross the border to the
United States. That’s a long way from reality,” says Ron Bonnett,
President of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA). “Producers of
all ruminant animals a
re suffering.”
“Until
live animals from Canada can be traded with buyers in the U.S., and trade
is fully restored to pre-May 20th rules, our beef producers are
still facing crisis conditions,” says Ron Wooddisse, President of the
Ontario Cattlemen’s Association (OCA). “Beef farmers in Ontario,
alone, are losing an estimated four million dollars per week.”
The
Ottawa rally coincides with the end of the “Cattle Drive to Parliament
Hill”, an initiative that started in Vancouver on Sept. 2 and was
designed to bring attention to the on-going and worsening crisis faced by
Canada’s livestock industry. The “Drive” has moved across Canada as
a demonstration to Canadians of the beef industry’s
appreciation for consumer support and confidence during the crisis.
The
rally on Parliament Hill is scheduled to begin at 12:30 p.m. Bus loads of
farmers are expected to attend from across the province. Organizers look
forward to seeing representatives of all federal parties involved in this
event.
The
“Drive” is in Northeastern Ontario today with stops in Kapuskasing;
Sept. 11 in Cochrane and New Liskeard; Sept. 12 in North Bay; Sept. 13 in
St. Catharines and Stoney Creek; Sept. 14 at Talbotville and Woodstock;
Sept. 15 in Toronto; Sept. 16 in Belleville, Peterborough and Arnprior;
and Sept. 17 on Parliament Hill. Up-to-date details of the “Drive” can
be found on OFA’s website at www.ofa.on.ca.
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Contact:
Ron Bonnett 416-706-1646
(www.ofa.on.ca)
Ron
Wooddisse 519-638-3571
(www.cattle.guelph.on.ca) |
