Are the Small Flock Farmers playing chicken with Ontario's new
Premier, Kathleen Wynne?
Premier Wynne has decided to take on the Ministry of Agriculture
& Food ("OMAF") portfolio in addition to her duties as
Premier. That decision may be the acid test for defining the
difference between the former regime of McGuinty, and the new
Premier Wynne.
The Small Flockers didn't waste any time in ruffling the feathers
of Premier Wynne by pressing their longstanding issues with the
new Minister of OMAF.
One Small Flocker, Glenn Black from Providence Bay Manitoulin
Island said,
"Premier Wynne stated that the rural and farming communities
need to be listened to, and that their voices count. We take
her at her word. Now is Premier Wynne's opportunity to
demonstrate her solidarity with that community, as well as all
the consumers of poultry in Ontario. Now is the time to act."
There are over 13,000 Small Flock Chicken Farmers in Ontario.
Under Ontario's Supply Management system, they are only permitted
to raise up to 300 meat birds per year. The Small Flockers are asking
that this limit be raised to 2,000 birds, and to be given back the
right to raise, slaughter, and sell their poultry from their farm
gate. Farm gate meat sales were banned in 2005 unless those birds
were slaughtered and inspected by a government licensed abattoir.
Many areas of Ontario have no government licensed abattoir that
processes poultry, thereby placing them in a Catch-22, shutting
down the farmer's opportunity to raise a flock and earn a living.
Various food banks and "Eat Local" food advocacy groups want more
locally grown foods such as poultry to be available. Small Flock
Farmers, spread far and wide throughout Ontario, meet that
definition, and are ready to serve that need for locally grown
food. Practical Farmers of Ontario, a family farm advocacy group,
is also supporting these efforts.
On behalf of himself and all Small Flock Poultry farmers, Glenn
Black has sent a letter to Premier Wynne detailing how farm-gate
poultry sales can occur, while minimizing any food safety risks.
This farmer's group believes that farm gate poultry sales will
offer chicken to Ontario citizens that is equal or better quality
and food safety than what is currently available in grocery
stores.
A blog to communicate, discuss, and advocate for the civil rights and important role Small Flock Poultry Farmers can play (and should play) in Canadian Society. Small Flockers are on the side of justice & truth, and against privilege & power. Unfortunately, the more we compromise with privilege and power, the more we reduce the capacity for truth and justice.
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