Status of Resolutions Carried at the March 2007 ABM

Status of Resolutions Carried at the March 2007 Annual Business Meeting

Risk Management Program (RMP)
	THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Boards keep pushing to get a fully funded RMP. STATUS: The Ontario Grains & Oilseeds Safety Nets Committee was pleased with the McGuinty government announcement of the Province's commitment (40 percent share) to a three-year pilot of a Risk Management Program (RMP) for the grains and oilseed sector starting with the 2007 crop year on June 8, 2007. On August 22, 2007, the McGuinty government reaffirmed the Province's commitment to a three-year pilot of an RMP and released some details of the program. The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and Agricorp continue to work together on the program delivery details. Details are now available on the Agricorp website (www.agricorp.com). The commodity groups and Farmers Feed Cities! websites have links to the RMP information on the Agricorp website. A commitment from the federal government is still required to achieve a fully funded RMP.
	THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the OCPA continue to lobby for the Risk Management Program. STATUS: Refer to the status of the first resolution under "Risk Management Program (RMP)" (above) and under "Regional Flexibility" (below).
	THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the OCPA lobby the Ontario Government to provide adequate funding to implement RMP as proposed by the G&O Group. STATUS: The RMP that is being implemented is essentially identical to what the G & O groups originally proposed. The Ontario government has committed to covering their traditional 40 percent cost share of the program.
	THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the OCPA continue to work towards having a Risk Management Program in place for the 2007 crop year. STATUS: The Ontario government has committed their traditional 40 percent cost share to a three-year pilot of an RMP beginning with the 2007 crop year. A commitment is still outstanding from the federal government to fund the remaining 60 percent of the RMP.
Cost of Production (COP)
	THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the grains and oilseed organizations develop the current and accurate Cost of Production (COP) numbers based on Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) (including all necessary line items) so that the RMP price options or equivalent programs can be adjusted on no less than a semi-annual basis. STATUS: The RMP that has been implemented is nearly identical to what the Grains & Oilseeds Safety Nets Committee proposed just over two years ago. An Advisory Committee has been struck to look at many aspects of the program in order to make improvements where necessary. This would also include the support prices which are based on COP information.
Regional Flexibility
	THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that OCPA continue to lobby the Federal Government to follow the Fredericton Funding Formula to give Provinces flexibility to adequately fund Companion Programs. STATUS: The Ontario-Quebec Grain Farmers' Coalition (a coalition of the Ontario Grains & Oilseeds Safety Nets Committee and Federation des producteurs de cultures commerciales du Quebec (FPCCQ)) has been lobbying the federal government for a federally funded income support program that provides regional flexibility which would give grains and oilseeds producers long-term income stability and predictability until international subsidy issues are resolved through the World Trade Organization. Regional flexibility will enable governments to effectively target agricultural funds to meet the diverse needs of farmers (ie. RMP).
Canadian Agricultural Income Stabilization (CAIS) Program
	THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that since CAIS is a program for the sole benefit of the producer and not intended to keep provincial employees off EI, that Agricorp be reminded of that and the threat and penalty line be entirely removed, that Agricorp adhere to their deadlines and resolve all disputes before setting and demanding producer deadlines, that a third option be available to producers - an annual fee of $55 for administration and completion of required paperwork keep a producer account active in the program and that the .45% fee be deducted from any CAIS payout, if ever triggered. STATUS: OCPA has taken this resolution under advisement.
Farm Support Spending
	THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the OCPA work with soybean and wheat boards and request the provincial (Ontario) and federal government auditors examine farm support spending and report the actual dollars received by producers, the actual amount recovered and examine the process under which the recoveries have been made. STATUS: OCPA has taken this resolution under advisement.
Production Insurance
	THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that OCPA puts pressure on Agricorp to come up with a compensation package or make a yield adjustment for those farmers with high toxin corn and come up with a simple way of testing and compensation for crops with high toxin levels, so Agricorp can make a quick decision to harvest or plow down, and come up with some guidelines or policy. STATUS: The OCPA Agricorp Action Team has met with Agricorp and has been working on options to resolve this issue. OMAFRA's corn specialist, Greg Stewart, is co-ordinating some research that will try to provide some of the missing information on the toxin issue.
Audits
	THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that a full and immediate "value for service" or "value for dollars spent" (but not limited to) audit of Agricorp and the CAIS program be demanded by the boards as a first step in remedying their failure to meet the safety net goals as set out by the Ag Minister. STATUS: This resolution was referred the Ontario Grains & Oilseeds Safety Nets Committee for their consideration.
Greenbelt Act
	THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the immediate ordering of an "Economic Impact Study"(funded by the Friends of the Greenbelt) specific to "Agriculture in the Greenbelt Area" address the disproportionate economic and restrictive burden that has been down-loaded to these agricultural lands with no economic reconciliation, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution be circulated through the local rural municipalities (ROMA) MP'S and MPP'S and GFO'S for further support. STATUS: This resolution was referred to the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario and National Farmers Union for their consideration.
Crop losses due to wildlife
	THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Wildlife Protection Act be amended to compensate affected Grain & Oilseed producers. STATUS: This resolution was referred to the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario and National Farmers Union for their consideration.
Own Use Seed
	THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the OCPA work with the wheat and soybean organizations to continue to lobby for the right to use their own seed. STATUS: OCPA has taken this resolution under advisement.
Longer Hunting Season
	THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that hunting season be open longer and farmers with special permits be allowed a higher limit or no limit per day. STATUS: OCPA has taken this resolution under advisement.
Own Use Imports
	THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that farmers be allowed to continue to import chemicals for their own use. STATUS: OCPA is supportive of the Own Use Import (OUI) program being extended for a minimum of three years and if necessary, indefinitely thereafter until the Grower Registered Own Use (GROU) program is proven effective to OCPA members.
Glyphosate Susceptible Seed
	THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the OCPA lobby Ontario seed suppliers to maintain a supply of high yielding Glyphosate susceptible varieties. STATUS: This resolution was referred to the Canadian Seed Trade Association for their consideration.
Check-off
	THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that OCPA tries to make an arrangement with the organizations in Quebec that collects the check-off dollars to put regulations in place to collect Ontario's check-off and transfer it to OCPA. STATUS: A letter was sent to the FPCCQ for their consideration.
	THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that OCPA support the concept of check-off fees being collected based on Hibred seed corn sales. STATUS: OCPA has taken this resolution under advisement.
MOU Process
	THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Prince Edward, Lennox and Addington be considered in the proposed Region 12 district. STATUS: This resolution was referred to the MOU Committee for their consideration.
	THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that relative to the creation of one Grain and Oilseed Organization for Ontario, we support the idea of a Producer Plebiscite. STATUS: This resolution was referred to the MOU Committee for their consideration.
	THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the new Board of Directors of the new organization make a French language meeting in District 1 a Board policy. STATUS: This resolution was referred to the MOU Committee for their consideration.