At the beginning of each year, OCPA directors and staff set priorities for the coming year. The list for 1999 includes the following:

RESEARCH AND COMPETITIVENESS

• Continued efforts to increase financial support of public corn research in Ontario, including increased producer-funded support via a corn seed research contribution and other means.
• Continued cooperative efforts with other farm organizations and private companies to ensure a strong industry voice on research activities affecting Ontario agriculture.
• Continued focus on public research designed to increase the competitiveness and economic well-being of Ontario corn producers, to enhance Ontario corn quality and to develop new and/or expanded market opportunities.
• Continued efforts to eliminate or minimize government regulations (and avoid the introduction of new regulations) which impair the competitiveness of Ontario corn farmers and their customers and impede access to new technology. (Areas of special concern include pest control and biotechnology.)
• Expanded emphasis on no-till (and low-till) corn production with its potential to increase soil organic matter and store transformed atmospheric carbon dioxide.

COMMUNICATIONS

• Continued emphasis on the Ontario Corn Producer magazine and OCPA Internet services (web sites, www.ontariocorn.org and www.corninfo.com, and email services, “What’s corn worth?” and “Here’s an earful!”) as means of communication with members and the rest of society.
• Further development of the corn extension specialist (Greg Stewart) position and functions, co-funded by OCPA, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) and the University of Guelph.
• Further development of the OCPA corn awareness project, designed to better inform Ontario citizens about corn culture and uses.
• Continued major involvement with the “Farmers of Ontario” campaign to maintain/enhance OMAFRA’s budget.
• Continued strong interaction with, and service to, the public media.
• Assembly of information on the history of corn in Ontario.

GRAIN TRADE AND MARKETING

• Producer-run delivery of the grain financial protection program.
• Continued monitoring – with direct intervention, where necessary – of changing government roles and regulations in grain transportation as they affect Ontario corn producers. This includes the access by Ontario-grown corn to efficient, competitive transportation systems (rail, ship and truck).
• Improved means of supplying a continuous, assured supply of corn to large domestic customers, while retaining a good choice of pricing options for growers.
• Increased involvement in the “Millenium Round” of world trade negotiations, expected to formally begin in late 1999. New disciplines on agricultural subsidies and non-tariff barriers will be two major areas of special interest for OCPA.
• Introduce the electronic transfer of corn sales data from corn dealers to OCPA as a means of reducing costs and improving efficiency.

ENVIRONMENT

• Continued strong support for AGCare, the Ontario Farm Environmental Coalition, the National Agriculture Environment Committee and its Working Group on Agriculture and Climatic Change, and the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association.
• Support for research designed to reduce input usage and soil degradation, and to produce new environmentally superior products from corn.

SAFETY NETS

• Maintenance of an adequately funded Ontario market revenue insurance program, at least until comparable programs are eliminated in other directly competing countries and provinces.
• Maintenance of a NISA program designed to address the needs of farmers in Ontario as well as other provinces.
• Improved corn crop insurance, including the introduction of optional unit coverage.
• Continued efforts to correct the imbalance which exists in federal safety net support (and other agricultural spending) for Ontario agriculture compared to other provinces. This includes monitoring any new national disaster program to ensure Ontario farmers are treated fairly.

FARM FINANCIAL PROGRAMS

• Continued support for the Agricultural Commodity Corporation and other efforts to ensure access to low-cost credit for Ontario corn farmers.
• Continuation of the corn advance payment program, including provision for corn stored for on-farm feeding.
• Continued cooperation with the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, and other farm groups, on farm taxation issues.

MARKET DEVELOPMENT

• Continued support for the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association and for the construction of the Seaway ValleyFarmers’ Energy Cooperative plant in Cornwall; encouragement of expansion plans for Commercial Alcohols Inc. plant at Chatham; promotion of fuel ethanol for its environmental benefits, including potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• Encouragement of plans to expand the Ontario production, domestic processing and exporting of high-grade corn for the production of snack, Mexican and other specialty food items.
• Expansion and further diversification of the Ontario corn wet milling industry.
• Continued efforts to serve the feed needs of livestock producers in Ontario and Eastern Canada and the U.S.

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