Challenges in Local Farming

As we near the end of this decade, Woolwich farmers face increasing pressure from rising land prices and input costs. Huge changes in the market and in the methods of farming keep farmers on their toes; just how farmers will adjust and survive these changes is hard to say. One big change is the genetic make-up of crop seeds. Another change that will affect Woolwich’s many dairy and ‘feather’ (poultry and egg) farmers is the shift away from quotas.

For the past 34 years milk production has been monitored by the dairy board in a quota system to stabilize prices by discouraging over production and dairy imports. Now, the Canadian government is phasing out the quota system and replacing it with tariffs. Tariffs mean, for example, that there will be no limits on the amount of milk the United States exports into Canada,as long as it pays an added price. The plan is to phase out the tariffs gradually until everyone in the world buys and sells to each other without quotas or tariffs. Nobody knows for sure how these changes will affect local farming. Some people fear that a ‘free trade’ system will mean more insecurity for farmers and for the public who will have less control over where food comes from and how it is produced. Other people believe that ‘free trade’ will bring more money to Canada and its farmers. Since nobody knows how the open markets will affect all of us, the best we can do is to educate ourselves about different points of view and to keep informed about the latest information.