Manitoba pork producers are being encouraged to discuss issues of concern to their sector with their candidates in the federal election. Manitoba Pork has identified a range of issues of concern to the pork sector including the creation and defence of trade agreements, addressing trade relations with China, improving business risk management programming and protecting the health of Canada’s swine herd.
Manitoba Pork General Manager Cam Dahl suggests now is the time for producers to engage with candidates of all parties when they come door knocking and when they appear at public events.
We have 14 MPs in Manitoba, or will have after the election, and I would like to see every single one of them, no matter what party they represent stand up and acknowledge and understand how important agriculture is so engage with the candidates.
Almost all constituencies have all-candidates meetings. It would be great if those were full of farmers and that we heard questions and engagement from the floor on agriculture issues so, engage your candidates, go to the all-candidates meetings, raise agriculture.
Again, this is when politicians are listening so if we raise these issues now, they’ll take them back to Ottawa with them after the election. There’s an adage of campaigners that policy is made by people who show up and agriculture needs to show up. We need to be heard by people that are setting the policy and setting the laws and regulations for our industry. If we don’t others are going to be there. Others are going to show up and, if our voice isn’t heard, others will speak for agriculture and the regulation and legislation that will come as a consequence isn’t going to be in the best interest of our industry.
~ Cam Dahl, Manitoba Pork
More information can be found at manitobapork.com.
