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Frustrated grain farmers to demonstrate at two MPP riding offices Friday

GUELPH, ON (May 28, 2015) – As the Government of Ontario continues to rush ahead with its plans to implement proposed regulations that will devastate corn and soybean growers across Ontario, farmers are standing up and fighting to be heard.

“We have been extremely disappointed with how Toronto-driven Ontario’s agricultural agenda has become. Our Minister of Agriculture appears to be taking his marching orders from the Minister of Environment, while Liberal MPPs in ridings where agriculture matters are just sitting on their hands while we get unfairly targeted here,” said Mark Brock, Chair of Grain Farmers of Ontario.

Grain Farmers of Ontario will be handing out ‘wanted’ posters and other materials targeting Liberal MPPs in London and Peterborough as part of an awareness campaign around the government’s refusal to listen to legitimate agriculture concerns.

“The government has put us on a path where we are forced to fight for the life of farming here in Ontario. This issue is only going to get bigger, more divisive, and further compromise this government’s ability to claim any legitimacy in making decisions that impact Ontario’s rural way of life,” said Brock.

Grain Farmers of Ontario will be at the following MPP offices on Friday, May 29, 2015 from 10 a.m. to noon and invite members of the public to join them: 

MPP Jeff Leal 236 King Street, Peterborough, K9J 7L8

MPP Deb Matthews 242 Piccadilly St., London, N6A 1S4

Grain Farmers of Ontario is also encouraging farmers and the public to take to social media to tweet their support using the hashtags #onpoli and #ontag.

Grain Farmers of Ontario wants the province to work with them to address concerns with the government’s approach to restricting the use of neonicotinoid seed treatments in a manner that will benefit pollinators without devastating agriculture — a balance the federal government has attempted to understand and the province has ignored completely. 

Grain Farmers of Ontario

Grain Farmers of Ontario is the province’s largest commodity organization, representing Ontario’s 28,000 corn, soybean and wheat farmers. The crops they grow cover 6 million acres of farm land across the province, generate over $2.5 billion in farm gate receipts, result in over $9 billion in economic output and are responsible for over 40,000 jobs in the province.

Contact:

Barry Senft, CEO – 1-800-265-0550; bsenft@gfo.ca

Mark Brock, Chair – 519-274-3297; cropper01@hotmail.com