Grain Farmers of Ontario unveils awareness campaign on trade impacts

Campaign targets federal election candidates and Canadian voters

GUELPH, ON (September 19, 2019) – Grain Farmers of Ontario, the province’s largest commodity organization, representing Ontario’s 28,000 barley, corn, oat, soybean, and wheat farmers, today launches a campaign to raise awareness of the issues facing grain and oilseed farmers in Ontario from global trade disruptions.

Canada has been trapped in the middle of an ongoing trade war between two of the world’s biggest economies. No other sector has been caught in the global trade crossfire quite like Canadian agriculture.

“The negative impact on agriculture may be unintended, but it is real and it is growing,” says Barry Senft, CEO, Grain Farmers of Ontario. “Grain farming alone helps create almost 75,000 jobs in Ontario and contributes $18 billion to the economy. The costs to farmers of trade disputes could jeopardize these much-needed economical benefits.”

Ontario’s agriculture commodities have been hit directly by trade restrictions and all grain and oilseed farmers, including soybean farmers, have had to endure the economic ripple effects of trade wars between other nations.  It has meant deep uncertainty, disrupted export markets, and battered bottom lines.

“We want the candidates in the federal election to be aware of the issues grain and oilseed farmers in Ontario are facing from the impact of escalating global trade volatility,” says Senft. “We believe this advertisement is the best way to reach out and tell a complicated story to the voters in Canada’s federal election.”

The details of the issue facing grain and oilseed farmers in Ontario and Grain Farmers of Ontario’s election ad can be found at www.grainfarmers.ca.