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Grain Farmers of Ontario is the province’s largest commodity organization,
representing Ontario’s 28,000 barley, corn, oat, soybean and wheat farmers.
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Ontario Grain Farmer Magazine

Grain Farmers of Ontario to Work with Federal and Provincial Governments on DON Programs

Further financial details and next steps still needed

GUELPH, ON (November 28, 2018) – Grain Farmers of Ontario, the province‘s largest commodity organization, representing Ontario‘s 28,000 barley, corn, oat, soybean and wheat farmers, will work with the federal and provincial governments to build programs that help Ontario grain farmers recoup losses from the current high DON levels in corn crisis.

(See: Standing Up for Ontario Farmers)

As more corn is harvested in Ontario, the grain industry is dealing with the highest levels of DON in corn that it has ever seen. Grain Farmers of Ontario is eager to understand the details behind the Canadian Agriculture Partnership assistance funding for programs.

“We are pleased to see the recognition from the federal and provincial governments that this is a unique situation that could have broad impact on the economy and farmers. Although we have yet to see all the end results, we know that the current DON situation is catastrophic for some of our farmers,” said Markus Haerle, Chair, Grain Farmers of Ontario.

“We see this funding announcement as the first step toward finding solutions to the problem, and not just as a band aid to a huge issue. We look forward to working more closely with the provincial and federal governments to define next steps for supporting farmers dealing with this issue,” said Haerle.

Grain Farmers of Ontario asks the federal and provincial governments to provide further details in a timely manner around:

  • Funding amounts for assistance programs
  • Timing for funding and programs
  • Qualification information for programs
  • Timing for initiating AgriRecovery programs

Cash Flow Concerns

Haerle also reminded the governments that there are other issues and programs that need to be taken into consideration, especially those that will help farmers with cash flow, as they face large losses in revenue and need to keep their businesses stable.

Contact

Markus Haerle, Chair – 613 229-8336, marhaerle@gmail.com
Victoria Berry, Manager, Communications – 226 820-6641; vberry@gfo.ca

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Grain Farmers of Ontario
Grain Farmers of Ontario is the province’s largest commodity organization, representing Ontario’s 28,000 barley, corn, oat, soybean, and wheat farmers. The crops they grow cover over 6 million acres of farm land across the province, generate over $4.1 billion in production value, result in over $27 billion in economic output and are responsible for over 90,000 jobs in the province.