Growing The Island Way
In its press release, the Commission on the Future of Agriculture and Agri-food on Prince Edward Island has challenged farmers and food processors to be leaders in a bold new vision of growth, economic prosperity, and environmental sustainability for the Province's largest industry. The twelve-member Commission released a Consultation Draft Report on October 30, 2008 after hearing over 40 presentations, reviewing written submissions, and holding a dozen Commission meetings over the summer and fall. This document will promote discussion, debate, and consensus building at a series of consultation workshops with agri-food system partners scheduled for November 25, 27 and 28, 2008.
Media & Communications
THE COMMISSION ON THE FUTURE OF AGRICULTURE AND AGRI-FOOD ON PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
Commission Sees Opportunity for Prosperous Future in Island Agri-Food Industry
October 30, 2008, Charlottetown, PEI- The Commission on the Future of Agriculture and Agri-food on Prince Edward Island today challenged farmers and food processors to be leaders in a bold new vision of growth, economic prosperity, and environmental sustainability for the Province's largest industry. The twelve-member Commission released its Consultation Draft Report today after hearing over 40 presentations and written submissions, and a holding a dozen Commission Meetings over the summer and fall.
The Commission emphasized both the enormity of the challenge, and the absolute necessity of being successful. They said the current path is not sustainable, and the future outcome will depend primarily on leadership from all partners: industry, governments, the research community, and the community as a whole.
"The Commission members believe, first and foremost, that the industry has a promising future, one characterized not just by survival, but as a source of prosperity for our Island community," said Rory Francis, Commission Co-chair. "But we have to move from a production-driven commodity model of agriculture where we are not competitive, to a market and relationship-driven system of sustainable agriculture," he said.
Co-Chair Dr. Ed Tyrchniewicz said that fulfilling this vision means making changes that result in a more competitive, sustainable, and integrated industry. He said that relationships must be improved among farmers, along the supply chain, between industry and government, between industry and the research community, and between the industry and the public. "The industry must establish a 'virtuous circle' of profitability, progress, and pride. Attitudes and culture can be a major barrier to seizing new opportunity. It's the young farmers, the innovators, and the entrepreneurs that will show the way", he stated.
The Commission has made recommendations in three key thematic areas. To become more competitive, the industry must adopt a market-led culture, using modern market intelligence tools and techniques to make marketing decisions. To become more sustainable, agri-food sector partners should establish a Sustainable Agriculture Working Group to focus on specific environmental challenges and rebuild the relationship between agriculture and the community. To become more integrated, partners in the PEI agriculture and agri-food system should incorporate an industry-led, private not-for-profit company, to be known as the Prince Edward Island Agri-Food Collaboration Inc. The new organization would coordinate, facilitate and monitor the implementation of all of the Commission's 14 recommendations for the future of the industry in PEI.
The Commission proposed specific economic and environmental targets to be achieved by 2015, including GDP growth, pesticide reduction, an increase in farmers under 35 years of age, and a doubling of investment in research and development.
The Commission will hold consultations in late November with farmers and other industry members to develop a broad understanding and consensus for the new vision and the action plan. A final report will be released in December.
Agriculture Commission Says Industry Must Invent its Own Future
July 22, 2008, Charlottetown, PEI- Prince Edward Island farmers have been playing their economic hearts out in a game they can't win. So says the Commission on the Future of Agriculture and Agri-Food established by the provincial and federal agriculture departments to assess the state of agriculture and articulate a vision for the future of the Island's biggest industry.
The Commission, comprised of twelve farm and community leaders, and Co-Chaired by Rory Francis and Dr. Ed Tyrchniewicz, said today that Island Agriculture cannot survive by competing in efficiency-driven commodity markets where largest scale, lowest operating costs, and lower regulatory standards win the day.
"These are not attributes of PEI's agricultural reality," said Commission Co-Chair Rory Francis. "Even with the consolidation in farms and increasing farm size, the economic trends have been very negative for our farmers. And there's no reason to believe that will change unless we change," said Francis.
The Commission believes that Prince Edward Island has great agricultural resources- land and people- and is optimistic that new higher value relationships between PEI agricultural producers and the marketplace can be identified.
The Commission has held three meetings since it was established in May, and has now released a "State of Agriculture in PEI" Report - a snapshot of the industry and the external factors that are influencing it. The Commission is inviting industry organizations and individuals to make submissions on the future of the industry.
"The Commission has reviewed previous studies and reports, including submissions made to the Standing Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Environment, so we have a good sense of the problems," said Co-Chair Dr. Ed Tyrchniewicz. "Our role now is to engage farmers, farm organizations and the public in identifying new options for the future, and a means to get there. But it's clear that a 10 degree course alteration won't put things on the right track."
The State of Agriculture Report points out that there are at least two kinds of farms on PEI: about 640 farms with a gross income of more than $100,000 and about 1100 smaller farms that are often heavily dependent on off-farm income. While both are important to the socio-economic fabric of the province, over 80% of agricultural production comes from the larger farms.
"A farm grossing even $500,000 constitutes a small business," said Francis. "Only farms of that scale have been increasing in numbers over the past 20 years and recently the net income of even these larger farms has often been negative. So we're not winning against the bigger international players in the commodity market game."
The agriculture sector has been plagued in recent years with low market prices, particularly in the potatoes, beef and swine sectors. Farmers feel powerless as price takers, not price makers, while consumers benefit by spending less income than ever on groceries from retail shelves, from sources around the world.
The Commission has invited submissions from farm organizations, processors, retailers, and interested members of the public, asking for responses to six questions on future directions. The questions and the submission process are detailed on the Commission website at www.peiag.com.
The Commission will meet through the summer, and is expected to submit a draft report by mid-October.