Then why have Canadian farmers been manhandled and sidelined in the name of corporate profits?
All figures below in current $ - not adjusted for inflation
Canadian agri-food exports
1988 $10.9 billion
2002 $28.2 billion
Sounds good right? Thats what they promised...
Canadian net farm income
1988 $3.9 billion
2002 $4.1 billion
WTF? How could that be? Exports almost tripled but net farm income barely moved. Adjust for inflation and net farm income dropped a staggering 24%!!
Farm Debt
1988 $22.5 billion
2002 $44.2 billion
Huh? Exports tripled yet debt doubled? How does that happen if this is supposed to do the opposite? Interest on that debt nearly equals yearly net income!
Wheat - farmgate price
1988 $4.93 a bushel
2002 $4.48 a bushel
Again WTF? Add inflation to all operating costs and we have a bad streak going here...
So what does all that mean? It means Canadians are being forced off their land and out of their chosen employment. Some of those families have roots back to the original settlers of the land. So where is it going?
Flour mills: Canadian ownership
1988 50% of capacity
2002 21% of capacity
Malt Plants: Canadian ownership
1988 95% of cap.
2002 12% of cap.
Grain Handling Farmer owned co-ops
1988 - 4
2002 - 0
Major farm machinery makers
1988 - 6
2002 - 3
Free Trade as promised - "will create jobs and opportunities like never before" Well, the reality and the facts suggest otherwise.
Employment in Agri-processing
1988 - 277,300
2002 - 274,900
Packing plant pay (starting wages)
1988 - $9.38 hr
2002 - $9.65 hr
Adjust the above with inflation and you have... Canadian packers bringing in workers from Mexico because Canadians cannot afford to live off the wages offered.
Is it because the packers are taking less...
Number of hog farmers
1988 - 33,760
2002 - 11,565
Pork Chops: grocery store price
1988 - $6.88kg
2002 - $9.54kg
... So no they are not. Corporate and government policies have reduced the number of Canadian hog farmers by two-thirds yet packers and retailers have increased store prices by 39%. What happened to bigger and more effiecient will equal cheaper prices?
This example is farm related only - I will leave the other segments of the Canadian economy for another day. (their story is no better and in some circumstances far worse!)
All figures below in current $ - not adjusted for inflation
Canadian agri-food exports
1988 $10.9 billion
2002 $28.2 billion
Sounds good right? Thats what they promised...
Canadian net farm income
1988 $3.9 billion
2002 $4.1 billion
WTF? How could that be? Exports almost tripled but net farm income barely moved. Adjust for inflation and net farm income dropped a staggering 24%!!
Farm Debt
1988 $22.5 billion
2002 $44.2 billion
Huh? Exports tripled yet debt doubled? How does that happen if this is supposed to do the opposite? Interest on that debt nearly equals yearly net income!
Wheat - farmgate price
1988 $4.93 a bushel
2002 $4.48 a bushel
Again WTF? Add inflation to all operating costs and we have a bad streak going here...
So what does all that mean? It means Canadians are being forced off their land and out of their chosen employment. Some of those families have roots back to the original settlers of the land. So where is it going?
Flour mills: Canadian ownership
1988 50% of capacity
2002 21% of capacity
Malt Plants: Canadian ownership
1988 95% of cap.
2002 12% of cap.
Grain Handling Farmer owned co-ops
1988 - 4
2002 - 0
Major farm machinery makers
1988 - 6
2002 - 3
Free Trade as promised - "will create jobs and opportunities like never before" Well, the reality and the facts suggest otherwise.
Employment in Agri-processing
1988 - 277,300
2002 - 274,900
Packing plant pay (starting wages)
1988 - $9.38 hr
2002 - $9.65 hr
Adjust the above with inflation and you have... Canadian packers bringing in workers from Mexico because Canadians cannot afford to live off the wages offered.
Is it because the packers are taking less...
Number of hog farmers
1988 - 33,760
2002 - 11,565
Pork Chops: grocery store price
1988 - $6.88kg
2002 - $9.54kg
... So no they are not. Corporate and government policies have reduced the number of Canadian hog farmers by two-thirds yet packers and retailers have increased store prices by 39%. What happened to bigger and more effiecient will equal cheaper prices?
This example is farm related only - I will leave the other segments of the Canadian economy for another day. (their story is no better and in some circumstances far worse!)