The president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture says it would be good for the province if cabinet ministers followed the example of the OFA board and toured various agricultural sectors.
Don McCabe is wrapping up a tour of Chatham-Kent today with a supper this evening hosted by Mayor Randy Hope and other municipal representatives.
McCabe points out that both the federal and provincial governments are working on the future of their agricultural policies, so now would be an ideal time. He says that with more than 200 crops grown in the province, attention is needed by more than the Minister of Agriculture.
"They acknowledge that agriculture is the number one industry from the perspective that it is a $36-billion industry, but that's just a number until you see the people's lives and the passion for what they do," he says. "It's a cornucopia of opportunity, and I think Chatham-Kent and this region of the world because of its climatic zone and geographical location can certainly bring a lot to the table."
McCabe says labour and environment ministers, for example, need to understand more about agriculture's needs but also what it can do to help move the country's economy forward.
Story by Simon Crouch, BlackburnNews.com contributor.
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