Dairy Farmers of Ontario's Mark Hamel at Grey Bruce Farmers' Week. (Photo by Kirk Scott)Dairy Farmers of Ontario's Mark Hamel at Grey Bruce Farmers' Week. (Photo by Kirk Scott)
Midwestern

Dairy Farmers of Ontario board member shares concerns with new trade deal, trespassing act

Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO) considers the Canada, U.S., Mexico trade deal detrimental to producers.

DFO board member Mark Hamel brought an update to Grey Bruce Farmers' Week in Elmwood on Monday.

Hamel said the organization doesn't like provisions allowing an increase in U.S. imports to Canada. As well, they're not pleased with the U.S. ability to effectively cap Canadian exports.

"Definite long term effects that are going to be detrimental to our industry, limiting the amount we can export, giving some of the control over to another country that they can look at our contracts, our exports," he said.

Hamel said Canadian producers will look at ways to expand the market for dairy products in Canada.

Also, Hamel outlined DFO's solid support of a farm trespassing act. The proposed provincial act would levy stiff fines against individuals or organizations that trespass on a farm or interfere in a farm operation to document possible animal cruelty.

"Our producers need to be protected from unwarranted, unjustified, uninvited attendance so that's why we support that bill," he said.

It's expected some animal rights groups will launch a court challenge of the act, claiming it's unconstitutional.

Grey Bruce Farmers' Week in Elmwood continues through Thursday. Tuesday is Beef Day, Wednesday Ecological Day and Thursday Crops Day.

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