Correction to Chicken Lobby Claim

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Author: Jenn Kucharczyk

Posted: March 6, 2015

Categories: News from Sustain Ontario / The Meat Press

chicken-430x430As a convener of policy conversations across sectors, regions and scales, Sustain Ontario has taken a leading role in bringing together stakeholder groups on many food and farming issues.

Recently, in an attempt to provide a venue for greater dialogue, Sustain Ontario has been assessing the feasibility of bringing together relevant associations to discuss the possibility of supply management reforms within the Ontario Broiler supply chain. A recent article published online by Ontario Farmer magazine misrepresented the Alliance’s activities by suggesting that Sustain Ontario has joined a lobby of small flock poultry owners in advocating for change. (See “Sustain Ontario joins chicken lobby.” Ontario Farmer, March 6, 2015.) Sustain Ontario is not organizing or affiliated with any petitions to Prime Minister Stephen Harper or Premier Kathleen Wynne on the issue. Sustain Ontario’s Flocking Options campaign provides a postcard with a message about supply management reform, which is directed to the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission.

While Sustain Ontario has long requested some measure of reform within the supply managed system, we understand the difficulties involved in change management and are working to understand the diverse perspectives on this issue. To allow for greater dialogue on growth allocation in Ontario’s chicken market, Sustain Ontario is planning to host a constructive and respectful conversation on supply management innovation on the heels of the consultation process led by Chicken Farmers of Ontario, the Association of Ontario Chicken Processors and the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission.  We are inviting all relevant associations across the supply chain to participate and will ensure a well-facilitated and well-rounded conversation.  We look forward to helping build more inclusive solutions in a complex supply managed system.

A tentative date has been set for early April and we will be circulating invitations soon.  This event will be invitation only.

Please see our blog for a review of Sustain Ontario’s position on Supply Management. Visit the Flocking Options website for a summary of recent news related to chicken supply management in Ontario.

Please contact Sustain Ontario’s Director Carolyn Young with any questions or concerns at carolyn@sustainontario.ca or by phone 647-839-4030.