Essex County farmers voice packaging concerns to agriculture minister

CTV Windsor: Chris Campbell on packaging There's a growing fear that proposed federal legislation changing the size of packaged food would cripple farmers in Essex County.

Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz met with food processors in Essex County Thursday.

He was in Leamington, Ont., and Kingsville, Ont., to hear concerns about the government’s plan to change packaged food size regulations.

The visit is seen as a positive step toward the security of thousands of local jobs, but local leaders are still concerned that plans to harmonize packaged food sizes with American regulations will shut down operations at processing plants locally and nationwide.

“The farmers are certainly talking about it. Everyone's talking about it at the coffee shops," says Mark Balkwill, president of the Essex County Federation of Agriculture.

Ritz says the meetings went "extremely well". He confirmed that consultations will continue before a final decision is made. He added that the agriculture industry is Canada's largest manufacturing sector and that everyone will have a say.

But there's growing fear in rural Ontario that proposed federal will cripple farmers.

“We want more details on it,” says Balkwill. “We want to know on the larger scope how it's going to affect the farmers right down to the gate, the truckers, everybody else. Everybody's going to get hit by this somehow it sounds like."

Leamington Mayor John Paterson says nearly 3,000 direct jobs will be lost. The issue is that processors will be forced to re-tool their facilities to harmonize packaging with American companies. He says not just processors will lose jobs.

“That does not include the people that service the industry or supply to the industry or supply to the farmers that grow or their suppliers or the trucking firms that are involved," says Paterson.

Balkwill says farmers are worried about losing everything, should size regulations changes come into effect.

“If a nation can't feed itself then you're really at the mercy of the world," says Balkwill.

Kingsville Mayor Nelson Santos shares the concern that local food will disappear from grocery store shelves, only to be replaced with imported international food that doesn't match Canadian standards.

“There's been great pride both from Heinz Canada and Sun Bright and Bonduelle being able to get local product to our shelves," says Santos.

Ritz didn’t meet with the media or the coalition of concerned mayors during his visit.

“We have been snubbed, but at the same time I'm personally okay with that," says Paterson.

Paterson says the minister’s office has extended an invitation for the mayors to meet in Ottawa next month.

A decision on the matter isn't expected until 2014.