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5. As governments everywhere
become cash strapped and government consulting
services to farmers disappear, where can
producers turn?
In Quebec, the major farm group teamed up
with the government to produce an agreement
to keep farmers up-to-date and in control
of their destiny.
In the past ten years, many producers have
seen visits from provincial government agriculture
advisors drop to nothing. Budget restraints
have left many without the advice, research
and training they once enjoyed.
Yet, consulting has an important role in
helping farmers stay competitive. While
information on the Internet has filled some
of the gap and private consultants are readily
available, many farmers need personal, affordable
guidance. In Quebec, a new partnership has
been developed between the province's largest
farmer group and the provincial government
for a joint strategy.
Gatien D'Amours, a Quebec dairy farmer,
is Vice President of the Union des producteurs
agricoles (UPA) and is proud of the UPA's
1998 agreement with Quebec's agriculture
ministry MAPAQ (ministère de l'Agriculture,
des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation
du Québec).
Since it was signed, the agreement has become
a model studied by the rest of Canada.
The agreement provides for a diversity of
services linked to research and training;
accessibility for all commodities in all
regions; a global approach by teams of experts
and user involvement. Both the UPA and provincial
government fund the agreement but most importantly,
stresses D'Amours, farmers have a say in
determining the direction of
the consulting services to meet their needs.
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 Gratien
D’Amours
2nd Corporate Vice-president of the
Union des producteurs agricoles du
Québec
In a context of cutbacks and budgetary
restraints, is it possible to think
of expanding access to new services
and thus permitting better distribution
of agricultural information and advices?
A leading player in this project,
Mr. D’Amours will explain to
us how the UPA and MAPAQ have combined
their efforts to develop a joint consulting
proposal. This partnership is intended
to make the current resources more
available and more efficient through
the harmonization and complementary
nature of the existing services.
A committed producer, Mr. D’Amours
operates a dairy farm in Trois-Pistoles
in the Lower Saint Lawrence region
of Quebec. He has been very active
in agricultural unionism since the
early 1970s. Among other things, he
held the position of president of
the Fédération de l’UPA
du Bas St-Laurent for nearly ten years
before being elected to the executive
committee of the UPA. |
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