The P.E.I. Federation of Agriculture says it's appalled and offended by remarks about complaining farmers delivered by a senior official with the Loblaws supermarket chain who presented a cheque to a Charlottetown Food Bank Tuesday.
"We are appalled at the attitude of Galen Weston Sr. towards farmers," said federation president Ernie Mutch. "When asked why it was that farmers felt they are not receiving a fair price for their product, he said: 'Because they are farmers and farmers feel that way'. The implication that farmers are complaining because they are farmers is offensive."
Weston is the executive chairman of Loblaws which owns Atlantic Superstore on the Island. He said during an interview with CBC "that supermarkets aren't doing that well right now, including our business."
However, federation manager Mike Nabuurs says third-quarter profits for Loblaws, as of Oct. 10 were $189 million.
"Mr. Weston says farmers are complaining because they are not receiving enough for their product simply 'because they are farmers'," said Nabuurs.
P.E.I. is losing farmers at an alarming rate, says the federation, because they are not able to recover their cost of production from the marketplace - including grocery store chains.
"What is even more offensive is that the plight of the farmer is compared to the plight of Loblaws corporation. To suggest that a company which earned profits, in one quarter, of $189 million, is somehow in the same difficult position as many farms across the Island is a clear indication of the lack of true understanding that face agriculture in this province and across the country."
Farm federation upset by Weston comments
Farm federation upset by Weston comments
- Published on December 17th, 2009
- Published on June 14th, 2010
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Staff ~ Farm Focus
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Comments
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- Again?!
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:36:55
Farmers are never happy? How often have we heard that one.
Sounds like an old chestnut for Wayne Easter to gnaw on. -
- kurt
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:36:15
what's really being said here by farmers and I am one, is that there will be no local production if things stay as they are. Everyone we ( farmers) deal with demands to be paid, feed suppliers, equipment dealers, fuel suppliers ,creditors etc. the list goes on. Most commodidies are selling below cost of production, it's not sustainable. If anyone has a concern about food security down the road they better start voicing their concerns now. Canada is losing its ability to feed itself, one farm at a time.
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- kurt
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:31:22
SG from PEI wrote. We can't go bankrupt to keep them in business! I would like to suggest that you may someday starve if you don't. You cannot base your existance on sustanance from away. The bridge closure disrupted supplies coming in on trucks. What if it's not on a truck to deliver? & another tidbit, your mothers advice is correct but also both are derived from agriculture and although vinegar does not attract as well, it does preserve.
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- two stories
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:29:19
I thought that interview was terrible. They come to give $10,000 to our local foodbank and what does the CBC do? Ambush him on a topic that has been done over and over. This didn't help the farmers, but I can guarantee it will hurt local charities, especially the foodbank. Who wants to go and donate money and then be attacked? Also his comment is being taken very out of context above. He never said simply because they are farmers He did say because they are farmers and what he was saying was there are two sides, but farmers are certainly going to push the farmers side. Loblaws are actually free to buy wherever they want and the are actually major purchasers of Atlantic Ag., keep giving bad press like this and they might say, oh well, we might as well just go with the lowest price all the time to be more competitive. The lowest price is not from Atlantic Canada.
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- By Stander
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:28:25
There may be a degree of apathy towards what is happening to our farm population.
The average age of the farm population is in the range of 55 years old and this tells me that there are few new entrants. We are loosing our food production base as succession is not happening in much of agriculture. We do not accept the credentials of Doctor's ,Lawyers, accountants etc; when they come to our country from many overseas places but do we ask Mr. Weston and others like him what standards the food that we import must pass. A lot less of the earned Dollar goes for the purchase of food than even 20 years ago and that is transulating into the loss of local farmers. Mr. Weston's comment was probably addressed to the 97% of our population who consume food but do not produce it. It's good business for him to have that group on side. Do you know that in the last 10 years we have lost 300 registered hog producers on PEI- and many commodities have experienced big declines. -
- kurt
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:25:38
I appreciate where all the posted comments are coming from,being inviolved in farm organizations for over 10 years I have talked to many about a variety of issues . What the consumer doesn't understand is what is happening to agriculture that is beyond farmers control. Before BSE was found in an ALberta cow in 2003 ,finished cattle had reached a price of $2.05/lb hanging weight to the producer and utility beef was $1.17. This week fat cattle hanging at Atlantic Beef Products ,Albany is AA $1.23 and AAA $1.25, utility beef is about 60 cents. Those prices are squeezed down by market pressure from retailers/ international markets. How does the consumer price compare to 2003. There's a problem, farmers are stressed, they can't break even, there is a public mind set that we are a bunch of whiners and that we get huge government subsidies. In 2004 the federal government put 1 billion dollars directly into the beef industry, it worked out to $50 and change per cow while we were losing an average of $350 per calf in the market place. I don't know how to fix it but it can't continue and its' not in the public good to let us all go the way of the dodo, we need a mechanism to get our fair share of retail dollars just like dairy & poultry do.
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- Ashamed of the CBC reprte
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:14:37
I too was totally appalled and upset about the way the CBC reporter handled the interview. It was an outright ambush. I couldn't beleive what I was hearing. And I wasn't the only one who felt this way.
You really blew it this time CBC. Before long, no one will want to be interviewed. I'm sure it also embarrssed the Food Bank and Upper Room Ministry staff and volunteers who were present during the interview.
UNACCEPTABLE
Where do some people get such a sense of entitlement ot others success. So what they made money....Does that mean they have to give it ALL away. -
- To Kurt
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:09:06
Vinegar can only preserve what we can afford to buy.
And just so you know, I buy 85% locally! I buy from the Farmers' Markets, Farmers Outright and Queen St. Meat Market. I NEVER shop at Super Store. But I'm not making Politicians Wages. And when I walk into Sobeys and see a Roast of Island Beef Inside Round or Sirloin Tip for $6 to $8 a lb. and I get a 5lb. Rump Roast at Queen St. Meat Market any day of the week (ISLAND BEEF) @ 3.49 to $3.69 lb. it really makes me wonder who I'm supporting?
I'm only too glad to support Island Farmers and DO but I can't pay those prices! And I'm sure Sobey's buy their Island Meat at a Cheaper Price than Queen St. Meat Market can buy it. -
- SG
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:08:33
I don't believe the P.E.I. Federation of Agriculture and the statement by Ernie Mutch did much to support our Farmers' plight.
I heard Mr. Weston's interview and statement and it didn't come across to me as anything the Federation should be appalled about! I certainly didn't read into it what the Federation and Mr. Mutch did. It was quite apparent Mr. Weston was not given the courtesy of a head's up before having a microphone shoved in his face! Poor etiquette on behalf of the reporter!
If our Farmer's want co-operation this statement is not the way to achieve the same! Loblaws is in the Big Leagues. I think if I was speaking on behalf of our Farming Industry which at present can use all the help it can get, I'd be a bit more diplomatic and alot less condescending!
My mother always told me, you will get more with sugar than with vinegar!
And if our Farmer's would listen to reason they might get ahead! Their Prices are what is killing their industry! Either find a way to make your prices comparable or suffer the consequences!
Islanders' can only support our Farmers to a point. We can't go bankrupt to keep them in business! Island Products are getting more and more expensive! Islanders are receiving the same wages! It's not Rocket Science!
A 10 lb box of Blueberries cost $40 dollars this August! Last year the same box was $30. and they tasted much better and the quality was much better!
Last year I bought two boxes. This year I bought one! Farmers lost $20. on my purchase in being over over zealous! They killed the Blueberry market due to over production! It was a good thing but then everyone decided to get into which drove the prices up and the quality down! Somewhat like our Lobster Industry!
WAKE UP! Just because it's good doesn't mean every farmer has to get into it! We're too small to compete amongst ourselves! I'm losing patience. Such antics only make me less likely to support our Farmers! -
- What's Appalling Is
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:05:50
How quickly some Islanders can interpret a comment as an attack! I didn't hear Mr. Weston say anything against Farmers! The only person that mentioned the word complain was Mr. Mutch.
I don't know why the Reporter would pose such a question to Mr. Weston when he was there to donate to ensure there was food for the Needy and less fortunate in our City!!! Poor Timing and a Poor Place to ask such a question of a man who's on the opposite spectum of the issue!! He's not a Farmer how would he know why they feel their not receiving a fair price?? And why would he care? It's none of his business and not the time or the place to aske the question! That's what was appalling! And of course it only took a few hours before someone had to make a Mountain outta what wasn't even a small hill! ONLY ON PEI! -
- Hillbilly
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:05:42
The federation was 'appalled' by his comment?!? I thought farmers had thick skin. I guess not as that was hardly an offensive remark. Way to focus on the charitable donation Guardian and CBC.
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- Charley
- - June 21st, 2010 at 20:00:15
I can't believe the interview. Mr Weston donated money to the food bank & we nail him. I was totally embarrassed by the interview. Hey, The Gentle Island certainly didn't show up there !!!! On top of that it shows up on Compass. Where are your heads anyway ???
Two stories is right on the mark, I'm embarrassed. -
- Quiet
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:56:12
Why doesn't the rest of Agriculture take its lead from the DAIRY INDUSTRY.
the Dairy Industry has Supply Management which keeps the marketplace from getting flooded, which keeps prices fair, which enables dairy farmers to make a reasonable living. No, none of them are getting rich, but they are making a reasonable living.
And how often do you hear dairy farmers crying for government bailouts? Never.
Agriculture, sit up and take notice. Governments, sit up and take notice. Supply management works. -
- BUDDY
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:46:31
If people only knew how Ruthless Weston , his Family and the Robots working for them really are. They could be buying from a local company one day and have another company come to their door from the U.S. , South America, Australia etc. and offer a lower quality product for a cent cheaper and they would take the deal. At the same time they expect local people to support them . They go out and do their fancy commercials telling us how well they support local product when it is the furthest thing from the truth.
All Weston and his Robots are interested in is the Bottom line and their Bonus's .
Farmers and Local Companies mean nothing to Weston unless their price is cheaper. Plain and simple. Quality means nothing. I will never shop at the Super Stores again. Its too bad more people wouldn't do the same . -
- Coastal
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:46:10
First to Old Tory, I buy Island beef at Sobeys all the time, its the beef in the black foam rather then the white. Now in regards to the interview I too was appalled by CBC taking a good news story and turning it into a political one pitting a owner againest farmers ,shame on you. I also believe the donation was a great one 10,000 is better then 0 and who says he did not donate to a soup kitchen in every province, we are so quick to judge and jump to conclusions and how many of us actually contribute to the Upper room, as the saying goes people in glass houses should not throw stones.
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- OLd Tory
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:45:22
I have never been able to buy Island pork or beef from either Atlantic Superstore or Sobey's, certainly explains why NOFG (Garden Province Meats) wentbroke and the Albany beef plant continues to lose money. Foesn't seem fair that the price of tractors, fuel, seed, lime and fertilizer is dictated to the farmers by multinational corporations and then, even more galling, the price of their pork and beef set by some commodity trader in Chicago. We need to ban the import of all pork and beef to PEI thus forcing all retail chains on PEI to sell our local grown beef amd pork. Who gives a damm about some commodity trader in Chicago.
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- MRA
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:38:10
right on two stories, he also added that he,as a store owner,he thought his prices were too low also.a person can only get what the traffic will bare.
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- Islanders Alone
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:37:59
Farmer's Markets, Buying direct from Farmers can't Preserve Island Farms!
What our Farmers need is GOVERNMENT COMMITTMENT AND SUPPORT! And our Government is turning a blind eye and deaf ear to our Farming and Fishing Industries! If they offer any support it is by way of BandAid solutions which is about as helpful as putting a bandaid on a hemmorghage!
If every Islander on PEI bought only PEI PRODUCTS our Farmers would still be in dire straits! Our population is not large enoug to support our Farmers on our own!
But before ripping Loblaws to shreds are they any worse than Sobeys'? What is Sobeys doing to support our Farmers? And they're a Maritime Owned Chain!
Bottom line in my view is, regardless of which Food Empire Owner your speaking about, you won't get anywhere attacking them! Island Farmers are not in the position to take on Conglomerates like Loblaws or Sobeys! You either play nice or you won't be playing! The ones at the top call the shots and that's just how it is in our doggy dog world. Hence, our Federation of Ag. and Mr. Mutch would fair much better by sticking to the rules of the game.
Some times we have to swallow our pride and put our needs aside for the good of the Whole! And I think this was one of those times regarding Mr. Mutch's comments. -
- Friend
- - June 21st, 2010 at 19:36:13
I too thought that interview was appalling, but from the standpoint of what Mr Weston said and the condescending way he said it.
He gives $10K to the local food bank, which is peanuts for an organization like his son runs, then makes insulting remarks like Because they are farmers and when asked why the farmers couldn't be paid more, says Because we'd have to charge the customers more. He expects people to be so naive as to believe that the supermarket chains, of which there are only 2 main ones in Atlantic Canada, are having a hard time of it.
Perhaps the farmers could be paid a little more and Loblaws take a liitle less profit? A possibility that Mr Weston never even entertained as he talked down to the interviewer.
