The panel discussion at the 13th Annual Beef Industry Convention produced another lively exchange of opinions on issues likely to affect the beef business during the next year.
This year’s panelists were guest speakers Bruce Vincent, Alex Avery (director of research and education at the Hudson Institute’s Center for Global Food Issues) and Globe & Mail political columnist Jeffrey Simpson.
Given the expertise of the three panelists, the discussion provided some unique insight into the current political scene in North America, including the Tea Party movement in the U.S.
“Agriculture has a number of contextual challenges. The environment is one,” noted Simpson as he set the stage for the first question. “What is the best way for agriculture to get its concerns and messages before the public and those that make decisions in our two democratic systems?”
Bruce Vincent said the sector has to position itself as part of the solution to the economic and social problems that people worry about. He suggested that agriculture can lead the way by showing how it can generate new wealth by adding value to a natural resource.
“So commodity production ought to be presented as a macro solution to our economic problems,” said Vincent. “We’re also the green answer. Take the leadership of that discussion from those that are posers because they’re not environmentalists…they’re business people that have found a very good niche market for beating the crap out of us. We should own green.”
In his response, Alex Avery said one of the big things agriculture can do is “to get out of your own way,” particularly when it comes to protecting subsidy programs that end up blocking future trade opportunities.
Another highlight of the discussion was the emergence of the “Tea Party” movement and its potential ramifications for Ontario. Avery and Vincent said the rise of the Tea Party stems from Americans’ frustration over the failure of politicians from both parties to move the country forward.
Both said the movement is strong and is not likely to go away any time soon. “The Tea Party was a gotcha moment for the establishment,” said Vincent. “What the gotcha movement ends up doing I’m not positive. It depends on the leadership of the party and (how) it begins to institute itself into policy.”
Offering a Canadian perspective, Jeffrey Simpson said the political situation is demonstrably and fundamentally different on this side of the border. “There’s no Tea Party here or no Tea Party movement,” said Simpson, who then discussed the national implications of the election of Rob Ford as the mayor of Toronto.
Simpson said much of the post-election commentary focused on Ford’s rise as a conservative populist who was going to clean house at city hall. After checking the results of the municipal elections across the country, Simpson said he couldn’t find another Ford-like figure who was elected mayor.
Whether or not Canada will see a similar movement, Vincent said the angst people are feeling can provide an opening for sectors like agriculture to get involved in the discussions.
“There’s an institutional change at home, which again, is a huge opportunity for us (in the commodity industries) to weigh in as part of the solution, if we can get engaged in the dialogue,” said Vincent.