Letter: Producers defend ‘baseless’ attacks on supply management

Editor’s note: This letter is in response to an Oct. 5 story from The Canadian Press on rising food costs. You can read that story here. 

Canadians are proud of our nation's unique policy framework that provides families with a steady supply of high quality, locally produced, dairy, poultry and egg products. Canada’s supply-managed sector prevents shortages of products and stability, while avoiding the vulnerabilities of international and foreign supply chains.

We were deeply troubled by the baseless and biased views on supply management by a former Commissioner of the Canadian Competition Bureau (Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne) that were carried in your publication. The views expressed in the article are contrary to long-standing Government of Canada policy.

Supply management balances the market power between many thousands of small family businesses and a concentrated processing and retail sector. The system also ensures stability and an adequate food supply within our country, all while driving economic activity and innovation within all Canadian provinces. 

It’s a system designed to support the interests of Canadians — and it has been doing so for more than five decades. That’s something to be proud of.

David Wiens, President, Dairy Farmers of Canada
Roger Pelissero, Chair, Egg Farmers of Canada
Tim Klompmaker, Chair, Chicken Farmers of Canada
Darren Ference, Chair, Turkey Farmers of Canada