Confusing forms, bad customer service and excessive government regulations are leaving Canadian farmers feeling burnt out, and the problem is getting worse according to findings released today by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB).
“While governments are great at celebrating agriculture, which is important, what farmers really want is for governments to set them free from excessive red tape,” said Marilyn Braun-Pollon, CFIB’s vice-president for Agri-business.
“At the provincial level, Manitoba’s Ministry of Agriculture has taken some important steps to reduce red tape at the farm gate,” said Jonathan Alward, CFIB’s Director of Provincial Affairs for Manitoba. “The province has removed unnecessary regulatory requirements on the construction of farm buildings, which now more closely align with other Western Canadian jurisdictions. The province also eliminated general prohibitions that limited expansion of hog barns and manure storage facilities, so they are now subject to the same legislation as other livestock sectors.”
A full 93 per cent of farmers believe their regulatory burden is growing.
“Red tape hits home the closest for farmers,” added Braun-Pollon. “A farmer just doesn’t have time to sit on the phone waiting for government to answer questions or fill out piles of confusing paperwork in the middle of calving.”
CFIB is Canada’s largest association of small and medium-sized businesses with 109,000 members (4,800 in Manitoba) across every sector and region.
