PERTH — Rankled sheep farmers are getting a chance to unload their grievances with their marketing agency.
Their numerous complaints about the Ontario Sheep Marketing Agency will be recorded by The Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission, said OSMA chairman Allan Burn.
He said the commission has asked the 11 districts to answer three questions, paraphrased as follows:
1. What is the key function of OSMA? What, if any, marketing authorities should the board have? Would a different organization, with the power to collect fees, yet focus its resources on promotion, education, advocacy and research serve the industry better?
2. It has been suggested by some that OSMA should focus its efforts on commercial operations and therefore exempt all producers with fewer sheep than this number. What would be the benefit of this? What would be the major shortcomings of this idea?
3. In what ways would you like communications improved? What methods would be most efficient and effective? What information would you like to receive? What is the best method for taking producer concerns to the Board?
The commission will send a staff or board member to each district’s annual general meeting as an observer. The commission will also report the results of its observations at OSMA’s annual general meeting in Guelph in late October .
Burn believes much of the producer outrage has exhausted itself. "Personally, I think things have subsided," he said, adding that producers are now passing their concerns through the commission.
Sheep farmers began complaining about their marketing agency earlier this year, charging that the agency does little or nothing in the way of marketing at a cost to producers of $1.55 per animal sold. Some argued that communication with members is poor. Burn agreed communications was not the best but argued the agency is involved in numerous projects and is a necessary voice for sheep farmers when farm groups meet with political powers.