Life on the other side of the  St. Lawrence just keeps looking better. Wrote an American farm writer last month: "Only in America can we go into a year with some of the worst drought conditions in 17 years and come out looking pretty good, revenue-wise. Even 2006 futures look like attractive sells given the carry in the market. You have got to love this country."

This side of the border, when it comes to business, crop farmers don’t have a lot to love. A truck load of corn worth $4,400 to an Ontario farmer would be worth $7,421 if he were in the United States. Without a rich U.S. treasury and lack of political will here, we are entrenched in a cheap food policy that gives a corn producer 7 cents on a $4.50 box of Corn Flakes. To make matters worse, Agriculture Canada predicts negative income on average for Ontario farms in 2006. Not surprisingly, a farmer arrived at a Feb. 21 demonstration in front of the Department of Agriculture’s head office in Ottawa with a sign saying, "Index MPs’ wages to farm income."

"I’ve been in this job for two weeks. I need a little more time." Ag Minister Chuck Strahl told the crowd in his defence. He was interrupted twice by shouts. Even Ontario Federation of Agriculture vice-president Geri Kamenz pointed a finger when he got his chance to speak. "Are you our minister of agriculture? Or are you just another minister of agriculture?"

Strahl might be new at the job but his party has known for more than one year that the current support program, known as CAIS, is not working. There’s no built-in protection against multiple years of crop failure.

The Ontario Corn Producers Association general manager Brian Doidge says if a working plan is not ready by early March, the countryside will explode in anger. This is not too soon. Despite rally fatigue, creative protests are being discussed and should be encouraged. A definite plan of action is necessary. While the new government decides what the future holds, there’s nothing like consequences to force a hand.