We're just doing it now in the midst of strong public scrutiny. He says the failure of the talks at the recent World Trade Organization meeting in Seattle was a disappointment for those in the agricultural industry. Everybody is pointing fingers at everyone else. That's not helpful. Griffioen says subsidies need to be levelled so that farmers can all compete fairly.
Canadian farmers complain that subsidies are much higher in the U.S. and other countries.
That coupled with the spotty and strange weather that has plagued both the West and Ontario have created an unusual set of challenges for farmers. For those older farmers without a mortgage or large debt load, the current dip in the market might be survived. But for younger farmers with those heavy debt loads, bad weather or further drops in prices may be devastating. But Garr says the new genetically engineered seeds can be helpful to farmers, particularly those in cash crops, which are experiencing low prices. The problem, however, is public skepticism over the possible harmful effects of consuming foods which have been genetically altered.