Soil erosion was rampant and the quality of farm produce deteriorated, he said. That heavy dependence hurt the economy, it hurt the government and it hurt the farmers. Solomon was one of several speakers invited to the Brandon conference to stir discussion about ways to improve farm and rural economies. He told producers there is an enormous wellspring of appreciation in Toronto toward farmers. But he cautioned that public attitude is fickle.
Consumers are looking for quality, choice and an assurance the food they eat is safe.
They also are paying more attention to how farming affects the environment. Scrutiny follows events such as the E. coli outbreak in Walkerton, Ont., water. Soon there's going to be a lot more concern about farm practices. When that happens, public attitudes will change very quickly. Globalization has shifted power out of the hands of government, said Solomon, and into the hands of consumers.