Kohlman said Prairie farmers have made great strides in diversifying crops, but there is a limit to how far they can go. For example, grains are necessary in crop rotation to maintain soil health, he said. Javier Caceres, an Ottawa-based agriculture expert, said the federal government has no strategic plan for agriculture. There is plenty of money in the food industry, he said, but little of it goes to primary producers because they lack market power. Canadian farmers have good reason to be cynical about calls for diversification, said Bob Friesen, president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture.
Crop diversification requires a massive capital investment.
Shannon Storey of the National Farmers Union said some non-traditional crops are expensive, risky and difficult to grow. She said the major reason farmers' incomes are poor is their lack of marketing power to impose profit margins enjoyed by others in the supply line, such as food processors and grocery chains. Copyright 2001 by The Canadian Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.