In the early 1960's, chicken farmers were in serious financial trouble even though they were growing a product that was becoming increasingly popular and valuable. Business was booming, but not for the farmer. In fact, many were losing their farms because they could not pay their bills. That is why the Government of Ontario allowed chicken farmers to form a marketing board in 1965, one year after British Columbia had formed the first one. Today, all ten provinces have chicken marketing boards and a joint national body called Chicken Farmers of Canada.
Supply management enables chicken farmers to be true partners in a very successful Ontario industry.
However, it should never be forgotten that without supply management and, therefore, the legal authority to regulate production and negotiate prices, Canadian chicken farmers would be in serious trouble, just as they were in the past. That is exactly the situation that exists in the United States where thousands of struggling chicken farmers are demanding legislation that would give them the ability and right to be included as true partners in the American industry. Chicken, turkey, egg and dairy farmers all use supply management to regulate production through the use of quotas. However, price determination differs from commodity to commodity but, in all cases, supply management marketing boards deal strictly with prices paid to farmers. They are not involved in pricing at the wholesale, supermarket or restaurant level.