by Ann Slater
April 24, 2006

On March 23, EFAO, the National Farmers Union and the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario sent a joint proposal to the board of the Chicken Farmers of Ontario (CFO) requesting an exemption for farmer direct to consumer marketing of chicken. Below are a few excerpts from the proposal. If anyone would like to see the full proposal please contact me.

"We would like to emphasize our stalwart support for supply management and the protection it provides family farmers. Orderly marketing legislation prevents farmers from having to deal directly with powerful transnational corporations in a very competitive industry....This proposal is not an attempt to undermine supply management, but an attempt to strengthen it through timely improvements. We believe it is an opportunity for supply management to be seen as inclusive, rather than exclusive."

"We realize the new allocation agreement between the Chicken Farmers of Ontario and the Association of Ontario Chicken Processors, which is scheduled to take effect in A-72, does address some of the specialty production issues in the province. However, we feel that simply eliminating the minimum farm size does not address the concerns of those who have a market for a small volume of chicken that is grown in a different manner especially if they are required to buy quota."

"Our respective organizations have agreed that a farmer direct to consumer marketing exemption would be based on the following conditions:

1. Level of Exemption:  The maximum number of birds allowed per year would be 500.
2. Licensing Fee:  Producers would pay CFO a reasonable licensing fee. This would be on a cost recovery basis for CFO to administer the program as well as any agreed upon HACCP program.
3. Terms of Exemption:  Chickens must be sold directly to consumers from the farm gate or a Farmers' Market. Chickens sold at a farmers' market must be sold by the same farm that raised the chickens. All chickens mst be legally processed at licensed facilities.
4. Enforcement of Exemption:  Small lot chick sales would be registered at the time of purchase and recorded to specific farm locations. This information would be recorded in a database, with locations over 500 bird per year limit immediately red flagged and followed up on.
5. Small Flock Committee:  CFO would form a 'Small Flock Committee' to help deal with further issues around the exemption as they arise."

"We see an opportunity to grow the market for chicken rather than a threat of displacement of supply managed chicken. If despite these presumptions, an unexpected negative effect was being experienced by mainstream quota holders, CFO and the Small Flock Committee would have a mandate to negotiate an adjustment to the exemption program to minimize that negative effect. This is a great opportunity for CFO to have some positive public relations stories about family farms and alternative markets."

As of April 24, we have had no reply from the CFO board. A number of EFAO members, have in recent years purchased small amounts of quota to produce certified organic chickens. Many of these members are marketing their chicken direct to consumers from their farm gate or farmers  markets. As we continue to push for a quota exemption for direct marketed chicken, I hope we will keep the small flock quota holders in mind, as the exemption may have an impact on their livelihoods.