COLUMN: On Parliament Hill – If you ate today thank a farmer

You may have heard the expression, “If you ate today, thank a farmer” or its close cousin, “strong farms, strong Canada”. Both capture a simple truth: farmers sustain us.

In recent years, some political commentators have been enlightening Canadians that grocery stores don’t grow food – farmers do. Shelves don’t sprout carrots or wheat; stores simply hold the harvest that the farmer has produced and delivered. Here in Provencher, we see this reality firsthand. Long before food reaches a shelf, farmers in our region are putting in the long days and hard work that make our meals possible.

That’s why it should matter deeply to us when Statistics Canada reveals a sharp and troubling decline in farm income for 2024. After nearly a decade under Liberal leadership, farming is becoming increasingly economically unviable, our food security is more fragile, and Canadian producers are losing their global edge.

In 2024, net farm income fell by $3.3 billion—a staggering 26 percent drop. Our province of Manitoba was among six provinces reporting the steepest decline in crop receipts.

At the same time, farm debt surged by 14.1 percent in 2024—the largest annual increase since 1981. Rising operating costs, now reaching $78.5 billion, are up another 2.5 percent year over year. These financial pressures are not happening by accident; they are the product of deliberate Liberal policy choices.

You’ve heard me often reference the cost of the Liberal industrial carbon tax and how it contributes to the rising costs of inflation. The latest Liberal Budget only worsens things, hiking the fuel tax by another 17 percent. These mounting costs hit Canadian farmers, truckers and families alike – making it more expensive to grow food, ship food and consume food.

Tariffs add yet another barrier. Canola, peas, lentils, pork, beef, seafood and other Canadian products face tariffs as high as 100 percent in some markets. Despite the prime minister’s repeated claims of being a “master negotiator,” he has missed three of his own trade deadlines. And with each of his numerous overseas trips, trade barriers seem to rise rather than fall.

This is more than economic mismanagement – this is a food security crisis. When farmers are burdened by added taxes, unpredictable tariffs, and failed government policy, every Canadians pays the price. When farmers struggle to survive, Canadians struggle to eat.

Four out of five Canadians have stated that food is their single biggest financial burden. Food banks are seeing record demand.

Conservatives believe that agriculture is a cornerstone of our economy and our country. We stand with Canadian farmers, ranchers and producers. As shadow minister of agriculture John Barlow put it, “We will continue to fight for lower costs, real market access and trade deals that deliver tangible wins for our agricultural sector.”

The truth is simple: when farmers prosper, the nation prospers. Farmers safeguard our food supply. But when the farmer suffers, trade deals don’t materialize and taxes become prohibitive, Canadians suffer.

Supporting our farmers isn’t just an agricultural issue-, it’s a national imperative.