And then there were two. The Ontario Sugarbeet Growers Association has joined the Canadian Sugarbeet Producers Association, adding its voice to that of its Alberta counterpart.?
The national association once had beet grower members from several provinces, but the demise of the Manitoba association in 1996 re-moved membership there.?
Ontario halted beet production from 1967 until 2002, when it began contracting with American firms and did not rejoin the CSBPA.?
That left only Alberta growers to maintain the organization.?
Alberta Sugarbeet Growers President Rob Boras said Ontario membership is expected to give growers a stronger lobby at the national level. ?
Among beet growers’ concerns are the provisions for Canadian sugar trade within the Comprehensive Economic Trade Partnership deal with the European Union, as well as those contained in the TransPacific Partnership deal. ?
Boras told the Alberta growers’ annual meeting in February that he was hopeful Ontario would agree to join the national body. That came to fruition at the Ontario Sugarbeet Growers Association’s annual meeting last week.
Source: www.producer.com