TORONTO - On the eve of their organization's 50th anniversary, Ontario's tobacco farmers says they have absolutely no reason to celebrate.
The farmers say they want to stop growing their dangerous crop, and both federal and provincial governments have made it clear they want the farmers to help fuel the province's green revolution.
However, without the $1 billion in transitional funding farmers are calling for they say there's no way to get there.
"We, as tobacco farmers, we are in dire shape _ the worst shape in the 50 years of our history,'' says Fred Neukamm, chair of the Ontario Flue-Cured Tobacco Growers' Marketing Board.
"An exit plan is the only answer for us. We're trapped.''
He says he feels they have a strong case for the $1 billion, especially since government policy directly damaged their livelihoods and they've signalled they are willing to quit growing tobacco.
The situation is especially dire in Ontario, said Brian Edwards, president of the Simcoe, Ont.-based Tobacco Farmers in Crisis.
"Every other province has had an exit program where tobacco growing has stopped,'' Edwards said. "We're the last remaining province with a substantial number of tobacco growers.''
More than 300 current and former growers are expected to attend the annual meeting of southwestern Ontario tobacco farmers Thursday, says board spokeswoman Linda Lietaer.
"Obviously, there isn't enough reason to celebrate in tobacco country at this time,'' she said, adding that's why their organization decided to incorporate their annual meeting with their anniversary.
"The time is such and the environment is such that the situation facing farmers is very grim.''
Federal Immigration Minister Diane Finley will be a keynote speaker at the event, but Lietaer said she's not expecting any significant announcements.
"She will say that she knows that (Agriculture Minister) Minister (Chuck) Strahl is looking into this file closely and that she continues to work with local MPs,'' said a spokesman for Finley, who adds the minister will deliver "greetings.''
Both Lietaer and Edwards said they hoped having a representative close to the prime minister would be a boon to their cause.
"Minister Finley has said she has been working very hard on this file, and after two and half years of lobbying for a reasonable program we're hopeful that an announcement is forthcoming,'' says Edwards.
Since co-founding his organization in 2005, Edwards says he has been lobbying the provincial and federal governments to provide an economic exit strategy, having meetings almost weekly with both levels for years.
Edwards, who farmed tobacco for almost 30 years and whose family has been growing tobacco since 1947, says he sold his own farm in 2004 in part due to the dire conditions.
"The federal and provincial governments say that green energy is the new frontier that we should be looking at. That's fine. Where are the plants? We need transitional funding,'' says Edwards, who says the money would help tobacco farmers pay off debt so they could invest in other crops.
He says energy-heavy plants including sweet potatoes, sorghum and green grass are all alternative sources that could be used in ethanol production and would not compete with local food-producing farmers.
"But how do we get there?'' he says.
"When you're in debt you can't get into your next project. What bank is going to lend you money when you're already in such a precarious position?''
