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Quebec agricultural producers and farmers from four continents adopt a common position at the WTO
The right of peoples to food sovereignty must be recognized

Longueuil, December 14, 2005 - « All countries must be able to ensure their food sovereignty ».

This was affirmed in a joint declaration signed in Hong Kong on December 13 by the representatives of farmers from 44 developing and developed countries on four continents. The UPA and Canada’s dairy, poultry and egg farmer organizations are among the signatories of the declaration, along with farm organization representatives from West Africa, Asia, Europe and the United States.

Among the fundamental principles put forward in this joint declaration, the third constitutes very clear support for the Quebec and Canadian farming model of supply management. It specifies that: “The trade rules must allow policy instruments that favour food sovereignty and the stability of food supplies and prices, including supply management and safeguards.”.

The text of the declaration explains that less than 10% of agricultural production is actually traded and that the free trade advocated by the WTO will primarily benefit major corporate and multinational operations of developed countries and advanced developing countries rather than the poorer developing countries. The signatories call for the principles they endorse to be integrated into the negotiations and taken into account in the conclusions of the Hong Kong Conference.

The complete text of the declaration can be consulted on the Web site of GO5 Coalition for a Fair Farming Model, Supply Management: www.go5quebec.ca

We should remember that for Quebec farmers, the stakes of the WTO Conference in Hong Kong are enormous, particularly on the issue of maintaining commodities under supply management. Their representatives are monitoring the work of the Canadian negotiators very closely to ensure that no cut-rate agreement is made at this meeting. The Quebec delegation is composed of Laurent Pellerin, President of the UPA, Marcel Groleau, Chairman of the Fédération des producteurs de lait du Québec, Yves Baril, Chairman of the Fédération des producteurs de volailles du Québec, Ghyslain Loyer, President of the Syndicat des producteurs d’œufs d’incubation du Québec and Serge Lefebvre, Chairman of the Fédération des producteurs d’œufs de consommation du Québec.

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