Grain Farmers of Ontario Chair Mark Brock.  (Photo by Victor De Jong)Grain Farmers of Ontario Chair Mark Brock. (Photo by Victor De Jong)
Sarnia

GFO Asks For Neonic Regulations Comment Period Extension

Grain Farmers of Ontario's chair is worried the government is not taking enough time with it's neonic proposals.

Mark Brock says the May 7th deadline for input through the Environmentally Registry comes at one of the busiest times of the year for the province's grain farmers.

The government has also said it hopes to move forward with the regulations by July 1st.

GFO argues that 7 week window between the end of comments and implementation of the regulation is ten times faster than the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change typically takes to consider less contentious issues that lack much engagement.

Brock says his organisation is proposing a June 30th deadline for comments.

He says that matches up with Agricorp's crop insurance deadline - the date the provincial agency expects crops to be in the ground to qualify for crop insurance.

Brock argues that extension is needed for farmers to have the time to have some thoughtful input on the regulations and time for the government to give some thought to the processing of that input.

A spokesman for Agriculture Minister Jeff Leal points out the consultations on the regulations started in December and included public meetings.

He says many have already provided their comments as part of the consultations and the government continues to encourage people to do so over the coming weeks.

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GFO Chair Mark Brock points out that falls right into one of the busiest times of the year for Ontario grain farmers.

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GFO is suggesting the deadline be extended to June 30th.

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Brock says these deadlines are unusually short for the government and suggests a predetermined outcome.

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