BY KATY LEROUGETEL AND MARIA ISABEL LEBLANC
QUEBEC CITY, Quebec - More than 11,000 farmers demonstrated here April 16, a quarter of all Quebec farmers, in an action organized by the Agricultural Producers Union (UPA), the provincial farmers' organization.

Tractors and other agricultural equipment ringed the demonstration area in front of the National Assembly. "For the right to produce," "Treat us with respect," read several signs. "Does unemployment smell good?" asked another. Quebec Environment Minister David Cliche had angered farmers days before by calling pig farmers "pork barons" and declaring that he would not stink up the Quebec countryside in order to feed ham to the Japanese, nor would he let his daughter get married in a place smelling of manure.

Three main demands were raised at the rally. Farmers were protesting the latitude given to municipalities in applying environmental regulations. They also protested the unilateral decision taken a few months ago allowing margarine to be colored to resemble butter. They voiced concern about the revision of income insurance sold to farmers by the provincial government and 16 percent cuts in agriculture budgets.

"You can't regulate Mother Nature," said Pierre Fabry, a young dairy farmer from Henryville. "When people come to the countryside, they know there are certain things that go on here." He was referring to the mobilizations by residents in rural areas demanding strict limits on the spreading of manure. According to UPA communications director, Sylvie Marier, 95 percent of Quebec pig farms are family ventures. There are five or six industrial-sized pig farms of over 3,000 animals, although none approach the size of those south of the border, she said.

A pork producer who did not want to identify himself, explained that the income insurance was a "double-edged sword." It helps protect producers somewhat from losses. On the other hand, it is expensive and "does nothing to stabilize prices, which are determined by market fluctuations. And those fluctuations don't take into account the thousands of human being who die of hunger every day."

Since the April 16 action, Agriculture Minister Guy Julien has said that the CAN$64 million set aside for the insurance program will be maintained, but that "these programs must take into account the government's capacity to pay." Julien was booed at a meeting of 200 milk producers April 17, after refusing to meet demands on the coloring of margarine. The minister maintains that farmers must learn "to do more with less." He also apologized to the farmers for his remarks on pork producers.

Maria Isabel LeBlanc is a member of the Young Socialists in Montreal.  
 
 
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