Brian Edwards

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  www.hngreens.ca/InTheNews/Tobaccoremarksdrawireoffarmer - [Cached Version]
  Published on: 5/11/2007    Last Visited: 5/14/2008  

  Brian Edwards of La Salette, president of Tobacco Farmers in Crisis, said Nightingale's remarks came across as a bit if a "slap in the face".However, Edwards suggested that Nightingale mis-spoke.Edwards cited the NFA president's strong support in recent months for a federal and provincial buyout and an orderly wind down of industry."I would hope that these were just innocent remarks that were taken the wrong way," Edwards said.
  
  Edwards added that no one should be under the impression that tobacco growers do not want to take charge of their future.The problem, he said is that high taxes and anti-tobacco policies have destroyed the industry.Along the way, tobacco growers have been saddled with enormous debt, worthless assets and no way of starting over.
  
  "What we are asking for is that we be put back to where we were before this all happened," Edwards said.

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  www.businessedge.ca/article.cfm/newsID/14987.cfm - [Cached Version]
  Published on: 3/23/2007    Last Visited: 11/27/2008  

  "We're asking for a package to be provided," says Brian Edwards, president of Tobacco Farmers in Crisis (TFIC). "We've done it in a nice way.
  ...
  Edwards says the protests came after two years of failed lobbying for compensation from the federal and provincial governments. He accuses Ottawa of ignoring a World Health Organization treaty that requires governments to compensate farmers who stop growing tobacco.
  
  "Where is the tobacco-specific program in Canada for that to happen?" asks Edwards.
  ...
  "There's more than $9 billion in (cigarette-related) taxes between the federal and provincial governments," says Edwards.
  
  "There's $1.5 billion in pure company profits. (Cigarette manufacturing) is so profitable that a $1.5-billion illegal economy (created through the sale of smuggled and illegally manufactured smokes) was not being corrected," says Edwards.
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  But Edwards says the program is massively under-funded.
  
  Researchers are exploring alternative uses for tobacco crops. But Edwards says tobacco can't be used in the production of biofuels, because it does not contain enough biomass or the sugars and other ingredients that are necessary for the fermentation process that creates ethanol.
  
  Strahl told the annual general meeting of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture that the buyout package is not politically sellable. He has urged growers to make another recommendation after Ottawa let pass a farmers' March 1 deadline for an exit plan.
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  Ottawa doesn't test imported butts and the quantity of licensed domestic manufacturers has exploded, says Edwards.
  
  "There used to be 10 licences to manufacture cigarettes in Canada," he says. "There are over 75 now. (Ottawa) handed out the licences like water - with no requirements for Canadian content."
  
  The annual tobacco-crop quota negotiated between farmers and cigarette manufacturers was 55 million pounds in 2006 - down from 85 million pounds in 2005.
  
  Tobacco farmers use unique kilns and other specialized equipment not needed in other agricultural sectors and have an average "unserviceable" debt of $400,000 per farm. Growers face foreclosure on their farms and homes because crop quotas are too low, and therefore don't provide enough security for banks, says Edwards.
  
  "We're past crisis," says Edwards. "We're in disaster."
  
  He contends the federal and provincial governments have been waiting for each other to help tobacco farmers. Meanwhile, there have been no negotiations with farmers on a compensation scheme.
  
  "There's been no engagement, either federally or provincially," says Edwards.

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  www.brantfordexpositor.ca/webapp/sitepages/content.asp? - [Cached Version]
  Published on: 5/5/2007    Last Visited: 5/5/2007  

  "If (transitioning to another crop) was possible, we wouldn't be here right now," said Brian Edwards, president of Tobacco Farmers in Crisis."Where is this magic crop?Where is the living we require to pay off the debt we have?"
  
  Forcing tobacco growers into different commodities would only hurt other farmers, Edwards said, because most are already affected by low commodity prices.
  ...
  Edwards said growers are fed up with federal inaction and are prepared to take a new approach to get the government's attention.
  
  "Clearly, the calm, rational approach isn't getting results," Edwards said.
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  "We're supposed to throw a dart at a dart board and pick the right number," Edwards said.
  
  Edwards said farmers are struggling to pay off their debts, not knowing if they should plant a crop this year, while the government collects $9 billion a year in taxes from tobacco products.On average, 40 per cent of tobacco farmers carry a debt load of $400,000.
  
  "Tobacco is not an agricultural problem," Edwards said.
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  Edwards said the move is an implication by the government that some farmers may be selling tobacco illegally, some of it to native cigarette makers.
  
  "We're told they're going to visit our farms on a regular basis," Edwards said."Are we driving our farmers to do something illegal?"
  
  If the government fails to respond to the crisis, the farmers say they will, as a last resort, consider a class-action lawsuit.
  
  "We should go for $100 billion because of the emotional stress," Edwards said.

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  www.hcfa.on.ca/cached.asp?id=1857 - [Cached Version]
  Published on: 5/7/2007    Last Visited: 5/7/2007  

  St. Amand has arranged for Brian Edwards, of the grassroots group Tobacco Farmers In Crisis, to address a hearing in Stratford today of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture which is conducting Canada-wide hearings on farm issues.

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  www.hcfa.on.ca/cached.asp?id=1780 - [Cached Version]
  Published on: 5/7/2007    Last Visited: 5/7/2007  

  While there was no guarantee of quick answer on the board's latest proposal, the face-to-face meeting with Strahl was cause for some optimism, said Brian Edwards, the president of Tobacco Farmers in Crisis.
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  "Minister Strahl stated he would like to hear a counter-offer from the farming community," Edwards said.
  ...
  According to Edwards, Strahl had indicated to the board that its original buyout proposal had contained "a few areas of discussion."
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  This revised proposal, Edwards said, addresses these identified areas and could form the template for a formal exit strategy."Hopefully this is a step forward, and the federal government will be the lead on this," Edwards said.
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  "The mayors are also waiting for an answer," Edwards said.

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  looped-ca.blogdrive.com/comments?id=294 - [Cached Version]
  Published on: 10/17/2005    Last Visited: 11/24/2007  

  "When you take $150,000 out of the cash flow of an individual (farmer) in three years' time, it hurts big time," Brian Edwards, president of Tobacco Farmers In Crisis, said in April.

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  looped-ca.blogdrive.com/archive/cm-12_cy-2007_m-11_d-21 - [Cached Version]
  Published on: 10/11/2005    Last Visited: 11/24/2007  

  said president of Tobacco Farmers In Crisis, Brian Edwards in April.

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  www.hngreens.ca/InTheNews/Tobaccorallydrawshugecrowd/ta - [Cached Version]
  Published on: 2/28/2007    Last Visited: 5/14/2008  

  "If we lose our farms, we lose our homes," said husband Brian.TFIC president Brian Edwards said the whole community is in distress."We don't know what to do next do we?"he asked the crowd, to which he received a resounding no. Edwards said he's heard from farmers who know they won't receive operating loans to plant this year's crop."It's hard to put groceries on the table with that," he said.
  
  Edwards said, while farmers are struggling, the government is raking in $9 billion in taxes each year and the tobacco companies have $1.5 billion in corporate profits.He said (sarcastically) tobacco control is so "effective," one in four cigarettes consumed is now contraband.
  
  Canada is a signatory to the Framework Convention Tobacco Control Treaty through the World Health Organization.One of the conditions of the treaty is countries phasing out tobacco are supposed to find a viable alternative for their farmers.Edwards said the Canadian government is not living up to that part of the treaty.He pointed out a precedent has been set with buyout programs for American and Australian tobacco farmers."What we're asking for is the same treatment as other farmers in the world , nothing more or nothing less," he said.
  
  Haldimand-Norfolk-Brant MPP Toby Barrett got the crowd stirred up when he questioned why anyone would pay over $50 for a carton of cigarettes in a store "when they get these for $8" while holding up a bag of cigarettes.Barrett said everyone knows most illegal cigarettes come through the Native community, but everyone is too scared to deal with it.
  
  The trade in illicit cigarettes has added to the challenges facing tobacco farmers and their communities, he said.

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  www.hcfa.on.ca/cached.asp?id=1714 - [Cached Version]
  Published on: 5/7/2007    Last Visited: 5/7/2007  

  Tobacco Farmers in Crisis president Brian Edwards addressed the crowd.
  ...
  Edwards also raised the possibility of meeting with all groups that don't seem to get government attention, citing in particular Native chiefs.

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  CBC News: Last year for Canada's tobacco farmers? - [Cached Version]
  Published on: 9/18/2005    Last Visited: 9/18/2005  

  Mark Bannister (L), vice-chairman, and Brian Edwards (R), president of the Tobacco Farmers in Crisis association, stand in a tobacco field about to be harvested. (CP PHOTO/Steven Martin)

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