Tobacco Challenges Still Ahead, New Board Chair Says

Source from:  delhinewsrecord.ca 11/06/2008

The ladies ruled the day at the 2008/09 Ontario Flue Cured Tobacco Growers' Marketing Board elections on Friday. Linda Vandendriessche was elected as board chair, and will serve alongside newly-elected vice-chairperson Deb Gilvesy. It's the first time in history two women have assumed the board's top two spots simultaneously. "I don't think people recognize whether you're male or female," said Vandendriessche after the meeting. "They recognize the job you do. You have to do the job." In her remarks to the board following her election, Vandendriessche cited her previous experience in the chair's seat as an asset to her continued service. "I have learned that experience in this job is a valuable asset. I am better equipped to do the best possible job." Enditem Vandendriessche vowed to continue negotiations with the federal government to get the recently announced tobacco buyout dollars flowing to farmers, and promised also to maintain efforts to lobby the province for its share of the exit strategy. "We need to succeed in our efforts to gain a provincial program that will satisfy our desperate need for additional support," she said. "We have devised a plan and we are in the process of implementing it…we are leaving no stone unturned to get this done in a way that is timely. Our primary goal is to get a provincial program that is effective." Vandendriessche wouldn't be specific about the plan, or when she hopes to sit down with provincial reps, but did say it would be "in the near future." Also high on the new chairperson's list of priorities is developing a new system of marketing the flue crop, which will make it possible for growers who want to continue to produce, the opportunity to do so. "The federal program requires us to have a new marketing system in place for 2009," she said. "But the marketing of tobacco leaf is under provincial jurisdiction, not federal jurisdiction. And, with out a new marketing system, domestic manufacturers are threatening not to buy the 2009 crop. Our job is to solve all these problems simultaneously." Vandendriessche said community support, as well as communication and collaboration between the board, producers, and those in government and industry will be required in order to make the necessary changes, and to secure a future for those in the industry. In the nominations for chairperson, Vandendriessche was up against former chair Fred Neukamm. Tom McElhone and Chris VanPaasen were also nominated, but respectfully declined the nominations. The position of vice-chair was more hotly contested, however, with Gilvesy being up against Tom McElhone and Chris VanPaassen in the vote. Fred Neukamm and John Dumanski were also nominated, but declined to let their names stand. In the first round of voting, McElhone was eliminated, and Gilvesy and VanPaassen were tied. Gilvesy took the seat in a subsuequent vote. "There's a lot of hard work ahead," Gilvesy told the board after assuming her seat beside Vandendriessche at the front of the room. The new flue board will sit until Oct. 28, 2009.