The lack of producer involvement in the Agriculture Committee hearings has prompted Breitkreuz to call on farmers to make sure their voice is heard loud and clear. "Producers need to be at these meetings and I am including a list of when and where the Ag committee hearings are taking place. If farmers will not be allowed into the meetings then they should bring videotapes, audio tapes, or written submissions to emphasize what is happening to agriculture on the prairies. I will collect any material that the farmers have and do my best to make sure their message gets to the members of the Standing Committee on Agriculture," declared Breitkreuz.

The only reason this tour is taking place is because of Reforms initiatives like the 60 meetings across the prairies and pressuring the Liberal dominated Ag committee to see the farm income crisis first hand. Unfortunately, Reform's efforts to have more producer involvement, more stops in rural Canada and extending the meetings into January was not implemented as part of this trip. "Farmers shouldn't be fooled by this token tour. The only reason this is happening is so the Liberals, six months down the road, can say they have come out to the prairies and have seen the farm income crisis first hand. For this to be an effective tour, the Standing Committee on Agriculture needs to hear directly from producers. They are the ones going through this crisis and they are the ones who know what will work best to sustain agriculture in the future," concluded Breitkreuz.

Listed below are the 9 meetings of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture:

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