Traffic on Canada's busiest highway, the 401, is being slowed by a large, eastbound convoy heading from Windsor to the Toronto area. Farmers also set up a partial blockade on a highway along the Lake Huron shore.

 

Tractors on Wellington Street in Ottawa

In Ottawa, trucks rumbled through downtown streets heading toward a rally at Landsdowne stadium. Rallies are also planned in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec and British Columbia.

The protests come in response to a federal plan that provides $500 million in immediate aid. Five provinces want Ottawa to double that.

 

Tractor convoy leaves Windsor for the 401

Farmers have been hit hard by rising costs and falling prices for their commodities. Some say they can't afford to plant a crop this spring.

Ontario farmer Bill Borland told CBC-TV, "The prices are just disastrous. We're just into a situation where we really need something to happen or we're not going to be around. If these two governments the province and the feds don't get off their rear ends and do something, we're going to be buying our food from the United States."

The federal money is intended to help tide growers over right now, but Saskatchewan farmers may not be getting any of that help.

Ottawa says if provinces want the new farm money they have to participate in other agriculture programs as well, including a farm income disaster program negotiated last year.

But Saskatchewan says the program doesn't work for grain producers, and it won't take part.

"Why would we take good, hard-earned Saskatchewan taxpayers' money and put it into a program that's flawed?" said Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister Clay Serby. "Why would we do that?"

Ottawa says one reason to do it would be to get some of the new money.

"We can't go ahead with rolling that program out in Saskatchewan," said Doug Hedley, assistant deputy agriculture minister in charge of farm financial programs. "We will do so in all of the other provinces."

Serby says he can't believe Ottawa would do that. He wants to see it in writing from federal Agriculture Minister Lyle Vanclief.