Farmers will lobby Ottawa for $50K guaranteed annual income pilot program

A farmers advocacy group says it plans to lobby the federal government for a guaranteed annual income of $50,000.

The idea by the National Farmers Union came from its annual convention, held last week in New Brunswick.

Farmers want Ottawa to set up a 10-year pilot project that would ensure they receive an annual income of at least $50,000, a rate that would rise by inflation every year.

David Thompson, executive director of the union, says a guaranteed income would help stabilize farmers' incomes, which are often unstable.

Members also voted to lobby Ottawa for a cap on the profits of major grocery chains, such as Sobeys or Loblaws, that control the lion's share of the market.

The theme of the convention in Moncton, N.B., was food sovereignty, with panellists speaking about access to Canadian food amid the trade war with the United States.