Friday, October 14, 2011

The press is excluded

The Chicken Farmers of Ontario marketing board is becoming progressively more closed to reporters.

I used to attend district meetings, but for more than a decade I have not been allowed to attend and report what staff and elected leaders are telling chicken farmers.

I used to attend an all-industry meeting at Guelph, a meeting that includes representatives from hatcheries, feed companies, civil servants, etc. This year, Megan McClune, the board's communications co-ordinator, says reporters can't attend.

At the annual meetings of the chicken and egg boards, reporters have been barred from some of the sessions.

What are these people so afraid of? Are they really doing, or thinking, things they don't want the public to know about?