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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 2011-09-15, Page 37THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2011. PAGE 37.By Nathan StevensAndrew Coyne, one of Canada’smost respected journalists, hasgarnered a lot of attention in his recent article in Maclean’s that turned a harsh eye towards supply management. He makes a number of strong assertions in his article that are worthy of further discussion. This is the second in a series of commentaries that will provide counterpoints to those assertions, this time focusing on trends towards higher prices and fewer farms. Coyne asserts that supply management has led to higher prices, fewer farms, less product innovation and general inefficiency up and down the supply chain. While these statements may be accurate in and of themselves, the connections between them are more complex and less straight-forward than his article makes them appear. Let’s start with fewer farms and innovation on farm. The progression to fewer farms is one that has been taking place since man decided that living in urban areas and specializing in an activity that wasn’t subsistencefood production was a good idea.This process was hastened with thedomestication of work animals like horses and oxen, progressing to tractors and now enveloping all the advances that science has made in both cropping and animal production. The net result in the proliferation of technology is that a single farmer can handle far more than his predecessors. That supply- managed farms have consolidated is an indication that innovation, technology adaptation, and a focus on efficiency are in fact strong drivers in the industry. Higher prices are a product of having bargaining power in the marketplace. Supply-managed farms have been able to demand that their prices rise as the cost of production rises. Average consumers are aware of the impact of rising energy prices and probably not as aware of much higher prices for grains. This is simply a fair approach to dealing with other players when your product, like milk or eggs, is perishable. In a “free market”arrangement, these farmers face thethreat of becoming price-takers,rather than negotiators. Andrew Coyne turned a harsh eye towards supply management in hisrecent Maclean’s article. Suchscrutiny is necessary and good forregulated industries from time to time. However, fewer farms is a natural process in agriculture due tothe impact of technology, and higherprices are a result of bargainingclout. Expect more on the Coyne column next week. 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Our FAX number is also your number so if you want to be reached instantly — we will receive your messages as well. The Citizen Call Us Today For Details 519-523-4792 or 519-887-9114 Fax: 519-523-9140 Susan Alexander, CFP CLU CHS EPC Certified Financial Planner 472 Turnberry St. PO Box 69 Brussels, Ontario N0G 1H0 519-887-2662 • 1-866-887-2662 Fax: 519-887-2671 Email: susan@sholdicefinancial.com Website: www.sholdicefinancial.com Continued from page 31 church in one day. Back to Church Sunday began in the Church of England and now takes place in churches across denominations in countries around the world. Our partners include Churches Together in Scotland; the Church in Wales; United Reformed Church; Methodist Church; the Baptist Union of Great Britain; Elim Pentecostal Churches and the Salvation Army. BTCS now operates in New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Argentina and Continental Europe. Back to Church Sunday is now the largest single local-church invitational initiative in the world. It is based on the simplest and shortest step in evangelism – that we should invite someone we already know to something we love; invite our friend, a neighbour or even someone you know who might come to our church. The initial focus was to invite those who used to attend, but we want to ensure that anyone who doesn’t currently attend can be guaranteed a specially warm welcome. So let me return to my original joke about the Pastor who questioned the man, about why he only saw him at Christmas and Easter? Today people in the church are happy to see people at any time of the year and they go out of their way to greet them and make them feel welcome. The question, “Why go to church?” can be answered today with why not go to church? In a world that is getting so impersonal, the church offers a place where we can enjoy each other’s presence and rejoice in the fact that there is a greater power than ourselves, especially when things are not going so well in our lives. Seeing each other, as made in the image of God, goes a long way to how we treat each other with respect and human dignity, a quality that is needed in our world today. BUY? SELL? TRY CLASSIFIED