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Clinton News-Record, 1972-01-13, Page 8—Clinton News-Record, Thursday, January 13, 1972 waiter of principle 11.111111111111111101111111.11111111111111111111111 BY J, CARL HEMINGWAY. I don't know what I would do without T.V. I've had a firm conviction on a couple of items that t have wanted to put forward for some time but was hesitant to put them in print lest they be discredited before enough people had a chance to consider them, Fortunately on Country Canada, Roger Schwass, former farm commentator over C,K.N.X. and now a sociologist, I believe entitled to be called Dr, made the statement "We have always had end probably Will always have fringe farmers with the inadequate income but the really serious problem of to-day is the fact that top farmers, who are good managers, have a large enough operation, have plenty of credit, (yet), having taken advantage of all government assistance, have to forego a reasonable return on their private investment in order to have a decent living" Dr. Helen Abell, recognized as the Most outstanding rural sociologist in Canada, who was also on the program, voiced her agreement. The second statement came from Pierre Burton on his program over C,K.N.X. Sunday evening Jan,-2, 1972 "Politicians always run at the back of the crowd," Surely farmers, at least, will agree with him. Again, I think farmers should recognize by this time that, as far as farmers are concerned, our goverriments manage to curve the pitch enough that it never quite hits the mark: Surely farmers must find it just a little bit inconsistent that our departments of Agriculture have insisted that the only way way for farmers to improve their position is to produce more, increase their holdings, become more efficient yet when our Canadian economy was faltering reduced production, increased unemployment was recommended. "What's sauce for the goose doesn't satisfy the gander." The National Farm Marketing Legislation, recently passed by the elected representives and now before the Senate, is a good example of how far behind the farmers our MP's are. Over 10 years ago our farm organizations were saying that producer controlled National Marketing Boards were urgently needed. Now 10 years later, our Government has finally caught up with the crowd or perhaps it would be more correct to say that the tail of the parade has finally arrived at Ottawa, Apparently our elected representatives have introduced the familiar "curve". The Senate has confirmed my suspicions that farmer control is lacking and restriction of import dumping ineffective in the legislation. We can only hope that the Senate is able to amend the Bill to Make it reasonable and thereby justify its existence. It is high time that our government realize how dangerous mis-handling of food production could be. A couple of years ago I was talking to a good young farmer just nicely set up in a viable beef feedlot operation with sufficient acreage to produce his own feed supply and family help. He told me that if the price of cattle dropped two cents per pound he would be broke. The price did drop closer to four cents so he was broke yet he still seems to be going as strong as ever. The last two years haven't been particularly profitable to beef feeders so who's financing him? I don't think the banks are interested in that kind of financing so it would seem that it must be some corporation in the food processing or distribution chain. A farm supply and machinery dealer gave me to understand that he had found many of the large farmers in much the same position. If food production falls into the hands of few mighty corporations the farmer will become a farm labourer and the squeeze will shift to the consumer. Come to think of it the prospect of a farm labour union bargaining for $8. or $9 dollars an hour might appeal to a lot of farmers. However, I feel that the government that allows this to happen can expect to be out of office for a long time. Dairy holdback payment changes announced Agriculture Minister H. A. (Bud) Olson today announced further important changes in the Canadian Dairy Commission's holdback on payments to shippers of manufacturing milk and cream. These changes will again improve the returns of dairy producers, (On November 3, the Commission's rate of holdback on payments to manufacturing milk shippers on deliveries within their quotas qas reduced to 10 cents per hundred pounds, retroactive to last April.) According to today's announcement, in provinces under market sharing quotas, a producer may now exceed his market quota by 10 per cent before the over-quota holdback will take effect. This applies to Ontario, Quebec, and since Dec. 1, to Prince Edward Island. In these provinces, the holdback is made from market payments to producers. In other provinces, the holdback is made from direct federal subsidy payments, based on each producer's subsidy quota. If all provinces were under market sharing quotas, the national total of the subsidy quotas qould be about 70 per cent of the total market sharing quotas. For this reason, Mr. Olson said, there will be a larger allowance for over-quota deliveries where the holdback is made from subsidy payments. The adjustment will permit producers in provinces not under sharing quotas to exceed their subsidy quotas by 30 per cent before the over-quota rate of holdback will apply (i.e. in the provinces of British Columbis, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland). The changes in today's announcement apply to both manufacturing milk and cream. "There has been some question of the necessity of a higher rate of holdback on over-quota deliveries in a situation where butter production this year will be slightly below Canadian requirements," Mr. Olson said. "The Dairy Commission has consulted closely with dairy producer organizations on this. The consensus is that if the supply management system of which the dairy industry has embarked, and which has been of considerable benefit to producers this year, is to work effectively there has to be some significant charge to discourage excess production. "However, as a special measure in the circumstances of this year, the payment programs will be adjusted to allow producers a margin of deliveries in excess of their quotas before the over-quota rate of holdback is applied." The Minister said, "I wish to stress that this is a special arrangement fOr the dairy year ending next March 31. Dairy producers should not interpret this as indicating that a similar arrangement will , apply next year." developed through the use of up-to-date soil surveys, is the most viable answer. And cooperative coordination is the key. Farmers and non-farm persons must Ark together to solve such mutual problems as roadside erosion, eontrol, flooding and silting, locating proper recreation sites, highway planning, sewage disposal and location of housing and industrial developments. Through effective use of the land-planning tools available today, progress may be measured in terms of what is best economically and ecologically. Latest figures released by the 'Canada Department. of Agriculture put the number of farms for this nation at 430,522, down more than 300,000 from 1941. * SCOTT WINTER WONDERLAND SALE! SCOTTISSUE I 9 WHITE, PINK, PKG OF 4 ROLLS YELLOW, GREEN, BLUE CHICKEN CUTS WHOLE LEGS WHOLE or SPLIT BREASTS lb Don't forget your recipe of the week. New from ASP's Test Kitchens . 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ORANGE PEKOE Farm experts look of legislation centering on farmland preservation,' AgricnItnral districts were formed in New York, he Says, because of pressure •from non-farm developments moving out of the urban centers using areas of prime agricultural land, and the threat that it may happen in other areas. The land in the agricultural district is assessed at. farm-use value and taxes are apportioned accordingly. In Pennsylvania, two laws are currently on the books that could have an effect on the state's farmland preservation. One makes reservations for individual landowners to enter into restrictive covenants for the preservation of land in farm, forest, water supply or open spaces. The other authorizes the state and counties to preserve, acquire or hold land for open space uses. Presently, as Pennsylvania's constitution is constructed, it is apparently unconstitutional to grant preferential assessment to farmland in the state. Farmers have traditionally looked upon zoning and other tools of land-use planning, such as agricultural districts, with distrust and disapproval. John Cribbet, Dean of the College of Law at the University of Illinois, says the greatest area of conflict in this problem is the rural-urban fringe, Dozens of local units all attempt to make land-use planning decisions in one way or another, but there is very little coordination. Many agricultural people believe the price of putting up with urban sprawl is .a price too high to pay to remain in farming. But to avert urban sprawl, some farmers -- though not particularly enthusiastic -- have begun to lean towalvi community land-use planning and zoning as the lesser of the evils. Zoning is an integral part of city plans. However, knowledge and understanding of this as a rural practice is not common, University of .Guelph's Hoffman notes that zoning bylaws should be positive, not negative. Steps should be taken to develop zoning bylaws which how clearly the areas that are be used primarily for agricuaure. Other uses occurring within agricultural areas should a there at the invitation of ag culture and on terms set 1 )y the agricultural comm ity, Hoffman concludes. New, more effective tot for broad scale land-use planning have been developed in America. Foremost among these are the detailed soil survey maps published by the United States Soil Conservation Service (SCS), in cooperation with individual farmland state agricultural experiment stations and similar agencies. Begun in the 1930% the newer surveys interpret the basic soil, water and geologic features of each county. Although highly technical, newer surveys are written in 1.iiiguage that is easy to understand. They are becoming important tools for state, county and community planning boards, and for the engineer, lawyer and builder as well. In some places, soil surveys are being used to locate highways, schools, factory sites and recreation areas in non-prime land spaces that are unsuitable for home-building. Soil surveys can detect areas that won't _handle septic tanks or tend to buckle or flood basements, In Maine, state SCS head Donald Dinsmore travels the state telling, local chambers of commerce and other groups how they can save money using the soil surveys. One piece of ammunition he uses is a survey his soil scientists did of 53 schools. They found 52 of them located, unnecessarily, on soils that upped their construction and maintenance costs. PLANNING REQUIRED Even though there. is probably no perfect or absolute solution to the problem of proper land-use, it seems that a combination of zoning, at zoning to protect Zoning is needed for agriculture. But, according to University of Guelph soil science professor Douglas Hoffman, it will have to be something other than it is today. Hoffman defines zoning as • "the division of a community into zones or districts according to the present and potential use of properties for the purpose of controlling and directing the use and development *of these properties;" "Zoning can do a job," says Hoffman. "It can assist in controlling the development of new areas — places which were lightly occupied in the past and are now becoming densely settled." Zoning has been attempted in rural areas, and zoning bylawg have been passed in several Ontario townships. But, paradoxically, these bylaws have tended to hinder agriculture es, opposed to helping it. The bylaws, as they have been designed, are restrictive. They are concerned with separating the farm community from the encroaching suburban group and have developed a large buffer zone between the two. "Such a goal is worthy of praise," says Hoffman, "but it prevents the enlargement of farm business, i and may force the farmer from the land." Farmland is becoming scarce. Canada's soaring population, expected to increase by more than six million by the 1980's, coupled with expanding immigration, urban problems, new highway systems and an ever-growing horde of automobiles, is responsible for what has come to be known. as urban sprawl. New homes, businesses and factories are being pushed from urban areas and, as they move to the suburbs, farmland is being displaced at an alarming rate. SKYROCKETING PRICES To some farmers, this means a bonanza in the form of skyrocketing prices for locations for new factories, businesses and subdivisiong. Others, particularly older farmers, will be able to look forward to a more comfortable retirement as their land values increase from the urban push and community development. Thomas Beaver, who heads North American operations of Sperry Rand's New Holland "Writ equipment division, says a recent report prepared for his company shows urban push in a diff Brent light. The study points that many farmers near towns and cities, and some not so close, have been selling off highway-front lots just to keep up with rising property taxes. This means the breakup of prime farm operating units to pay taxes on land assessed at rates no farm enterprise can afford to pay. It can also mean the whole gamut of nuisance and deterioration that haphazard urban sprawl can bring down on a rural community. In America, community planning specialists such as Ted Sidor of Oregon State University, and John Quinn of the University of Illinois, warn that the tendency to gobble up prime farmland for factories, subdivisions, and other non-farm developments can be self-defeating to a community and an entire area in the long run. More often than not, they say, it is not beneficial to the orderly growth of a community. The total long run 'cost of locating the housing, the industry and the developments on other than prime land would be far less to the community as a whole. TWENTY-SIX STATES Ernest J. Cole, formerly with the College of Agriculture at Cornell University and now on the staff of the National Farm Consulting Service in Ithaca, N. Y., says that some 26 states in America now have various kinds For Quality Printing See TOM COLQUHOUN and JOHN ROBINSON at anion. eommeuziat zintEttl 56 Albert Street Clinton PHONE 482.3444 Specialists is Offset It Letterpress Printing LETTERHEAD ENVELOPES BROCHURES STATEMENTS — INVOICES — BUSINESS CARDS PERSONALIZED STATIONERY ANC) PLAYING CARDS oFP10E SUPPLIES more than 23 invested in land, implements , m livestock and poultry. The New Holland Division of Sperry Rand notes that the assets of American agriculture equal half the market value of all U.S. corporations listed on the New York Stock Exchange. * * * Lealand Hill, Manager Canada's farmers jointly have Elgin and Kingston billion dollars Streets buildings, a chinery, Goderich 524-7381 IIHI Improve your home now! 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