HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1986-08-06, Page 5THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 1986. PAGE 5.
The International Scene
Economics of farming
changing rapidly
BY RAYMOND CANON
It is nice to see such places as
Grand Bend and Blyth hold their
heads high when it comes to
summer theatre. As one who is a
proud possessor of a piece of the
original tent at Stratford in recog
nition of my long support of that
city’s Shakespearean theatre, I
have always tried to support the
development of good theatre and
this has undoubtedly come to pass
in both of the above places. In fact,
if there is one play that rates an
“A” in my book, itis “Another
Season’s Promise’’ presented this
summer at Blyth for it comes closer
than anything else to an accurate
portrayal of many farmers, not only
here in Canada but in many other
countries.
In short the international farm
community is in deep trouble. I
have already written on this
subject on a number of occasions
but I am intrigued by a report which
has just come across my desk from
the World Bank. Since this bank
funds a number of agricultural
projects throughout the world, its
economists have laboured mightily
to put out a study on farming and
what ails it. While one might not
agree with all its findings, or even
many of them, the report is an
honest attempt to take a look at the
industry to see what might be done
to improve it.
One reason why I tend to give
more credence than usual to such a
report is that a member of the
British publication “The Econo
mist’ ’ was seconded to the Bank in
order to assist in the production of
the study. I should point out that
this publication is without any
doubt the finest news magazine in
the world; it makes Time look
decidedly second rate and for this
reason I take seriously any study in
which the magazine’s economists
participate.
However, before I get around to
the report as such, let me comment
briefly on the current state of
affairs as far as world agriculture is
concerned. World prices for many
products are depressed to say the
least and showing little if any sign
of climbing again. Canada is one of
the big five when it comes to the
exportation of food products and,
unless we can sell abroad a large
percentage of our produce and at
good prices, our farm community is
in deep trouble. When it happens
that some of our traditional
markets are threatened at the same
time as prices are down, farmers
ru n the risk of becoming something
of an endangered species.
From where I sit, one of the
biggest problems of all this are the
farm policies of the United States
and the European Common Mar
ket; the two seem to be on a
collision course as far as agricul
ture is concerned. A recent study
by the Canadian government
showed that our efforts to help our
farmers financially were minus
cule compared with what is being
done in both the States and
Europe. It is the latter that is really
going overboard in this respect and
the unfortunate thing is that it
cannot by any stretch of the
imagination be sustained; when
the Europeans come down to earth
again, it is going tobe chaotic as far
as their farmers are concerned.
Anyway, back to the World
Bank. Its researchers found that
there were increasing distortions
in world food markets, the cause of
which was not in doubt. The
industrialized nations have gener
ally gone overboard in subsidizing
their farmers while the developing
nations have set out in the opposite
direction; they tax their farmers.
One of the charts which the Bank
produced demonstrated amply
thatthe morethe industrialized
nations hand out subsidies, the
worseoff thefarmers end up. In
this respect the most subsidized
are the Japanese; not surprisingly
their income tends to be the lowest
of all farmers. Next in line are the
Swedes, Germans and Italians and
at this point you should not be
surprised to learn that their
farmers’ incomes are also below
average. At the other end of the
chart the least subsidized are the
New Zealanders and the Austral
ians and their farmers are under
standably at the highest level of the
income chart.
In the third world, on the other
hand, the governments, while they
tax their farmers relatively heavi
ly, they also get involved in the
marketing as well. The results,
nevertheless, arejustas disap
pointing. There are a host of
examples but, to cite one, in Kenya
where public and private traders in
farm produce co-exist, the public
sector charges 15-20 per cent more
for marketing maize and beans
than does the private sector.
The World Bank ended up
by asking the following question.
What, the Bank queried, would
happen if all subsidies everywhere
were removed and domestic prices
allowed to come in line with world
prices? The economists came up
with the answer that the industrial
ized nations would gain $60 billion
in farm income if they dismantled
unilaterally while the developing
nations, if they did the same thing,
would benefit by $40 billion. In
short, there would be a net gain of
$100 billion to the farm commun
ity-
“Another Season’s Promise’’
portrays the situation as it current
ly is in this part of Canada. What
needs to be realized is that there
are solutions to these problems, if
only the countries in question had
the political will to carry them out.
About the writer
Ray Canon, whose column on
international affairs appears in
The Citizen for the first time, is a
naturalized Canadian who makes
his home in London and who has
been a part of the world of
journalism since he sent off his first
stories on post-war Europe from
Paris. Since that time he has
written extensively on foreign
affairs, both in a light and serious
vein and has, in addition, 20 years
of editorial writing to his credit.
Before settling for good in
London, he worked or studied in 12
countries out of which came
fluency in eight languages. An
economist by profession, he has
worked for N.A.T.O., the Dept, of
External Affairs, the National
Research Council and the Interna
tional Council on European Migra
tion. In addition he served in the
University Air Training Flight of
theR.C.A.F. and over the pastfew
years has been lecturing in econo
mics at both U.W.O. and Fan
shawe College.
For five years he made regular
appearances on CFPL - TV’s
popular show, Morning Break, as
well as appearing as a commenta-
toron the station’s news broad
casts. He has also found time to
publish a French book, Comment
Dit-On, as well as a series of
translations of foreign master
pieces for Airmont Classics of New
York. His latest work is a Test Bank
for Macro- and Micro- economics
by Prof. Andrew MacMillan of
Queen’s University.
Mr. Cannon is a member of the
London Press Club as well as on the
executive boaid of Byron United
Church.
a\ uburn
Mrs. Mildred Lawlor
526-7589 x
Knox United Church
resumes Sunday services
Gary Shuttleworth conducted
the 10 a.m. service Sunday morn
ing at Knox United Church.
Miss Lori Millian was organist.
The flowers in the sanctuary were
in memory of the late Bob
Armstrong, placed by the Arm
strong family. Prayers and the Life
and work of the Church were given,
followed by the Lord’s Prayer.
“Whosoever Will, May Come”
was chosen by someone in the
Dew worms race in Goderich
Lookingfor something a little
different in entertainment?
How about exciting dew worm
races? The dew worm races are
partoftheTigerDunlop Days in
Goderich, August 15 and 16.
The thoroughbred worms take to
the track Saturday afternoon,
approximately 3:45 p.m. at the
Snell’s Grocery
Limited
BLYTH 523-9332
CUttosnVl
OPEN TUES. - SAT. 9 - 6, FRI. TILL 8
WESTON FAMILY
CHOCOLATE ROLL 280 G. 1.19
WONDER
RAISIN BREAD 340G. .89
* ★ MEAT SPECIALS * *
BITTNER’S
BLACKFORESTHAM
C.O.V. 1/2’S LB. 3.69
DELI SLICED LB. 3.99
BITTNER’S BOTTOM ROUND LB.
BEEF PASTRAMI “deli sliced” 3.49
RED LABEL
WIENERS 450 G. .89
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BUY 1 LB. “DELI SLICED”
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FOR BABY
SCOTT BABY
FRESHWIPES 40’s 1.99
JOHNSON’S
BABY OIL 240 ML. 2.99
JOHNSON’S
BABY POWDER 400 G. 2.79
RED LABEL ELASTIC LEG
LARGE DIAPERS 24 s 4.69
★ COMBINATION DEAL ★
BUY 450 ML. IVORY NORMAL
SHAMPOO GET 450 ML. IVORY
CONDITIONER - FREE
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X
congregation and sung.
There was time for children and
they went to their Sunday School
rooms for classes led by Barbara
Bakker.
The minister chose for his
sermon “After Its Own Kind’’.
Offering was received by Murray
Rollinson and Peter Verbeek. The
service closed with the Congrega
tional Benedicition, “Father We
Love Thee.’’
town beach. A total of 10 worms can
be on the track at one time and
races have the option of bringing
their own champion or being
provided one by a local stable. For
racing information contact the
Goderich Visitor Information Cen
tre at 524-2513 or the Goderich
Tourism/Industrial Office at
524-6600.
FRITO LAY 200 G.
POTATO CH I PS .99
NABOB TRADITION “3 VARIETIES”
GROUND
COFFEE 2oog.1*99
RED ROSE ORANGE
TEABAGS 120s 3.99
CLOVERLEAF MEDIUM RED
COHOE
SALMON 7V; oz. 1.69
CHASE AND SANBORN
INSTANT
COFFEE soz.5.29
AYLMER SEVILLE
ORANGE MARMALADE soo ml. 1.39
QUAKER CEREAL
HARVESTCRUNCH 900 G. 2.99
STACEY SOFT SOYA
MARGARINE________1 lb, .69
CRISCO ALL-VEGETABLE
SHORTENING 3 lb. 3.69
STAFFORD PUMPKIN
PIE FILLING 19 oz. 1.19
PANTRY SHELF
REDSOURCHERRIES 28 oz. 1.49
PANTRY SHELF SLICES OR
PEACH HALVES 28 oz. 1.29
RISE ‘N SHINE ORANGE FLAVOUR
DRINK CRYSTALS 3 x 92 G. .89
LIBBY’S 14 OZ.
SPAGHETTI OR ALPHA-GETTI .65
CLARK’S
BEANS WITH PORK 14 oz. .69
GREEN GIANT WHOLE KERNEL
CORNNIBLETS________12OZ. .69
TIDE OR OXYDOL
LAUNDRYDETERGENT 6 L. 4.69
PUSS ‘N BOOTS CANNED
CATFOOD 723 G. .69
PURINA~
CATCHOW 8 KG.12.99
Former
residents
visit
Mrs. Doug Lamb, the former
Dianne Mcllveen of Glencoe, and
Mrs. Jerry Dione, formerly Gail
Mcllveen of Oshawa, visited with
Ellen Johnston and Laura Phillips.
These ladies are granddaughters
of the late Mr. and Mrs. F. O.
Mcllveen of Oshawa and daughter
Mr. and Mrs. Don Mcllveen of
Oshawa who also visited on
Thursday with Ellen Johnson and
Laura Phillips. During the after
noon, many memories were recall
ed of former years when they used
to be in Auburn.
Mr. and Mrs. Len Archambault
arrived home on Thursday from the
Western Provinces. They visited
the Edmonton Mall and Calgary
Stampede and Expo.
Mrs. Grace Campbell of Luck
now, the former Grace Plunkett,
visitedwith Mr. and Mrs. Alvin
Plunkett and Ellen Johnston and
Laura Phillips recently.
Mrs. Vivian Pentland of North
Bay visited with friends and
relatives in the community recent
ly-