HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1989-08-23, Page 5Rising land prices spell danger
After bottoming out in the mid -
eighties, prices for farm land appear •to
be on the rise ,once ,again. -Outrageous
increases _in Southem Ontario's urban
real estate market are at least part of
the reason. Faced With paying two to
five hundred thousand -dollars for a nice
home within commuting distance of
Toronto, more and more buyers are
eyeing the rural landscape where homes
are much cheaper and the attached
farm land seems to be thrown in at no
charge. The direct effect of this
phenomenon is most dramatic in tourist
-
infested avenues stretching north from
the 401 to places like Barrie and Orillia.
There I spoke to •one successful young
dairy farmer whose enviable predica-
ment Mustrates the significance of these
developments for the farm community.
Dave bought 100 acres of fairly good
land with bank barn and four-bedroom
house in 1984. The farm is just off
Highway 12, about 25 miles south of
, four miles from his father, with
-whom he works in partnership. He paid
$175;000 in 1984 and spent a fair bit
renovating both the barn and the house.
People driving by on Highway 12 fre-
quently stop in to ask if Dave wants to
sell. The latest offer is $900,000. The
agricultural value of this land is
definitely inferior to that of farms in
southern Bruce County, which are
valued by the Farm Credit Corporation
at less than $1,000 per acre.
It seems to me that the same escala-
tion will inevitably spread to all Of the
prime agricultural areas in Ontario.
People in Dave's position are, of course,
not crying when they find out that being
a farmer has suddenly become very
profitable. But leaders in stgriculture,
particularly genertil farm organizations,
are being extremely shortsighted if they
do not come to terrns with the far-
reaching detrimental impact of land
values that are many times more than
the productive capabilities of the farm
would dictate.
Who will own this land? Urban in-
vestors? Developers? Foreign
speculators?
It seems an inescapable reality that
at $10,000 or $20,000 an acre, the name
on the deed will not belong to anyone
with calloused hands and a sunburned
neck. 'The new .class .of landowner will
eventually control rural municipalities
and develop regulations to suit a
heritage and culture completely alien to
ours. Land that is acquired purely as a
speculative business venture will be
mined or .paved over without regard for
the future. Young people will have no
hope of owning their own farm. Ver-
tically integrated agri-businesses will
have an easy time controlling huge
parcels of land which previously yielded
a living for hundreds of farm families
To .put restrictions on who can buy
land and how much can be paid for it
seems politically impossible at the mo-
ment. But these are precisely the issues
our farm organizations must begin to
grapple with. The alternative is that the
next generation of farmers will be
merely tenants or, worse yet, unionized
labourers employed in the food industry.
Gr t Chis]
elected as V.C.
of ergygr
Respectfully submitted,
Bruce County
Federation of Agriculture
Public Relations Committee
Lucknow's own Grant Chisholm was
elected as the Vice Chairman of the
Home Energy Group, Ontario's oil
heating association, at a general meeting
of the organization held recently in Ot-
tawa. Grant will work side by side with
Chairman Bay LeSage :of Tweed.
One of the first &tie to be perform-
ed by Mr. Chisholm in his capacity of
Vice Chairman was to represent the
Home Energy Group at the meeting of
the Petroleum Markets Association in
Williambum Virginia from August 16th
through the 18th.
Grant reports a positive, upbeat mood
for the oil heating industry spurred by
proven crude oil reserves over the next
50 years. In addition, high tech equip-
ment is making an positive impact on the
industry.
He says he enjoyed the business trip to
Virginia as Wfilitunburg is a beautiftd ci-
ty resorted to the authentic 1790 colonial
times by a grant from the Rockefeller
Foundation. The area is steeped in
history and contains one of the oldest
schools in America, the College of
Wham and Mary, whose students includ-
ed patriot Patrick Henry. Henry is best
known for his fiery orations on unjust
taxation by the British which inspired the
American Revolution.
Since the season for the promotion of
the oil heating business is here, 'Giant's
election to the position of Vice Chairman
of the Home Energy Group will un-
doubtedly keep him a busy man over the
next few months.
Crime Stoppers of Grey Bruce are
seeking the public's assistance in -the in-
vestigation of mischief over $1i000 which
occurred in Southampton.
'The Southampton Police Force report
that between June 25 and 20 of this year
they received 10 separate reports of
mischief within the town limits. It is
believed that a number of culprit(s)
drove around town sin is Arebicle and with
the nse of a pellet gun or high powered
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Correction
In last week's Sentinel report on the
Dingannon Fair the rumners-sp in The
}la /amen ',competition were incorrectly
identifid. 'Tracy 'Slack, sponsored by
w.4Thompsoniaud Sons, was in fact the
first runnerisp in the competition while
Jean Mefflaaacy, Wowed Jay Lam
Patrick ,Electric, was voted seem's'
ionnertup 4ts well as Miss Fritadskip In
the coinpetition.
The Sentinel regrets this error and
rMee 4140 On totters emgratttlatimts to all
lite -contestants.
RIME
STOPPERS
1-800*65-3787
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BB, shot out windows of several
vehicles, as well as a thermsd pane liv-
hig room Window Of a residence. The
shot broke both of the panes of glass.
'These loccurrences appear to have taken
place between the hours of midnight
and 200 a.m. As the occurrences took
;place in various areas of town it is
believed that the culprit(s) used a vehi-
cle to get around.
'The Southanipton Police Forceao
report that 41 1600411. '0mirrence
Jiap-
pened on July 20 of this year With five
'reports of windows being shot mit.
The damage is estimated at $7,000.
The culprit(s) have not been identified
as yet.
• If You feel you -can help in this or any
other case, 'Crime StOpperS ,Of Grey
Bruce ore to pay .0 reward up to
SLIM for informtion kAdUigt to An ar-
Test. CALI CREWE STOMBS AT
1000-265-0787.
Lueknow Sentinel, Wednesday, August 23, 1,80—Pagtc 5
PHIL JEROME MIKE O'NEILL
PHIL JEROME of JEROME FEED & SEED is
pleased to announce the addition of MIKE
O'NEILL to his staff, as salesman.
Mike and his family have operated a chicken
farm in Kinloss,Tow:nship for the past 10 years.
Mike has a diploma in Agricultural Business
Management from 'Centralia College. He has
'ove, 'our rears experience in agricultural sales.
Mike would be pleased to discuss your feed and
seed requirements with you.
Give him a call at JEROME'S 528-2447 or at
home — 395-5592.,
JEREOME FEED & SEED — Dealer for
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