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The Rural Voice, 1977-11, Page 231 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Even with subsidy corn could be a loss Even with a federal corn subsidy corn roducers could lose money on their crop his year, according to a Chartered Accountant with the G.H. Ward and Partners Co. of Coburg. Don Shaughnessy said recently that one large buyer anticipates that corn will sell at about $1.40 per bushel at mid -harvest compared to a production cost of at least $2 per bushel. At this rate, even the federal floor price will not prevent losses, he said. The floor price, he pointed out, will be about $2.35 this year. If the average price Ifor which the entire crop is sold is about $2 a bushel, the subsidy will be around 35 rents. the difference between the average rice and the floor price. But the farmer ho delivers his corn at $1.40 per bushel still only gets the 35 cents while someone lucky enough and patient enough to delay a delivery until the price went up to over $2. Iwill receive the same amount of subsidy. (However, some farmers trying to wait for higher prices last year found the price never did go up and the shortages caused by withholding corn from the market were filled with imported corn from the U.S. Mr. Shanghnessy said it is important to keep meticulous records of your crop, what 'varieties were grown, what fields were used, where the corn is sold and for how much as a support for a subsidy claim. Even with the low price of corn, Mr. Shaughnessy warns against buying cattle to feed them "cheap" corn as a way of making money. Cattle prices have been rising lately, he says, which may indicate some farmers are doing just that. He recalled a similar situation in the late 1960's upset the cattle market for a number of years with the result that neither the corn producers or the cattle producers made money. Ag. colleges offer farm safety course A credit course on farm safety is being offered for the first time this fall to students at three agricultural colleges in Ontario. The purpose of the course is to produce safety -conscious future farmers, says Larry Swinn, public relations co-ordinator for the Farm Safety Association of Ontario. The Course will be mandatory at the Kemptville College of Agricultural Techno- logy and at the Ontario Agricultural College in Guelph for students in the two-year agricultural program. It will be offered as an option at the New Liskeart College of Agricultural Technology. Although farm safety information had br 'n,tncluded as part of other college courses, this is the first time there has been a course on farm safety, says Mr. Swinn. "We found that farm kids can go through the entire educational system without receiving any formal safety instruction before returning to the farm," he says. Statistics of the Farm Safety Association of Ontario show the highest percentage of farm accidents occur in the under -25 age group. The farm safety course will include lectures on farm machinery, preventative maintenance, first aid, Workmens' Com- pensation, pesticide and chemical safety, safety management, and labor safety regulations as they apply to agriculture. Mr. Swinn says he hopes the course can be expanded to include agricultural colleges in Ridgetown and Centralia next year. Instruction for the courses will be provided by the safety consultants of the Farm Safety Association of Ontario. Farm Safety Association sponsors competition The Farm Safety Association of Ontario is using competition to boost interest in farm safety among young people. Larry Swinn, public relations coordinator for the association, says 20 tractor safety competitions are being held in conjunction with the Junior Farmers Association of Ontario. The Farm Safety Associations held four tractor safety competitions in the province in 1976 to guage interest. The competitions this summer have proven so successful, that the association hopes to expand the program and begin provincial finals next year. "The purpose of the competitions is to promote safety in the 16 to 30 -year-old age group," he says. "A large percentage of farm accidents involve young people under the age of 25." Mr. Swinn expects that more than 250 Junior Farmers will participate in the tractor safety competitions which are being held at fall fairs, local plowing competi- tions and other community events. The competions consists of a written examination on safe use of tractors, and an obstacle course through which competitors manouver a tractor and wagon. Winners are chosen on the basis of the written test, speed. safe practice, and driving skill. Wheat deadline extended `to Oct. 31 The Ontario Crop Insurance Commission has announced an extension of the deadline for winter wheat applications and final acreage reports from October 20 to October 31, 1977. A spokesman for the commission said that in recent years winter wheat planting has taken place later in the season. The extended deadline takes acc t of this changing cultural practice. La ar was a record year for winter whea insurance with more than 2,700 contracts being sold to Ontario producers. Crop insurance is sold through local agents. Producers may obtain names and addresses of their local agent from county and district agricultural representatives. Couple leave for Sierra Leone sponsored by O.F.A. Roland ano Grace Stalker lett Canada for Sierra Leone on Monday evening, September 26 Bill Benson, Chairman of the Foreign Aid Committee of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture said. "Mr. Stalker is assuming his responsib- ilities as the farm manager of a foreign aid project to help Sierra Leone establish its own hatchery industry. The project is jointly sponsored by OFA and the World University Services of Canada. "OFA's role in this project was to find a food candidate for the job of farm manager and to assume the leadership for raising the $20,000 needed to support the Stalkers during their two years in Sierra Leone", explained Mr. Benson. "OFA is very proud of this project and on behalf of Ontario farmers wished the Stalkers every success when they departed", Mr. Benson added. V ' I E/NOVEMBER 1977. PG.