The Rural Voice, 1978-04, Page 18Churchmen hear about
marketing boards
The workings of marketing boards were
recently explained to members of the
Huron -Perth Presbytery of the United
Church by a panel of local farmers.
The panel included John Campbell of
Bayfield, chairman of the Huron County
Milk Committee; Adrian Vos, Blyth, a
committeeman on the Ontario Pork
Producers Marketing Board; Bill Mickle of
Exeter, past director of the Ontario Egg
Producers Marketing Board and a past
director of the Ontario Egg Producers
Marketing Board and a past director of
CEMA and Murray Cardiff, vice-chairman
of the Ontario Bean Producers Marketing
Board.
Each of the speakers gave background
information on his particular area of
farming then fielded questions. Among the
facts revealed to the churchmen was that it
takes only six miryutes of work to buy a litre
of milk; nine minutes to buy one dozen
eggs and a total of 18 per cent of disposable
income is spent on food, which includes
four per cent spent in restaurants. Farmers
receive only 38 per cent of the food dollar.
Perth Federation seeks
county's aid
Perth County Federation of Agriculture
decided recently to ask the Perth county
council for a grant of $5000 to help cover
operating costs of the Federation, which is
in a financial bind.
Tony Van Klooster, Federation president
said that part of the trouble is that
township councils have not been making
regular donations to the Federation as in
the past. If the county provides the grant,
the townships would not be asked for
money again.
Past president Ken Green said he
thought the request was a fair one since the
county derives more than 70 per cent of its
income from farming. In the past, he said,
some townships have given donations of
$100 here and $200 there and some have
not given money because they claimed they
were urban or that they didn't think they
should be supporting groups such as the
Federation. But the piecemeal donations
just aren't enough, Mr. Green said and one
lump sum is needed.
He said there is good reason for even the
urban municipalities to support the
Federation. "Much of their livelihood is
based directly or indirectly on Perth's
number one industry, agriculture."
One possible source of funds would be
the use of a levy system now practiced in
G. 18. THE RURAL VOICE/APRIL 1978.
some counties. The levy system was once
the form of all OFA funding before the
General Farm Organization vote in the
1960 but when the vote failed. many
townships stopped the levy for the
Federation on the basis that they couldn't
have a levy for the Federation and not have
one for the National Farmers Union. In
some counties the Federation has
persuaded township to put the levy system
back into effect.
One other sources of funding for county
federations is a system set up by the OFA
to reward counties that have active
programs.
"If you keep your membership at a
certain level then you're allowed to work on
a point system," explained Mr. Green.
The federation gives 50 cents for each
point. Points can be gained by such things
as selling more memberships, holding
meetings with MP's, or having special ISM
meetings. The points are added up on a
quarterly basis and the federation gives
grants based on them.
The Perth Federation isn't exactly a
winner in this field 'either. Out of a
potential 2,900 commercial farmers in the
county. memberships stand at approxim-
ately 1.400.
As a result at its monthly meeting the
directors agreed to put a push on to obtain
new memberships and make sure expired
memberships are renewed.
Local farmers at Ottawa
meeting
A busload of 50 farmers from ,Huron,
Bruce and Perth counties took part in the
historic farmers meeting in Ottawa in Feb.
as part of the National Food Strategy
Conference. In all some 1200 farmers from
across Canada took part in the rally
organized by the Ontario Federation of
Agriculture.
The trip was organized locally by the
regional directors.. of the Federation.
Speakers at the farmer meeting included
OFA resident Peter Hannam, Canadian
Federation of Agriculture president Dob-
son Leigh of Alberta. Prime Minister
Trudeau was invited to attend but said he
was unable to attend. Agriculture Minister
Eugene Whelan was present to express his
support.
Farmers not
enthusiastic
about new tax policy
Opposition against the proposed change
in the Ontario Federation of Agriculture's
taxation reform policy was strong when
O.F.A. President Peter Hannam met with
Huron County farmers in February 27 at
Clinton.
PLETCH
ELECTRIC
WINGHAM
• Residential
• Farm
• Industrial
• Commercial
Phone Collect
357-1583
See us for your
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Grade A
sides, fronts, hinds.
Groceries, fresh fruits,
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MITCHELL' S
FAMILY MARKET
LONDESBORO, ONTARIO
523-4478 -- 482-9951