The Rural Voice, 1978-04, Page 31it
Shalt
thou
eat?
BY D.A. CAMPBELL
"The cost of living rose again. mainly due to food prices."
This kind of statement might cause the public to think that the
farmer is laughing all the way to the bank. The fact is, the
economic plight of the average Canadian farmer is desperate,
and since one in every four jobs in Canada is dependent upon his
survival, a large slice of the nation's economy is threatened.
"By the s‘. eat of thy bro‘: shalt -thou eat bread." Since
biblical times. food has been measured against labour. Let's get
back to basics and look at food prices logically. In 1949, a person
had to v.ork 39.3 minutes to earn enough to purchase one pound
of sirloin steak. By 1976. this time factor had been reduced to
19.7 minutes. The cost of all other items of Canadian produced
food have. (v: hen using this standard of measurement), been
reduced substantially. Eat hearty, you are consuming the
cheapest and best food in the world!
The farmer is the scapegoat for international trade. The
dumping of foreign food products on the Canadian market. not
only increases his economic burden but reduces the number of
jobs in urban areas which could otherwise be available -transport,
processing. packaging. etc. Agriculture is faced with ever
increasing input costs - land, machinery, maintenance, hydro.
fuel. labour. fertilizer. chemicals -the cost is enormous.
Compared to other industries. agriculture receives little tariff
protection -the farmer must take blows from all directions and he
is gradually being beaten to death!
Farmers' real incomes have dropped more than 30 percent
since 1975 -they have to borrow heavily merely to survive. Peter
Hannam, President of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture has
stated. "You can't have a sound, well run industry. if it's losing
money. If things don't change soon. we can expect more
bankruptcies and a further exodus from the farms. The worst
part is. that it is the younger farmers who will be hurt the most.
They v:ill be the first to leave. Who is going to meet our future
food requirements?"
The farmer is not receiving enough for his products in order to
ensure his survival and the Canadian public must accept this
fact. A farmer does not demand the income rises which the
average Canadian seems to expect with every passing year.
There is no threat to strike and deprive you of food. The farmer
does not grumble about working long hours every day. All he
wants is a fair return for his produce in order to make a half
decent living.
Only five percent of Canadians are farmers but their impact
upon the . Canadian economy is tremendous. If the farmers
fail -Canada fails! How can you help? Think about the farmer
%.hen you push that cart around the supermarket. Whenever
possible, buy only Canadian products. If you are not sure ask.
"Is this produced in Canada?"
Thus. I wind up another article. Writing is one way of trying to
make a few bucks to help to support my other occupation. which
should be supporting me! I look out of the window across last
year's acrcs of toil and sweat - for v. hat and for whom?
O LOWREY
�� ORGANS
1.i (ctimc
or
-9lcasur�;
WE NEED GOOD USED ORGANS
NOW
IS
THE
TIME
TO
TRADE
caron
EYBOARDS
27 Ontario St., Stratford
Phone 273-0213
OPEN TUESDAY TO SATURDAY 10-5:30
FRIDAY T09 P.M.
EVENINGS BY APPOINTMENT
THE RURAL VOICE/APRIL 1978. PG. 31