The Rural Voice, 1979-04, Page 31tunately, is in the centre of an epidemic
pocket of this swine disease caused by a
bacteria known as Hemophilus pleuro-
pneumonial.
Clinical signs of the disease in Seaforth
area pigs are characterized by sudden
onset and death. Pigs are often dead before
the farmer notices any coughing, lack of
appetite or heavy laboured breathing. One
common sign is bleeding from the nose just
before or after death. A post mortem
examination is essential to differentiate
Hemophilus. pleuropneumonia from other
forms of pneumonia or sudden death.
Hannam has
reservations about
machinery plan
Ontario's farmers have reservations
about the government's recently
announced programs to help farmers with
farm machinery problems, Peter Hannam,
President, Ontario Federation of Agri-
culture (OFA), says
Hannam said, he was encouraged the
government had finally recognized a
problem exists, but the suggested program
falls short of the legislation provided
farmers in other provinces.
He explained that as a first step the
government was proposing a restructuring
of the Ontario Farm Machinery Board.
This move is welcomed and it's hoped that
it will improve the effectiveness of the
Board's activities. Without legislated
powers, however, the Board will be like a
toothless tiger in trying to get satisfactory
service for farmers.
Hannam, however, was far more critical
of the government's proposal that manu-
facturers, distributors and dealers develop
a voluntary Code of Practice. "Farmers
have little faith that a voluntary code would
make the industry provide the parts,
service and warranties every consumer
should have the right to expect."
"It is rather ironic", he added, "that
farmers have more protection when they
buy a $400 refrigera • tor than when they
buy a $40,000 tractor or a $60,000 combine.
Yet the machinery is their livelihood."
Newman promises consultation
on farm labourer regulations
Under Bill 70, Ontario's new
Occupational Safety and Health Act,
provision has been made to include
agricultural labourers; however, accord-
ing to Bill Newman, Ontario's Agricultural
Minister, the regulations will be developed
using a "consultation process" with many
Seaforth
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Mr. Newman made these remarks when
he recently addressed 250 Farm Safety
Association delegates at the Association's
Sixth Annual meeting in Toronto, on
March 12th.
Chains force small stores out
of business G. Hill charges
Gordon Hill, past -president of the
Ontario Federation of Agriculture, recently
told Elgin Federation of Agriculture mem-
bers that farmers should take a unified
stand against a system whereby huge food
retailers can force their producers to take a
discount when selling large quantities of
produce to the chains.
Mr. Hill, speaking at the group's annual
meeting, said supermarkets are forcing
smaller grocery companies out of business.
The chains do this, Mr. Hill charged, by
only agreeing on a contract wan the
producer if the producer agrees to discount
his produce by a percentage.
The producer than has to charge the
smaller retailers higher prices for his
producer which makes higher retail prices
a necessity in smaller stores.
Mr. Hill told the federation members
studies have shown that two major chains
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THE RURAL VOICE/APRIL 1979 PG. 29