The Rural Voice, 1979-08, Page 25CFFO asks changes
in food and agricultural policies
The provincial board of the Christian
Farmers Federation (CFFO) has asked the
federal government to change its approach
to food and agricultural policies.
The federation believes that in recent
years the Department of Consumer Affairs
has been getting more and more involved
in food and agricultural issues, which has
led to confrontation between farm and
consumer organizations, as well as be-
tween cabinet ministers.
The CFFO board recently endorsed a
resolution asking Prime Minister Joe Clark
to "restructure his cabinet and the civil
service so that food and agriculture policy
will come under one minister and in one
department; and that the re -organized
department be named the Department of
Agriculture and Food."
The board has also moved to establish
closer co-operation with the Ontario Feder-
ation of Agriculture. Although the provin-
cial board originally rejected OFA's pro-
posal for a multiple choice compulsory
check -off, they said at the time the CFFO
should "actively seek co-operation with
other general farm organizations."
A letter was sent to OFA president Peter
Hannam suggesting that the two organi-
zations establish a joint committee to
explore opportunities for closer co-
operation and better mutual understand-
ing.
Peter Hannam responded to the letter,
and agreed the two organizations should
co-operate, but didn't agree to the sugges-
tion for a joint committee.
The OFA president said, "Past experi-
ence indicates that some kind of forum
often degenerates into heated discussions
of disagreements, rather than positive,
beneficial policies."
The CFFO is making a similar approach
to the National Farmers Union.
The CFFO executive has also endorsed
the development of the guaranteed margin
100 per cent approach to federal stabili-
zation. The proposed stabilization program
will guarantee farmers 100 per cent of the
increases in cash costs (this excludes land
costs, etc.) over the previous five year
average. Farmers must enroll in order to
be eligible for stabilization payments.
The strings attached to the CFFO
endorsation include the board's request for
definite limits set on how much production
each farmer can enroll. The CFFO plans to
hold further discussions on specific limit-
ations at the local level.
NDP leader
visits Perth
A Perth dairy farmer told Michael
Cassidy that the biggest problem he faces
is a shortage of farm labour, during the
provincial NDP leader's visit to the
Stratford area.
Lloyd Kipfer, of the Brunner area, said
he can't find Canadians to work as
farmhands on his dairy farm since he can't
compete with the $1,500 monthly salaries
Toronto -area farm owners pay their staff.
To solve his problem, Mr. Kipfer has
resorted to using foreign help on his farm,
usually bringing in a man from Austria on a
one-year contract.
Mr. Kipfer said this year he has hired
three area high school students to work
with him, but since they aren't trained, he
finds they have to be supervised carefully.
Mr. Cassidy said it seems "crazy" that
the dairy farmer has to import labourers
from Europe when there are 300,000
people out of work in Ontario.
Mr. Kipfer told the NDP leader he
thought Mr. Cassidy's idea of an apprent-
iceship program putting young men and
women on the farm for a year or two is a
good idea. The dairy farmer said the place
for people to learn about farming is on a
farm, not in institutions.
The dairy farmer also told the NDP
leader that he isn't unhappy with the
Ontario Milk Marketing Board's milk
production quota system. Mr. Kipfer
referred to it as "the best marketing board
going in agriculture."
The dairy farmer also pointed out the
fact there is a lot of prime agricultural land
in his area which isn't being farmed
because young people can't get enough
money to set up operations and because of
the nature of farming - it's not 9 to 4 and
it's not five days a week he said.
Dave Whitney, a hog farmer from the
Brunner area, joined the tour and told the
NDP leader he is irked by the huge
subsidies which go to European farmers,
making imports cheaper than crops grown
in Canada.
Mr. Cassidy also visited the Milverton
newspaper and the Millbank Cheese and
Butter Ltd. plant on his tour in the area.
4-H Club stages ridathon
Sunday, July 8th dawned bright and hot
and most people probably awoke with
warm visions of a lazy day in the sun; but
not so for fourteen hardy riders from the
Teeswater area. This was the day for riders
to embark on a ten mile ride-a-thon in
support of S.A.R.I. The ride-a-thon was the
idea of the Teeswater 4-H horse club,
better known to members as the "Tees -
water Stable Bums". The 4-H club planned
the route, regulations, sponsorship, and
pre- and post -ride activities.
S.A.R.I. (Special Ability Riding Insti-
tute) is an association for the handicapped
riders centred around the London area.
Riding handicaps at S.A.R.I. include
blindness, spinabifida,polio, mental retard-
ation, autism, deafness, cerebral palsy and
other handicaps. Adjustments are made
allowing for each individual rider's limit-
ations with the help of instructors, thera-
pists, doctors and volunteers.
The ride began at the farm of Don Dodds
and the trail followed a route through the
"Alps", ending back at the starting point.
All fourteen horses finished the ride as did
their riders (amazingly enough). A relief
crew madeup of 4-H leader Mrs. Sid Smith
and Mr. and Mrs. Sid Greenburg of the
S.A.R.I. program, provided drinks for
dehydrated riders and encouragement for
the saddle sore!
After all sponsor sheets were in and
totals calculated, a surprising grand total
of 5582.00 was realized. This money will be
donated to S.A.R.I. stables at R.R. 1, Arva.
The organizers of S.A.R.I. are presently
formulating plans for a Rew indoor arena
which will allow the program to continue all
year round. It is hoped funds and time will
allow for their plans to become reality by
fall.
The Teeswater Stable Bums would like
to thank all participants in the ride and all
who helped it to run smoothly (or maybe
walk or trot smoothly)? The club wishes to
salute S.A.R.I. for its excellent work and
wishes all the best for the future.
THE RURAL VOICE/AUGUST 1979 PG. 23