The Rural Voice, 1979-10, Page 26A Matter of Principle
by J. Carl Hemingway
How do we stay in business?
I don't like listening to a broken record when it plays the same
line of a song over and over.
I also don't like listening to the fact that interest rates have to
continually rise above every increase of interest in the United
States.
Currently we are being told of a "recession" coming in United
States and of course we will follow the same pattern.
Why shouldn't we?
We are following the same pattern which produces continuing
inflation, higher unemployment,lower production and a more
unfavourable balance of trade.
It has been said that the Toronto Argos have been
unsurpassed in the art of losing football games but it seems to me
that our economic leaders are running a very close second to the
Argos in the game of finances.
The Argos seem to have improved recently so may be our
future may improve but so far our new "coaches" haven't
proved too brilliant.
With a current lending rate of about 14% I can't see any
prospect of lower prices. Cost of living is continuing to rise with
resulting higher wage demands, lower production, more
unemployment and we're ready to go round again.
In ,hgriculture we are also being given the same old story.
Farmers must become more efficient and produce more. Our
Provincial Minister of Agriculture tells us the present production
growth rate is 1.7% but should increase to 5% per year. We
should increase our exports greatly so production must increase.
It is hard for me to understand wny farmers should increase
production. It apparently doesn't pay. Other industries are not
increasing production. Even in agriculture the segments that
have production controls, milk, eggs, broilers, tobacco etc., are
the most prosperous.
Beef producers increased their production a few years back
and it certainly didn't increase their income and in spite of much
higher prices recently,tliere are still many cattlemen in difficulty
because their costs have increased even more.
In spite of the repeated stories of the millions that are hungry
there is little incentive for farmers to increase production when
they learn that western farmers produced the wheat, the Wheat
Board sold) it but our tranportation system was unable to
transport 20% of the sales last year.
Hog producers are presently increasing production to record
levels with some 85000 this past week. I wonder if our Minister of
Agriculture can find markets and transportation for that quantity
for any length of time at anything like profitable levels.
Did you hear about the used -car dealer in Japan who displayed
a placard, reading "We pay highest prices for cars we buy. We
get lowest prices for cars we sell. How we stay in business? We
Lucky!"
1 hope we hog producers will be able to say the same.
PG. 24 THE RURAL VOICE/OCTOBER 1979
We are now taking in the 1979
orn Crop
• Fast unloading
• Accurate probe system
• Sell, store, or contract your corn
• No long line ups
Howson
Mills
Elevator Division
Blyth, Ont. 523-9624