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The Rural Voice, 1979-10, Page 32the Centralia college. Mr. MacDonald is replacing Wendell W. Snow, who is retiring after 30 years of service with the ministry, 11 of them as principal of the Ridgetown college. Mr. MacDonald, who will assume his duties at Ridgetown on October 1, has been principal of the college at Centralia since it was founded in 1967. In the 12 years that he has headed the institution, more than 1,000 students have graduated from the various two-year diploma courses. Ridgetown's new principal has a M.Sc. from the University of Guelph, and was formerly a teacher and researcher for nine years at the Ridgetown college. Prior to his career in education and research, Mr. MacDonald worked in the ministry's extension branch for eight years, serving in Lambton and Lanark counties. Mr. Jamieson, whose appointment as principal at Centralia takes effect immedi- ately, has been a teacher at the college since its founding in 1967. Before that, he was a member of the teaching staff at the Kemptville college. He has MSc. from the University of Guelph, and has been deeply involved in continuing education programs at Centralia. Before joining the Kemptville staff, he was a member of the extension branch of the ministry. Country swamped by cheap food imports Canadian consumers must be persuaded to stop buying cheap food imports, according to Ontario Agriculture Minister Tonle Henderson. Mr. Henderson told guests at the sod turning at the International Plowing Match site outsV. :hatham that the country is being swamped by cheap food imports, some of them heavily subsidized and many from countries where labour is cheaper. The agriculture minister estimated that 40 per cent of the $1.5 billion in imported food could be produced here, which would bring $500 million more in revenue to farmers. The problem with cheap imports has developed because tariffs, until recently, have been laughable, the agri- culture minister said. Mr. Henderson warned that long-term consequences of depending on imported food could be serious since the rising oil prices are going to increase transportation costs. Mr. Henderson said the provincial government is both exploring the possib- ilities of new export markets and looking at the potential for production of such commodities as peanuts. "Just give our farmers a market, and they will meet the demand," the minister PG. 30 THE RURAL VOICE/OCTOBER said. He told the 400 guests at the sod -turning that of 16 million acres in Ontario that could be producing, only half is being farmed. Farmers must organize Unless farmers organize to protect their industry, they will lose their right to farm, Frank Wall, Executive Committee Member Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA), told a meeting of area farmers, Wall, a Norfolk County fruit and vegetable producer, said the combination of federal and provincial legislation and local by-laws is making farming increasing- ly difficult across Ontario. Part of the problem, said Wall, is due to the increasing number of urban people who have moved to the countryside. These people are demanding that local farmers change their operations so as not to inconvenience them. "Unfortunately," he said, "there are a growing number of short-sighted politicians who are listening to them." He pointed to the case of a Huron area farmer. A small hamlet is being rezoned urban to allow more houses in the area. As a result, fifty acres of this farmer's land will fall under new regulation. If the farmer wishes to continue spreading manure on his fields he will be forced to install expensive storage facilities. If these trends continue, Mr. Wall said, a farmer will have more need of a good lawyer than of a tractor or a barn. McKillop federation collects over $4,000 AID FOR TORNADO VICTIMS—McKillop Federation of Agriculture director Francis Hunt turns over his donations for the Woodstock and area tornado relief fund to Marie Hicknell, federation secretary, and president Bob Robinson. for Tornado victims The McKillop Federation of Agriculture has raised $4,406 for the Woodstock and area tornado relief fund by canvassing homes in the township. Bob Robinson, president of the township federation, said he was more than a little surprised at the amount some people gave to the tornado relief effort. Directors from the organization divided each concession road in the township and went to every household on their section of the road. Mr. Robinson said each director can- vassed about 20 homes. The directors who volunteered their services included Bob Robinson, Kevin 1979 Kale, 13111 Murray, Wayne hoegy, Dan Murray, Mac Stewart, Francis Hicknell, Don Moylan, Andrew Davidson, Gordon Blan- chard, Mervin Smith, Gordan Papple, Leon Maloney, Art Bolton and Francis Hunt. Mr. Robinson said a special thank you was owed to the wives of the directors who also helped with the collection. He said anyone who wasn't contacted, or was contacted initially and not reached again, can still drop off a donation with any of the McKillop Federation directors. The money collected by the township organization will be added to the tornado relief fund donations already collected by the Huron County Federation of Agriculture.