The Rural Voice, 1980-10, Page 7As world population continues to increase,
the use of grain as a weapon becomes more potent,
particularly since there are only five major
grain exporting countries in the world.
about the low import tariffs for food as a
trade-off for higher import tariffs for
manufactured goods, for some time. The
voting strength of Ontario and Quebec,
with its industrial base. has to now been
able to maintain this high -low differential
and the fact that agriculture is the
second largest earner of foreign
exchange. seems to be a factor that has
saved Canadian agriculture from
extinction.
Not just in agriculture. but in the
fishing industry as well. does politics play
also a prominent role. While Canadian
and American government officials came
to an agreement on the division of fishing
grounds off the Atlantic coast a long time
ago. politics in the US have prevented
implementation of the agreement.
International money markets also can
play havoc with farm costs. Not too many
years ago the Japanese were stuck with
large amounts of rapidly devaluating
American money. To get rid of it they
bought heavily in the Chicago futures
market, mainly sovabcan futures. As a
result the prices for soyabeans, and soya
meal for livestock feed, skyrocketed.
severely disrupting hog and beef
production in North America.
The food issue often gets political
attention within our own country. Last
year headlines screamed about pork in
ground beef. When the case went to
court. consumer affairs representatives
withdrew their charges. The accused
retail stores claim if pork is followed in
the grinder by beef. traces of pork fat
may be in the first batch of beef that
follows.
FOOD POLITICS OF THE
DO-GOODERS
Religious groups and moralists place
much emphasis on foodland and food
production as a "sacred trust". This may
be true, but should the farmer be•
expected to bear the burden of this trust
alone?
Vocal political environmentalists
threaten the use of herbicides. fungicides
and insecticides, which have contributed
so much to increase world food pro-
duction. They agree with the Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the
United Nations that 30 per cent of the
currently produced food is lost to pests
and insects. Yet, they oppose the use of
these 'cides to combat this loss.
Canada's minister of agriculture.
Eugene Whelan, said recently that
banning agricultural chemicals would
result in widespread food shortages, even
in a blessed country like Canada.
It is significant that an overview of
submissions to the "People's Food
Commission of Ontario", shows that
pressure to return to "organic" farming.
and the suggestions of danger from food
additives came from non -rural areas.
The overview from the People's Food
Commission reported also that some
scientists at the public hearings
condemned the use of some additives,
but conceded that they "obviously"
couldn't do tests on humans.
FARMERS AND FOOD POLITICS
Farmers themselves are not averse to
using politics to get their way. The
hearings_ for the Porter Commission on
the future of electricity in Ontario were
loaded with political arguments that food
production and foodland is sacred and
must be preservd to feed an ever
hungrier world. Most were sincere in
their beliefs, just as the political en:
vironmentalists are sincere.
Ideals crumble quickly, however, when
other interests surface. The same en-
vironmentalists and farmers who are
concerned about the welfare of the
foreign poor, are strongly advocating the
use of our surplus grain for alcohol
production as an alternate source of
energy. The farmers look for cheaper
energy to run the tractor and car, which
results in lower inputs and, at the same
time. expands the demand for grain.
Price increases result, and the poor
underdeveloped countries have then even
less opportunity to buy that grain.
ASSIST IN SELF HELP
Politics and food. The issue is not as
simple as some would like us to believe.
Canada cannot produce food for the
whole world. Neither can the United
States. nor any other country. It can only
be done in the needy countries them-.
selves. Gr oups like IDRC need support
from farmers and environmentalists
alike. It is more important that an
improverished West Indian farmer learns
to draw nitrogen from the air by planting
alternative rows of pigeon peas and corn
than for us to give him that food and
make him a beggar. His country saves
the expensive transportation cost and
also the high priced western labor in
producing the food.
It may be more important for
Canadians to provide assistance in
developing a marketing system in
Ethiopia, so native farmers will be
encouraged to produce more, than to
quibble about the morality of using the
'cider. _ ,
THE RURAL VOICE/OCTOBER 1980 PG. 5