The Rural Voice, 1981-01, Page 13Looking back at 1980
BY ADRIAN VOS
With 1981 rapidly approaching, it is
time to look back to what happened to the
farmer's worries and concerns in 1980.
Many consider farmers chronic
complainers; if not about their income, it
is the weather, and so forth. But a young
farmer said recentiy that it is not as much
complaining as expressing worry about
the many things that can go wrong to cut
a farmer's income.
The Rural Voice has its ear close to the
ground and, looking through last year's
issues. we found the wailing was loud
when a wet spring caused a late planting,
and when the combination of cold
weather and applied herbicides damaged
many crops. Even the daily press
speculated that the weather could cause
higher food prices. Luckily, the un-
favorable weather was followed by a hot
and humid summer which, in most
cases, made up for the early set -backs.
The cost of fuel for food production and
food transportation continued to rise and
food-flation caused much concern among
consumers.
A SORE POINT
The chicken import quota was, and is, a
sore point with broiler producers whose
income. producers said. was severely
depressed hecause of '-hea imports.
Disastrous pork prices gave producers
of that commodity much anguish when
for the second year in a row heavy losses
were incurred. The future of many
heavily -financed hog farmers was, and in
many cases still is, in jeopardy. The high
interest rates of the year added to the
problems, but in most cases banks are
carrying the new farmers through this
difficult time. Prices which had dropped
to $46 a hundred -weight in April have
climbed back to over $70/ctw. The price
for weaned pigs is following behind.
Not just the pork men, but other
farmers, were so incensed about the high
cost of borrowing, that the OFA
organized a march on Parliament Hill, in
Ottawa, to demand relief from that
burden. The results of the march are yet
to be seen.
For the third year in a row, the Huron
County Federation of Agriculture led the
province in a protest against the
escalating absentee ownership of Ontario
farmland. The Rural Voice carried a
number of stories voicing concern about
the issue by area farmers.
The Huron Federation asked the
University of Guelph to study the matter,
a study which is being carried on by the
Rural Development Outreach Project
staff.
In January, the American president
imposed a grain embargo on the Russians
because of the invasion of Afghanistan.
Trade experts claim that this depressed
grain prices for our farmers.
RISING QUOTA PRICES
The milk board was still grappling with
the problem of rising quota prices and
developed a quota transfer system by
computer. Since then the price has
increased to over $100 for the privilege of
producing one litre of milk a day, an
increase from $60 in the spring.
Farmers in our reading area came to
the rescue when a disastrous tornado
stuck Oxford County. Most of the help
was organized by the county federations.
The Royal Commission on Electric
Power Planning told the government of
Ontario that no giant generator should be
built on the lake shore south of Goderich
in Huron County. The chairman, Dr.
Arthur Porter, also urged that Ontario
iiyuro consult more with landowners
before deciding on power -line routes.
The Royal Commission on Discounts
and Allowances brought in its report after
a year of hearings, and the OFA is
unhappy with the recommendations
which basically endorse the status quo.
AGRI-PARK PRODUCES
The Agri -Park, near the Bruce nuclear
development, produced its first tomatoes
with the assistance of waste heat from the
Douglas Point nuclear giant. Rural Voice
reported that the one -acre test project is
expected to spread to 36 acres next year,
and then double in 1982. Fish farming
using the waste heat is still being studied
there.
A novel way to vaccinate wild animals
against rabies was successfully develop-
ed by the Ontario Ministry of Natural
Resources in Rural Voice's coverage
area. An anti -rabies oral vacine is
administered in treated meat patties
dispensed from aircraft. If the project is
successful on the larger scale, farmers
could see a dramatic decline in the
incidence of rabies.
The efforts by the OFA and a number
of individual farmers to form a corn
marketing board came to a standstill in
the past year. Rising corn prices and a
suspicion about marketing boards in
general are cited as reasons for the lack of
interest.
The debt of Canadian farmers in-
creased twelve fold since 1960, the Rural
Voice reported in a comment on a
government release.
Norman Alexander of Londesboro
continued his crusade against erosion and
pollution. The Rural Voice kept its
readers informed of his work and the
Huron Federation gave him its annual
award, for his "significant contribution to
agriculture."
A Brussels woman made history by
winning half the farm property, after
separation from her husband. This was a
first in Ontario.
Rural Voice reported on Ontario's new
Trespass Act which, after many years of
struggle, gives landowners in the country
the same protection as urban landowners.
THE HARVEST
Concern about the cold and wet spring
seemed to be justified when the fall
harvest got underway. Corn borers,
rootworm, and stalk -rot are said to be the
result of the earlier cold weather and
yields are down, but not by as much as
was feared.
Wheat yields were good this year
(some farmers claimed some fields
yielded over 90 bushels per acres), but
the late ripening crop was hit with
sprouting after rain struck, just before
harvesting.
Beans, while not as high in yields as
some other years, were of excellent
quality, and the price was high.
After a three year period of sagging
prices, potato prices recovered. This
price recovery may effect efforts to
organize a marketing board with quota
powers.
Pork producers received a hog
stabilization payment from the feds,
which came in handy.
And sow men can now insure their
income under a new provincial plan.
The dialogue over the value of a
marketing board for beef continues, and
is expected to continue until returns get
better.
Weaner pig producers thought
themselves under -represented and
wanted to form their own organization.An
agreement is being worked out with the
pork board.
What will 1981 bring? We're not
predicting. but Rural Voice will continue
to keep readers up-to-date on what is
important to rural Ontario.
THE RURAL VOICE/JANUARY 1981 PG. 13