The Rural Voice, 1981-06, Page 21Junior Farmers
raise money
Electing a new executive is one of the
highlights of any association's annual
meeting, but the Junior Farmers' Associ-
ation of Ontario upstaged this traditional
event with a donation of more than
$15,000 to the March of Dimes campaign.
"Junior Farmer members decided to
raise money for the March of Dimes this
year to support the International Year of
Disabled Persons," says Amber Gibbons,
of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and
Food extension branch.
The total donation of $15,556.89 was
raised by Junior Farmer clubs throughout
Ontario. Fund-raising efforts ranged
from dances to dance-a-thons. and bottle
drives to box socials where the person
who buys the lunch shares it with the
person who prepared it.
The annual conference did find time,
however, to elect a new slate of Junior
Farmer officials. Doug Peart. a member
of the Haldimand Junior Farmers from
R.R. 3 Hagersville, was elected presi-
dent. Meredith Gilbert, of Nepean,
Ottawa -Carleton Region was elected
vice-president. Jan Horner, supervisor of
youth extension for the Ontario Ministry
of Agriculture and Food was elected
secretary -treasurer.
Zone directors for 1981 are: zone 1
Meredith Gilbert, Nepean; zone 2- Garry
Wetherall, R.R.1, Carrying Place; zone
3 -Elgin Craig, R.R.2, Arthur; zone 4 -Gail
Hoffman, Smithville; zone 5- David
Jenkins, R.R. 1 Belmont; zone 6- John
Mooney, R.R. 2 Massey; zone 7- Bill
Armstrong, R.R. 4 Wingham; and execu-
tive director- Stuart Budd, R.R. 4
Simcoe.
The Junior Farmers' Association of
Ontario is an organization for rural youth
aged 15 to 30. The association has more
than 8000 members throught the pro-
vince.
Report distorted
A recent report condemning marketing
boards is grossly distorted and based on
shoddy analysis. said Ralph Barrie,
President, Ontario Federation of Agricul-
ture (OFA).
The studies prepared for the Economic
Council of Canada (ECC) charge farmers
producing eggs, chickens and milk are
making excess profits. The OFA has
carefully reviewed these studies and
found them wanting in scope.
Barrie said the studies should never
have been made public. "They are really
just the opinions of the authors. The
Economic Council itself recognizes there
are problems with the studies and has
sent them back for "extensive revi-
sions."
Some of the charges, said Barrie, are
based on a comparison of Canadian prices
with those charged by countries dumping
their surpluses on the world market.
"This is the same as saying that if world
labour rates averaged $1.00 an hour, and
if Canadians earn an average of $7.00
Canadian workers are ripping us off. In
terms of income, Canadians enjoy one of
the cheapest sources of food in the world.
That's fact, not opinion."
Barrie said these studies malign one of
the most productive sectors of the
Canadian economy. These allegations
seriously damage the reputation and
integrity of farmers, he said, and farmers
should consider taking action to stop
these unfounded attacks.
Moss wins case
Finally a legal battle, which has cost a
Huron County farmer up to $5,000 or 2
years in jail is over.
Jim Moss, of West Wawanosh Town-
ship. has won a court case against
Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources
regarding the stream he had adjusted on
his property. The ministry charged Moss
under the Federal Fisheries Act with
doing work resulting in "the harmful
alteration, disruption or destruction of a
fish habitat."
Moss removed some beaver dams
which had flooded 12 acres of his 100 -acre
farm and also straightened the creek. The
ministry argued Moss had destroyed a
rare spawning ground for trout and was
using this as a test case.
Judge William Cochrane ruled the
ministry had not adequately proved that a
fish habitat did exist in the stream the
day Moss was charged, June 11, 1979.
Their charges were based on the fact that
a fish habitat was there six years before.
Moss said the fact he won should prove
to all farmers "they're going to have to
learn they've got to fight." He criticized
the Huron Federation of Agriculture
which had advised him he "couldn't fight
Natural Resources."
Moss faced a possible sentence of up to
two years in jail which he would have
served had he lost. His court costs have
been estimated at $2,000 plus the amount
of time spent away from his farm.
HOW IT WORKS;
20" disc. blades, mounted on individual pivots, are
rotated by hydraulic motors to cut bean plants off
below ground surface. Each pivot -mounted section
rests on two depth wheels. Two or three windrows
are produced, depending on the number of blades.
The Smyth Bean Cutter can be mounted on the front
or on the rear of a tractor. This compact machine is
not bothered by mud or trash.
Canada's first rotary bean cutter is a product of
the George Smyth Welding and Machine Shop.
THE FIRST NEW IDEA IN BEAN
PULLING IN 70 YEARS
SMYTH
Welding and
Machine Shop
RR 2, Auburn, Ontario (519) 529-7212
THE RURAL VOICE/JUNE 1981 PG 19