The Rural Voice, 1981-12, Page 37Grey County Federation of Agriculture
Newsletter
Task Force hearing held in Hanover
The Annual Meeting of Grey Federation was at the Durham
Legion on October 23 with a good attendance. Present were
representatives from Huron, Bruce, Simcoe and Wellington
County Federations. The Durham Legion Auxiliary served an
excellent meal and "Ovations" provided good music for dancing.
Returned by acclamation were Bessie Saunders as president,
Don Hill as 1st Vice -President and Ken McIntyre as 2nd vice.
Duncan McCallum will be the auditor for the coming year.
Resolutions presented were: that the OFA petition the
Provincial Government and request CFA to petition the Federal
Government to have the right of land ownership included in the
charter of rights. Carried.
A compaign by the membership to refuse to Day the sales tax at
point of purchase to draw the attention of the Government to the
economic problems facing farmers - lost.
To increase the regional directors per diems to $30. Carried.
To express congratulations to Yvonne Pallister of Proton
Township who was chosen Queen of the Furrow at the
International Ploughing Match. Carried
Several door prizes donated by the executive were given during
the banquet. The Ontario Farm Machinery Agency at Hanover
donated a fire extinguisher for a raffle to make money for the OFA
Task Force. Bessie Saunders was the winner.
One year ago Grey Federation oresented the President and Past
President with OFA pins, then discovered that several past
presidents had been missed. '1 wo pins will be presented each year
until we catch up. Past president Robert Taylor presented his
father Fred Taylor with a pin. Murray Fraser, the other recipient.
was unable to attend.
Peter Mason representing Can Farm announced the dates of
several courses which will be open to the public. Donna Ahrens,
for Concerned Farm Women. had tickets available for the
luncheon on October 26 at Hanover with the Hon. Lorne
Henderson.
Speaking briefly were Warden Maurice Brown. Barry Tolton
ag. rep from Markdale, Nathan Widemeyer from the
Co -Operators, M.P.P. Bob McKessock and M.P. Dr. Gary Gurbin
Duncan McCallum was appointed as auditor for the coming year
and presented with a gift.
The Emergency '1 ask Force held hearing in Hanover on October
21. Don Hill, 1st Vice President of Grey Federation wrote and
presented an excellent brief. Some of his reccomendations were
"that floating interests rates are not acceptable in the agricultural
industry. Since many of our operating costs cannot be recovered
as income in less than 12 months agriculture requires loans with
fixed interest rates that can be paid off at any time. If
Governments goal is an abundant food supply at stable prices then
agriculture must be provided with capital at a cost that can be
accommodated in the returns received from the marketplace. A
realistic interest base rate for agricultural loans would be 8% for
low risk barrowers with an upper ceiling of no more that 12% for
low equity borrowers. One way of reacning this goal might be the
elimination of all taxes from monies paid as interest on capital
loaned to producers of food, we would suggest that petroleum
based energy is not expensive, government is. Food producers do
not consume more than 3% of the petroleum energy used by our
society. The removal of all taxes from gasoline and diesel fuels
used in food production would seem to us a reasonable request
since very little of these revenues are ever returned to
agriculture."
Roy and Agnes Diemert also told of their problems after a fire
destroyed their dairy barn. They had to agree to sell much of their
farm land and reduce the size of the new barn before Farm Credit
would grant their loan.
Praton Township Federation had a booth at the Dundalk Fall
Fair. They displayed fire extinguishers,the new flashing light,
first aid kit, hats etc from the Ontario Farm Machinery Agency at
Hanover.
The Grey County Cream Producers had their annual meeting at
the Holland Chastworth School on Oct. 19. Elected as president
was Clifford Skippen R.R. 2, Meaford, as 1st Vice - Harold
Carmount and Harold Grahlman is secretary -treasurer. The
representative to the Grey Federation of Agriculture is Donald
Burr of R.R. 6, Owen Sound.
The Education Committee had their first meeting to
plan for the 1982 Public Speaking Competitions with the finals
being held the second week of March possibly in the Durham
Community School. Mrs. Ruth Hamill is the Co-ordinator.
Bessie Saunders, President
R.R. 4, Meaford
Bill Pullen and Florence Ellis from the Proton Township
Federation at the eunaatk rair 1981
THE RURAL VOICE/DECEMBER 1981 PG. 35
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