The Rural Voice, 1982-08, Page 7"Farms have gotten bigger and bigger.
I would say it started happening between
1965 and 1975, because competition was
so fierce as far as price is concerned.
Those prices dictated that you had to be
more efficient. which meant a higher
capital cost (new tractors. combines)
which meant you needed more land to
absorb the overhead of those costs. All of a
sudden, you don't have one section and
100 acres any more."
MacNeill said agriculture is still a
relatively untapped area for professional
accountants. even though he has seen it
grow dramatically during the past few
years. He attributes expanded reliance on
professionals to legislation like the capital
gains tax on 1971, and to the growth in
knowledge of the latest generation of
farmers.
Inflation and the tendency to larger
farms are the main reasons for the new
kind of teamwork. according to Tuckey
and Pym. Both are not unfamiliar with
traditional teamwork.
Tuckey, 49. has been farming since he
was 10 years old.
"When I started, we were using horses.
and 1 remember them," he said.
"Farming was more labour-intensive at
that time. Now you can buy a machine to
do all the manual work involved. Several
farmers on the same line used to harvest
together, but now most of the farmers
have their own equipment. It's not just for
independence. It's not nay own feeling,
but some people do like to be in-
dependent."
Pym, who planted his 31st crop this
year, shares the assessment.
"Before 1 started the farm I can
remember 10 or 12 people threshing
together," he said. "Really, some of it is
independence. In days gone by. there
wasn't enough money around to own your
own equipment and you had to share.
Today. it is different. The larger farm
demands that you have your own equip-
ment.
"1 guess in the case of farming
practices. some of it you learn from books.
but there's always the details. It is
Howard Pym
THE RURAL VOICE/AUGUST 1982 PG. 7
J