The Lucknow Sentinel, 1993-03-17, Page 26Page 10 -Farm Progress '93
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Primary producers continue
to decline; many reasons why
by Patrick Raftis
A "Genetic Explosion" is among
the factors permanently altering the
face of agriculture in Ontario.
While the amount of farm land in
production in Ontario will remain
virtually unchanged over the fore-
seeable future, ,the number of
farmers working it is expected to
decrease by about one-third, says
Professor Wally Beaversdotf, chair-
man of the Corn Science Depart-
ment of the University of Guelph.
Beaversdorf was one of four
speakers at a.growers information
meeting sponsored by W. G.
Thompson and Sons Ltd, at the
Hensall Community Centre Feb. 24.
About 60 area farmers attended the
session.
Producers declining
Despite an increasing world popu-
lation, Beaversdorf said the percen-
tage of the population involved in
agriculture as "primary producers"
has been declining over the past
century. Today about three per cent
of the population are primary pro-
ducers.
"By the year 2003, we will prob-
ably have 30 to 40 percent fewer
primary producers," he said.
Several demographic trends are
working against grain producers in
"temperate regions," such as this
part .of the world, said Beaversdorf.
Locally, he said, "our population
is turning off meat for a number of
reasons, several of which are health
related, even though that's a big
question mark right now."
In addition to meat consumption,
poultry and dairy product consump-
tion are also on the decline. This
directly affects grain producers
since those commodities are "heav-
ily associated with grain produc-
tion," said Beaversdorf.
In addition, the bulk of the world
population growth is occurring in
tropical zones, where people "aren't'
heavy meat eaters."
Advances, in plant . breeding,
agronomy, use of artificial ferti-
lizers and pest control also impact
on agricultural producton..
Since fewer crops are lost to pests
and weeds, acreage has become
more productive in the temperate
Professor Wally Beaversdorf,
chairman of the Com Science
Department of the University
of Guelph. (Patrick Raft's
photo)
zones. Therefore, fewer producers
are needed to producer the same
amount of food, Beaversdorf said.
Corn yields, for example, are up
300 per cent since 1950.
° Piilicy a factor
Domestic and international policy
is- also impacting on growers.
Beaversdorf said he expects the
Uruguay Round of General Agree-
ment
greement on Trade and Tariff (GATT)
talks to collapse in March of 1993.
"And, the issues will not have
been resolved, and they probably
won't be resolved by 2003. So,
don't look to international trade
policy to solve your problems."
Beaversdorf predicts government
support to export growers will soon
become to expensive to maintain.
."The Canadian Wheat Board sells
a lot of wheat backed by the treas-
ury because the nations we are
selling to aren'tcredit worthy. I
don't know how long we can pay
foreign ,governments to buy Cana
dian wheat."
Beaversdorf said there will be -.a
rapid restructuring in the sector
•turn to page 14
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