The Rural Voice, 2005-03, Page 54PERTH PCFA Office - R.R. , ry, or 1-866
Fax:#1519-229St.Ma-6269sON Email:N4X perch@ofa.on.ca1C4 Ph: Website:519-393-5555 ofa.on.ca/pe66-829-88rth
County Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER
Decision time at hand
Much of Ontario's picturesque
countryside may take on a new
appearance this year. The usually
orderly -looking fields with rows of
corn and other crops may become
barren or weed -infested because
farmers have no money to plant crops
and no desire to keep losing money
when they do plant crops.
It's time for the Government of
Ontario to recognize the problems
agriculture is experiencing and step
forward with the solutions farmers,
and their farm organizations, have
presented.
Grains and soybean producers
have been devastated by prices well
below their cost of production —
prices below the 25 -year lows for
those commodities. Current
government safety net programs were
not developed to protect against such
situations.
The guarantee of a review of the
programs was one component for
agriculture's acceptance of the
package. It's time for that review to
take place immediately. Until
changes can be implemented to meet
the industry's needs, however, we
need our government to invest an
estimated $300 million so farmers
can plant a crop this spring. The
Ontario government must improve its
administration and the federal review
must start immediately.
Livestock producers, many of
whom have no extra monies on hand
to respond to the government's
nutrient management legislation,
have told OFA that the Ontario
government has to recognize this and
revise its implementation schedule
for regulations under the Nutrient
Management Act.
PERTH COUNTY FEDERATION OF
AGRICULTURE
DIRECTORS' MEETING
March 24, 2005 — 8:00 p.m.
Perth Agri -Centre, Rostock
Everyone is welcome.
50 THE RURAL VOICE
• The Rural Voice is provided to OFA
Members in Perth County by the PCFA.
Tobacco producers in Ontario
have seen their industry undermined
by escalating tax levels on tobacco
products. These farmers are faced
with reduced incomes and little
possibility of recovering anything
from the sale of their quotas and
equipment.
That's why it's critical the Ontario
government show leadership and
come through with the $50 million it
promised during the last election
campaign as transition funding. They
need this money to diversify their
operations away from tobacco
production, but can't do anything on
government promises alone.
Farmers who rely on irrigation to
produce vegetables and fruits are
facing increased production costs
with the addition of water taking
permit fees imposed by the
government last December. Without
any consultation, the Ministry of the
Environment announced a program of
administrative fees for water taking
permits that would charge farmers a
minimum of $750 for every permit
required.
The Ontario government needs to
realize that farmers have no means of
passing those additional costs along
when they sell their product, so it just
causes a further erosion of their
bottom line.
This has been going on so long
now that many farmers have used up
all their equity and have little left to
plant the 2005 crop.
The Ontario Federation of
Agriculture is working with its
commodity partners to organize a
rally at Queen's Park on Wednesday,
March 2, beginning at 10:30 a.m.
OFA members across the province
have been provided with all the
necessary contact information to
reach Ontario Liberal MPPs.
It is critical that all farmers use
that list and the attached points to
reach these MPPs and help them
understand that agriculture in Ontario
is not viable. Unless the government
recognizes this situation and responds
immediately, the face of agriculture
and rural Ontario will change forever.
This government has to understand
there is serious debt in rural Ontario.
Farmers can't subsidize Ontario's
food supply any longer. We urge all
farmers and consumers to help
educate the Ontario government.0
Huron Perth Women
for the Support of Agriculture
March 24, 2005
Mitchell Legion - 8:00 p.m.
Topic — Kids under the influence:
A panel discussion on issues
surrounding children and teenagers.
For further information contact
Kate Monk 235-3527
INTEGRATED GRAIN PROCESSORS CO-OPERATIVE IS
IN ITS EQUITY DRIVE TO THE FINISH
The Renewable Energy Strategy will require an average of five per cent ethanol in gasoline
sold in Ontario by 2007. That represents 60 million bushels of additional corn processing
capacity in Ontario.
As agricultural producers we should be pleased to see the growth in demand for our
products but that is only a small part of the opportunity. Processing corn into ethanol adds value
to corn and provides a hedge against low corn prices. By owning a piece of Integrated Grain
Processors Co-operative, farmers have a chance to smile every time we see gas going up
another nickel or two at the pump. We can even take comfort that for every dime that corn
prices drop your ethanol plant will earn another million dollars in revenue.
The second round of the federal Ethanol Expansion Program (EEP) has been announced
with an application deadline of February 22, 2005. The EEP provides no -interest loans to
eligible new and expanding ethanol processing plants. With the momentum that has developed
over the past two months, we feel confident that we can reach our target with the help of all
community members. Think about the opportunity. We are getting closer to our goal, but need
your participation to put us over the top.
IGPC wants to answer your questions and help you become a member call 1-866-211-0435.