The Rural Voice, 2005-06, Page 56GREY
446 10th St., Hanover, Ontario N4N 1P9
Email: grey @ofa.on.ca Website: www.ofa.on.ca/grey 519-364-3050 or 1-800-275-9551
County Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER
• The Rural Voice is provided to OFA
Members in Grey County by the GCFA
Farm story gets little attention
Communication: In all probability
communication is one of the most
important words in Webster's
Dictionary.
Information Highway: Means check
the web. TV, newspaper, info boards
and drive at a fast pace to keep up.
Unified Voice: Could mean farmers
gathered together at Queen's Park to
voice their concerns as a farming
community.
There was some TV coverage,
limited to showing a tractor wheel.
dumping corn, father/son farmers, as
well as a short time -spot showing Steve
Peters listening to an angry farmer. The
sound was so low during the coverage,
however, the consumer would have no
idea as to what was being said.
In comparison, the stories of the
NHL, General Motors 3.1 million,
Essential Services strikes, teacher's
work -to -rule, and the TTC story
seemed to get more of the valuable air
time. The farm crisis is real, but we are
not getting enough thoughtful media
coverage so everyone is aware of the
real problems. If that isn't enough of a
wallop, we have the meat processors
making huge profits, wind turbines,
BSE and Greenbelt Legislation to add
to our concerns. Not to mention Brazil
with their 30 to 50 feet of number one
topsoil for growing soybeans and their
favourable growing season as they
strive to be the number one soybean
growers in the world. This could be a
real threat to our soybean growers.
Brazil's second largest crop is
cotton. I'm sure cotton will never be a
threat to Canadian farmers.
After all this rambling on, it is time
to address what your OFA does for you
as a member.0
- Submitted by Jacquie Hendry
OFA Regional Director, Grey East.
WHAT DO I GET FOR MY $150
OFA MEMBERSHIP?
OFA members frequently ask about
the benefits received from their farm
organization. Fair question.
The Ontario Federation of
Agriculture is farmers working for
farmers. The OFA exists to provide
services to farmers and must be
accountable to farmers.
Over the years the OFA has
delivered. The OFA is involved in
52 THE RURAL VOICE
every aspect of farm business and rural
life. Some of the successes directly
attributable to the work of the OFA and
its commodity partners that put money
into farmers' wallets each year include:
Retail Sales Tax: Savings to farmers =
$20 million
• OFA lobbied to get many farm
inputs exempt from Retail Sales Tax.
• OFA's efforts have enabled the
membership card to he used for the
exemption at point of sale. Easier
transactions save $1 million.
Land Transfer Tax: Savings to
starting farmers = $5 million
• OFA lobbied to eliminate the tax
on farms sold within families.
Energy: Total savings for farmers =
$26 million.
• OFA saved farmers 1.5 per cent on
electricity distribution costs.
• OFA won access to government
hydro rate for all farmers - saving eight
per cern on power bills.
• Eligibility for government rate
extended until May 2008 - saving four
per cent for small volume users.
• OFA partnered with AgEnergy to
get savings of four per cent on hydro
bills.
Property Taxes: Tax savings to
farmers = $386 million
• OFA monitors and lobbies for the
maintenance of the farm property tax
system including ensuring valid farm
assessments.
Permits to Take Water: Savings to
farmers = $1.35 million.
• OFA and commodity partners
worked to gain an exemption for
farmers from fees to Permits to Take
Water for irrigation and frost protection
for agricultural purposes.
Environmental Farm Plans: Value
each year for farmers = $12 million.
• OFA works with the Ontario Soil
& Crop Improvement Association
(OSCIA) to deliver EFP programs in
Ontario, providing funds for farmers
for training and to implement Best
Management Practices.
• The new EFP program provides
GREY COUNTY FEDERATION OF AGRICULTURE
THERE WILL BE NQ BOARD OF
DIRECTORS' MEETING IN JUNE
Next meeting will be
Thursday, July 28, 2005
$57 million for training and BMP
projects.
Safety Nets: Estimated annual average
value = $585 million.
• OFA's focus is always the
financial well being of Ontario farms
and Ontario farmers.
• OFA works closely with
commodity organizations and sector
representatives to help develop and
lobby for safety net programs and, if
necessary. for disaster funding.
Outlet Drains: Savings to farmers = $6
million.
• OFA worked with commodities
and municipal organizations to get the
Municipal Outlet Drainage program
reinstated, providing support for rural
drainage programs.
Member Services: Value to farmers -
priceless!
• OFA employs 21 highly skilled
Member Service Representatives.
located across the province to assist
farmers with any issue affecting their
farm business.
• MSR's help to co-ordinate
activities within your community
including lobbies, meetings, access to
government information and programs
and OFA's extensive communications
efforts.
These savings are only part of the
activities of the OFA on behalf of
farmers. The values shown above add
up to over $1 billion in value to farmers
in Ontario - $20,419 for each farmer in
Ontario.
That is a good return for an
investment of $150.
But your investment isn't all that is
needed. OFA is farmers working for
farmers. Members also need to invest
some time to help us work with
governments to secure the policies
farmers need.0
ATTENTION!
If you received a payment under the
income payment program or Market
Revenue Insurance (MRI,) program and
feel that it is not helping you, please
express your concerns along with
numbers to the Grey County Federation
of Agriculture office in Hanover. We
would be interested in hearing from you.
Phone: 519-364-3050 or 1-800-275-9551
Fax: 519-364-4119
E-mail: grey@ofa.on.ca