The Rural Voice, 1991-09, Page 74PERTH
Matt Crowley, President, R. R. 1, Gadshill NOK 1J0 393-5716
PCFA Office 229-6430
* The Rural Voice is provided to farmers
in Perth County by the PCFA
County Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER
PERTH FEDERATION MEETS WITH ONTARIO AGRICULTURE MINISTER
The main event for the Perth Federation
this month was the August 12 meeting in
Atwood with Ontario Minister of Agricul-
ture and Food, Elmer Buchanan. Also at-
tending were MPP Karen Haslam, Perth
Warden Bert Vorstenbosch, and representa-
tives from OMAF. After lining up for a bowl
of soup (how prophetically appropriate), the
group quickly got to the business at hand.
Tight scheduling allowed only one question
per member to be posed to the minister. The
following is a summary of issues raised and
Mr. Buchanan's replies.
Gary Hazelwood: "Given that the fur
industry is a legitimate sector of the whole
agricultural industry, and has suffered dra-
matic profit decreases, fur producers urge
the government to include them in the NISA
plan."
Mr. Buchanan: "NISA should be ex-
panded to cover a number of commodity
groups which have, so far, been left out.
Time and budget constraints are the main
culprits for the program not yet being com-
plete. In time, the NISA program may even
be expanded to serve as some sort of pension
fund for farmers."
Willy Keller: "We need a system
whereby farmers can produce food and
cover their increased production costs.
Farmers must earn a decent living. This
requires a long-term strategy encompassing
new product research, etc. Everything must
connect."
Mr. Buchanan : "We do have a cheap
food policy; there are lots of stats to back that
up. We need consumer education, and need
ways to get a bigger per cent of food dollars
back to farmers." (Mr. Buchanan was some-
what vague on this, but hinted at the option of
farmers being their own processors.)
Paul Verkley: "Many farmers are con-
cerned about the pending Environmental
Bill of Rights (EBR). Farmers control 80 to
90 per cent of the Ontario land mass, but have
little political clout. Farmers need advance
notice of any environmental legislation.
There is a great need for practical solutions to
environmental problems. It's fine to have
regulations, but you need solutions figured
out ahead of time."
Mr. Buchanan: "The ministry would like
farmers to agree on areas of agriculture
which are non -environmentally friendly.
Fanners will have the opportunity for input
before the EBR is finally passed."
Ivan Steck: "The cream industry is
nearly facing extinction, and small produc-
ers in particular are being hardest hit. The
August price increase for non -solids dis-
criminates against small cream producers."
Mr. Buchanan: "Government has not
caused consumer shifts away from butterfat.
Health conscious consumers have driven the
70 THE RURAL VOICE
market. There will be cuts in quota and still
butterfat surplus stocks."
Gary Wallis: "There is a total lack of
encouraging signs in agriculture. Any
cheques received simply go to the bank and
are thrown into the 'black hole'."
Mr. Buchanan: "Meetings across the
province with farmers indicate that support
payments are not improving farmers' stan-
dard of living. Government does need to
play a role, but ... " (This issue was Left
dangling for want of concrete solutions to the
problems.)
Ed Verkley: "The dairy industry is not as
rosy as some see it. We (the industry) are
very worried about the mounting provincial
deficit. We have to be competitive with the
U.S., but our taxes, i.e. costs, will have to go
even higher to account for this deficit. This
chain of events leads to even more problems,
such as cross border shopping."
Mr. Buchanan: 'The deficit was neces-
sary to maintain health care, education, and
other programs."
Bill Elison: "Maybe there needs to be a
cut in education spending."
Mr. Buchanan: "There are those who
would argue that U.S. taxes should go up to
help level the playing field in areas of social
services and competitiveness."
Rick Debrabandere: "Agriculture is as
important as education. We need to know
what the economic support levels will be
before planting a crop — look at the U.S.
situation where longer-term planning is
possible. In Canada, support payments are
often not announced until the crop is sold."
Mr. Buchanan: "The government is
interested in supporting agriculture. It can-
not begin to match the generosity of the U.S.
treasury, however."
John Drummond: "Given that GRIP
appears to be headed for a huge deficit, very
early in the program, and measures likely to
be taken (increased premiums and decreased
payouts), to place the program on financially
sound footing over its intended 15 year term,
will spark a mass exodus out of the program,
can this program survive for long?"
Mr. Buchanan: "If the deficit does get
too large, something will have to be done. If
you're asking if it will be cancelled, consider
it temporary/permanent. The government
would surely have the courtesy to give con-
siderable warning of cancellation. Also, if
the GATT negotiations resume, GRIP may
be deemed countervailable, thus may have to
be scrapped in the bargaining process."
Robert Holmes: "Ontario wheat produc-
ers feel they are entitled to the same treat-
ment as their Western counterparts. Money
ear -marked for Ontario grain stabilization
was apparently sent out west. A bright spot
in the wheat industry has been significant
advances in research. (Mr. Holmes elo-
quently described how the grain industry has
played a leading role in the development of
the Ontario and Canadian economies.) Now
with prices so low, maybe we need a little
back."
Mr. Buchanan: "Comments well taken.
We had little choice but to join the Chicago
pricing system for grains." (The former two -
price system provided higher returns to pro-
ducers.)
Larry Biesinger: Wants to see all mu-
nicipal and public workers tender for their
jobs in an effort to control inflation and costs.
Politicians should bid on pay and pension
benefits before their nominations.
Mr. Buchanan: "This would be a diffi-
cult concept for unions or politicians to ac-
cept. Perhaps certain MPPs would be inter-
ested in introducing it as a private member's
bill."
Matt Crowley: He questioned the minis-
ter about details concerning an $8 million
support for wheat and soybeans. (Few details
were forthcoming at the meeting.) Also
what changes are taking place to tile drain
Loans and land tax rebates.
Mr. Buchanan: "Although township tile
drain loan quotas may have been cut, if the
demand is there, the money has generally
been made available. Tax rebates: 'look for
changes.' In future, rebates may go from 0
per cent to 100 per cent depending on actual
production."
Bert Vorstenbosch: "I stand in support of
all the farmers in Perth county. Agriculture
is in dire straits. A case in point locally is the
hail damage. Farmers in Perth are having a
tough time even if their yields are top-
notch."0
All Perth Federation of Agriculture
members are invited to express a viewpoint
on this page. Send your ideas to John Drum-
mond, R.R. 5, Mitchell, Ontario NOK INO.
SEPTEMBER MEETING
Thursday, September 26, 1991
Downie Mutual Fire Insurance Office
Sebringville 8:30 p.m.
Everyone welcome
ATTENTION
ALL PERTH COUNTY OFA MEMBERS
REGIONAL AND COUNTY MEETINGS
AND BANQUET
Thursday, October 10, 1991
Sebringville Community Centre
Banquet 7 p.m. Meetings 8:15 p.m.
Tickets available from directors or call:
229-6430