The Rural Voice, 1991-10, Page 54GREY
44610th St., Hanover, Ontario N4N 1 P9
519-364-3050
The Rural Voice is provided to all Grey
County Farmers by the GCFA.
County Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER
FRUSTRATED FARMERS LOOKING FOR ACTION
On September 11, 1991, frustrated
farmers from Huron and Bruce counties
called fora protest meeting in Lucknow.
Despite very short notice, well over
1,000 people, mostly farmers, attended.
The difference between this meeting,
under the motto "a line in the dirt," and
previous "emergency" meetings called
by OFA and the presidents of the grain
and oilseeds commodities, was that at
this meeting the whole spectrum of the
farming community was represented.
Also present were federal and provin-
cial members of parliament, a represen-
tative of the Consumer's Association,
and last, but not least, OFA first vice
president Jack Wilkinson.
It became abundantly clear during
the evening, that the farming commu-
nity as a whole, not just grain and
oilseeds, are under extreme financial
pressure due to rapidly falling prices at
the farmgate. It also became clear that
the old worn cliches that politicians
cannot do anything because of the
GATT and the ECC trade policies did
not cut it with this crowd. It was pointed
out repeatedly that there is no problem
finding money to keep the aircraft in-
dustry alive, or there is always plenty of
money to fight wars.
We are in a war. The farming indus-
try in this country is under attack from
all sides. Multinational conglomerates
seem to be running the federal govern-
ment. Buy-outs and plant closures for
no other reason than "increased effi-
ciency," close down long established
and flourishing plants. (note: the Can-
ada Packers - Ault transaction which
closed the Harriston Creamery) without
any consideration for the ability of rural
communities to survive. We do have
laws such as the Competition Act, but
they never apply when farmers are in
need. Whom DO they protect? As a
result of the sale of Canada Packers'
livestock operations to a British con-
glomerate, we are now left with only one
rendering plant in this area, and are
expected to pay for the deadstock re-
moval because we are told that the bot -
50 THE RURAL VOICE
tom has fallen out of the market for hides
and rendering products. Have you no-
ticed if the prices for leather goods and
pet foods went down in the stores?
From where I sit, I can see where our
federal government has brought us free
trade with the U.S., but not fair trade.
There is no input on this side of the
border comparable to what is available
to our American brothers. Our supply
managed commodities are under attack,
and it is the stated objective of the U.S.
government "to have clear and unfet-
tered access to our market in agricultural
products," — quote by Carla Hills, U.S.
Secretary of Agriculture. We are well
on our way to having our supply man-
aged commodities destroyed by imports
of mixes of commodities such as pow-
dered milk and butterfat (cream) in 49/
51 per cent mixes. These products come
into Canada under the GATT agreement
which considers only the 51 per cent
part. In this way, a mix of 51 per cent
rocksalt mixed with 49 per cent pow-
dered milk enters Canada as rocksalt,
and a mix of 49 per cent cream mixed
with 51 percent syrup comes in as syrup.
These mixes have taken over the baking
and confectionery industries, and these
markets are lost to our industry.
It was decided at this meeting that
the two levels of government had three
weeks to come up with $124 million to
bridge the gap until the 91/92 GRIP
payout starts. Where do we go from
there? In unity there is strength. What
we saw in Lucknow was only a begin-
ning. There was a similar meeting of
desperate farmers in Manitoba a day
later. It is the responsibility of our farm
leaders such as OFA and CFA to mould
this start into effective action. We have
a duty to ourselves and this great country
to maintain and restore a viable agricul-
ture based on the independent family
farm. There is no more efficient unit of
food production on this earth.
submitted by Karl Braeker
regional director, Grey South
GREY COUNTY
FEDERATION OF AGRICULTURE
51ST ANNUAL MEETING
AND BANQUET
Friday, October 18, 1991
Flesherton Community Centre
Banquet 7:00 p.m.
Guest Speaker — Don Lewis
Speaking on AALP Trip to
China and Hong Kong
Tickets: $12:00 per Person, available from
Township Directors or Office in Hanover