The Rural Voice, 1991-10, Page 58BRUCE
County Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER
44610th St., Hanover, Ontario N4N 1 P9
519-364-3050
• The Rural Voice is provided to Bruce
County farmers by the BCFA.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE ALL FARMERS ARE WORKING TOGETHER AGAIN
The dust may have settled on the
"Line in the Dirt" meeting in Lucknow,
but the storm remains. For anyone that
was at that meeting, the frustration was
evident in farmers from all commodity
groups. To the farmers of the province,
it was a breath of fresh air to go to a
meeting where there was unanimous
support for a comon cause. Just to offer
"congratulations" to the organizing
farmers hardly seems sufficient. The
fruits of their efforts may never be fully
appreciated, but they can be assured it
gave the farm leaders of this province
renewed vigour in the fight for the fam-
ily farm, and fora better deal for the men
and women that work the land.
For someone who, for many years,
has been pushing for farmers to unite, it
was an evening that has been a long time
in coming. From cash crop to dairy,
hogs to beef, the message was the same:
we need our governments to respond to
the dire straights in which many farmers
now find themselves. We need to put an
end to policies which are continuing to
erode the very foundaiton upon which
this country was built.
"Where do we go from here?" is a
question many farmers are asking. If
there was ever a time to put your trust in
the elected farm leaders of this province,
it is now. There is no doubt the role of
leadership for the likes of Roger
George, president of the Ontario Fed-
eration of Agriculture, becomes ever
more important. For it is up to him, the
executive members of the OFA, and the
leaders of the commodity groups, to-
gether ith all other interested parties, to
carry the ball on behalf of Ontario farm-
ers. This does not, however, relinquish
the responsibility of Ontario farmers to
accept their role in the future of the
industry.
Elmer Buchanan, Ontario Minister
of Agriculture and Food, in his opening
address at this year's International Plow-
ing Match in Lambton, spoke of his gov-
emment being open to discuss and to
54 THE RURAL VOICE
listen to new visions and innnovations
for the agricultural industry. If we are to
see true benefits for the future, we must
act in a unified manner for the good of
our industry. We must not allow Mr.
Buchanan's invitations to go unansw-
ered. Likewise, he and his counterparts
must consult with those who have the
ultimate stake in changes —farmers.
The Ontario government just an-
nounced an interim payment under
GRIP for this fall of some $93 million.
There is no doubt this will be useful for
those devastated by this year's abysmal
prices. However, we can not sit smugly
back and think this provincial govern-
ment has come to the aid of our farmers,
as this is nothing more than a loan from
next year. This government must accept
their responsibility for the farmers of
this province. We hear only hollow
promises, and the continuing rhetoric of
the cupboards are bare.
These are the same cupboards that
found millions for the people to keep an
inefficient mining company going in
Northern Ontario, the same cupboards
that are considering the infusion of mil-
lions to keep an aircraft manufacturer
afloat. Have they not yet learned, if your
back is breaking, it is not worth treating
a bruise on your knee.
The family farm in this province is
breaking — we are the backbone. You
don't treat a symptom without address-
ing the cause. Our industry is respon-
sible for one in five jobs. If the people
want jobs, then they can not ignore the
farmers.
We must all be vigilant and maintain
the pressure on our elected govern-
ments. We will not be held out to the
winds of global trade, just to satisfy the
egos of some of our leaders who believe
we shall be the shining example of how
world trade shall be conducted. To
believe the U.S. or EEC will abandon
their farmers by cutting out their rural
social programs, is to believe in tooth
fairies.
A big round of applause to the farm-
erss of this province: finally it appears
we are working together. In the words of
Roger George: "individual freedoms
require collective action." Now to fix
that breaking back! This country was
built by farmers. I wonder if it's time we
took a role in re -building it? The United
Farmers movement was a significant
political force ... think about it.0
NISA
OATI - Ontario Agricultural
Training Institute
Courses will be held in Bruce/Grey
Counties for anyone interested
starting in October.
Will explain the concepts and
completion of the NISA application.
Recommend for all who wish to
understand the program.
Will require registration.
Please call the OFA office
at 364-3050 or
Tony Morris at 367-2136.
BCFA
REGIONAL MEETING
October 3, 1991
8:00 p.m.
OMAF Boardroom,
Walkerton
Guest Speaker:
Bill Weaver
OFA 2nd vice president
BCFA Directors' Meeting
Monday, Oct. 28, 1991
OMAF Boardroom, Walkerton
8:00 p.m.
Members are welcome to attend