The Rural Voice, 1991-11, Page 46GREY
446 10th St., Hanover, Ontario N4N 1P9
519-364-3050
• The Rural Voice is provided to all Grey
County Farmers by the GCFA.
County Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER
INVOLVEMENT IS MOST IMPORTANT
How many times as children or teen-
agers were we told to be more involved
in our school work or extra -curricular
activities because we would benefit
more from our experiences at school?
Looking back on my days in school and
university, I realize now how wise my
elders were. By giving of ourselves,
everyone benefits.
Involvement in our upcoming muni-
cipal election on November 12 is also
tremendously important to our commu-
nities. In my own township, several
first -timers have allowed their names to
stand for councillor, and positions at all
three levels arc being hotly contested.
Congratulations to these brave and ad-
venturous candidates, for if they win,
they will be involved in discussing top-
ics from waste management to land
severances, translating into many hours
away from their wives and children.
Every one of us cannot be involved
as a candidate, but we should be certain
to attend the all candidates meetings,
and to vote on election day. There are
several reasons why this is so important
for those in farming. The number of
farmers is diminishing every year, and
the number of non-residents in some
townships has increased to over 50 per
cent of the population. The needs, con-
cerns, and wants of non-residents arc
sometimes quite different from those of
the farming community.
One issue on which these two groups
might differ is land severances. Quite
often, the urban people will buy a
hundred acre farm, and when they real-
ize they don't need as large an acreage as
this, they proceed to sever it into smaller
lots. As a result, this land becomes
useless as productive agricultural land,
whereas most farmers would have pre-
ferred to have kept it as a unit.
Often, rural and urban folk have
opposing views on the hunting of coyo-
tes. Just this past year, a neighbour of
mine sold his entire flock of 200 ewes
because he had lost so many to coyotes.
Many of the urban population see the
coyote as an important link in nature,
refusing to allow hunters on their prop-
erty, while farmers see them as a men -
42 THE RURAL VOCE
ace, diminishing their already inade-
quate income.
Other concerns of farmers include:
gravel extraction; maintenance of
ground water levels; police and fire cov-
erage; neighbourhood watch programs;
road construction and maintenance;
posting of appropriate road signs; and
recreational concerns such as subsid-
ized pools and libraries if these facilities
are not available in their municipality.
In the past, farmers have used their
own rough -sawn or used lumber in the
construction of farm buildings. Accord-
ing to a recent building code ruling, only
stamped, graded lumber will be allowed
in the future. This could add hundreds of
dollars to the expense of a building at a
time when most farmers are having a
tough time making ends meet. A lobby
of your local government and building
inspector might just have an effect on
how your inspector applies this ruling.
Now is the time to question your
local candidates on the above concerns,
and other concerns that might be perti-
nent to your township. By being in-
volved on election day, you will have
done your part to make certain that the
men and women who will best serve
your concerns will be sitting on your
council for the next three years.
Other evidence of involvement in
our rural communities over the past few
weeks has been at our local fall fairs and
plowing matches. How many hours
have been spent by the rural population
baking, making crafts, entering garden
and field produce, conducting clubs,
and preparing livestock for show? Both
spectators and exhibitors benefits tre-
mendously from these countless num-
bers of hours of preparation.
Also, there are fall fair concerts and
turkey suppers, yearly events in most
rural communities. These events tend to
unite a community, and make it very
proud of its endeavours. Needless to say
how worthwhile these events are to the
lives of the local young people.
Another type of involvement that I
have enjoyed over the past two years is
acting as a director of Ontario's largest
farm organization, the Ontario Federa-
tion of Agriculture. It has really been
enlightening to see our president, Roger
George, and his executive working so
hard every month on issues from dead
stock removal to safety nets for small
grains and oilseeds.
From several speeches delivered at
our October directors' meeting, I heard
Roger George say "Bill McKnight's
declaration of $800 million in aid to the
Canadian farmer has been a direct result
of intense lobbying by farm groups,"
Murray Elston, Liberal leader, say "we
will co-operate with the OFA on the
crisis at hand, and listen to anyone else
who has ideas," and Elmer Buchanan,
Ontario minister of agriculture, say "we
will save the farmers, and they will save
the land." These certainly give a sense
of involvement, and every speaker re-
peated that farmers must unite, and by
speaking with one voice, be better able
to solve the present economic crisis.
Realizing how small some farmers'
incomes have become, I am still very
frustrated by the number of farmers who
have refused to join the OFA, citing
such excuses as the OFA is a union, the
OFA doesn't do enough for me, or I have
no time to become involved. When I
joined ten years ago, I looked upon my
membership as giving back a small
percentage of the money which the OFA
had earned for me through such pro-
grams as land tax rebate, interest assis-
tance, and many more.
I sincerely believe that if farmers
hope to solve the present financial crisis
in which they find themselves, each and
every farmer will have to become in-
volved by joining the OFA or other farm
group in order to voice clearly to the
government and to the consumers of this
country the concerns and the needs of
the farming community.0
Wes Spar ling
Director, Grey East
GCFA DIRECTORS' MEETING
Thursday, November 14, 1991
OMAF Boardroom, Markdale
8:00 p.m.
Members are welcome to attend.