The Rural Voice, 1995-05, Page 72GREY
County Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER ' The Rural Voice is provided to all Grey
County Farmers by the GCFA.
446 10th St., Hanover, Ontario N4N 1 P9
519-364-3050
How do Government decisions
enhance or diminish Agriculture in
Ontario? It is a question we will all
be asking ourselves as funding and
subsidies are cut across all programs.
Some cuts include the federal budget
and the Crow Benefit, ethanol,
research and development, to the one
time payment to western grain
producers and the eastern feed freight
assistance. We all know government
is broke and there is nothing sacred
in bankruptcy.
There have also been decisions as
in the one time payment of $1.6
billion for the west that I believe set a
precedent for other commodities.
Take, for instance, supply manage-
ment. Can supply management be
seen as a subsidy and if so, if the
government is no longer determined
to protect it as in the past, have they
set the precedent for buying it out
(quota) as in the one time payout to
the west?
Interesting question, do I have any
debaters?
Very recently, the feds opened the
Lots of Questions!
Tariff Rate Quota for beef. The
information I have been given is that
there is not enough manufacturing
beef in the country and the cattlemen
can't source it. Does this mean that
now we will see feedlots full of cull
cows instead of western single brand
beef calves? •
If we take this situation further
and add it to the fact that westerners
may just keep their grain and feed it
to their own cattle, will the cattlemen
in Ontario be better or worse off?
You will also realize that farmers
were able to retain the $500,000
capital gains exemption in the federal
budget. Are profits and capital gains
going to rise so you can take
advantage of it and if so, who are you
going to sell your farm to?
The ethanol industry is viewed as
a real opportunity for corn producers.
I hope it is, and it should be,
provided everything stays equal.
However there are no guarantees and
there is nothing sacred in government
subsidy or tax concessions.
There is one other issue on the
Tommy Cooper Award
Friday evening, March 31, 1995,
was an evening to have been in
Elmwood for the Tommy Cooper
Award. The Elmwood Chamber of
Commerce once again put up a
bounteous meal of their famous
chicken and Bruce County beef, all
the trimmings and of course lots of
pie. Well done ladies.
The night consisted of the Bruce
County Federation of Agriculture
Meet the Members dinner and the
awarding of recognition to a person
who in the last five years has
significantly contributed to
agriculture in the counties of Grey
and Bruce. There were seven
nominees: George Black, Ken
Furlong and Mac Gamble of Grey
County and Ron Kuntz, James
Powers, Allan Smith and Mervin
68 THE RURAL VOICE
Valad of Bruce County.
Ken Furlong was this year's
recipient. In his impromptu
acceptance speech he recognized that
he did not receive this award on his
own, but through all the help and
encouragement he has had from the
different members of the boards and
organizations he has had the
opportunity to work with over the past
19 years he has been farming in Grey
County. He was nominated by the
Grey County Pork Producers.
The Tommy Cooper Award is
named after the man who was the
Grey County Provincial Agricultural
Representative for 40 years. This was
the 36th year that radio station CFOS-
CFPS and the Owen Sound Sun
Times newspaper have co-sponsored
this prestigious agricultural award.0
back roads of Ontario and that is the
"draft" recommendations to
restructure 4-H. It is a very hot topic
and maybe for no other reason than it
is "motherhood" to rural Ontario and
it directly affects our youth. Let's be
objective and review the facts:
1) The Ontario 4-H Council's
agreement with OMAFRA runs out
in less than a year.
2) Government says it wants out.
3) If we (rural Ontario) want it to
continue then we will have to find a
way to fund it.
The question is, however, has 4-H
fulfilled its original need of
supplying rural youth with skills,
education and leadership training, are
there alternatives and does it enhance
or diminish agriculture in rural
Ontario? Before anyone accuses me
of abandoning 4-H, let me assure you
as a former leader and the parent of
three 4-H members, that is not the
case. We must deal with the new
reality and I find government
unwilling to subsidize other youth
organizations. Are you willing to
directly fund and/or cut some other
service or program to meet this need?
In the few issues I have raised,
there is an equal number of
opportunities to enhance, or risks that
could diminish, agriculture in
Ontario. The need is to debate and
set a course for the future!
I find it very frustrating when
people say there are no issues. What
they are really saying is that they are
comfortable and please don't make
them uncomfortable. If this article
makes you think, I have done my
job!O
Ken Furlong,
Grey County President.
GCFA Directors' Meeting
Thursday, May 25, 1995
OMAFRA Boardroom, Markdale
8:00 p.m.
Members are welcome to attend