The Rural Voice, 1999-03, Page 9must become the sole marketer of
ALL Ontario. hogs and manage and
allocate shipments to the Packers by
specifications TODAY.
The packers will pay for this
service, because Maple Leaf pays for
it now in their system, for all'
accounts that I hear it costs
approximately $140 for them to
produce a hog compared to the $110
the family farm costs, there is $30 a
hog difference between the two
systems. All packers must be
included in this equation no matter
how large or small. Remember the
small guy counts.
The pork producers may have to
create a system whereby alliances are
made with the packers in order to
compete with the large corporate
conglomerates that control the food
chain stores, as well as other outside
forces.
Pork producers must stop blaming
everyone but themselves for their
demise. Remember the people who
were on strike at Quality Packers are
not your enemy but your customer. I
defy anyone of you to live on $10.50
to $ 12 an hour in the city of Toronto
— it just cannot be done. Why do
you ask your city counterparts to live
like you do? It is unfair and
incomprehensible. It is time to look
forward and stop crying in your
coffee cup. Take back from these
large corporations that control our
lives what is rightfully ours on both
sides of the equation, the producer
and the consumer are in this one
together.
The middle class in this country
are the ones pay the piper, not the
poor because they cannot, and not the
rich because they won't. If solidarity
is not achieved then we will become
a two class country, the rich and the
poor, and not many farmers are in the
class of the rich, corporate control
will be the ruination of our great
nation and many of us will find
ourselves outside of their stockades.
I wish to remain anonymous as
many of you know who I am, as well
I work in the service sector of the
swine industry. I will sign off as one
Feedback
bankrupt pork producer that was
forced out of production in 1992.0
Anonymous
A tribute to Wiarton
Willie
February 2 is about the middle of a
normal winter. This day being a very
important date to the farmers, also to
our early settlers, to take inventory of
feed in the barn and preserves in the
' cellar to feed and nourish the animals
and family until spring arrived. I am
not aware of how the groundhog
became involved with this day or
blamed for the remaining winter to be.
bestowed upon us. Willie has been
blessed for early springs, cursed and
his life threatened for late springs.
Now that Willie's life has passed,
the town of Wiarton and the White
House have a problem with their
Willies •requiring serious attention.
Why did they pick on a
groundhog? The groundhog is only a
rodent whom comes out of his
burrow in February to answer the call
of his aspirations in the search of a
mate! We can be assured that he
returned to his burrow to resume his
long sleep, dream of juicy four-leaf
clovers and wallow in his satisfaction
of his accomplishment that cold day
in February.
Willie's Will has been read, his
heirs have not to date been found. I
am sure that the town fathers have
sifted through all the remains of his
lifetime excavations. Winter will last
?bout another 42 days or six weeks,
whichever comes first. Sooner or
later the earth will warm, spring
flowers will bloom, we will plant
seeds, a new generation will be born.
New life and the accomplishments of
that little groundhog way back in
February will be appreciated and
enjoyed by all. "God bless that Little
Groundhog."0
Wayne Ische, Mitchell
Managing a farm is never easy
he business of farming is getting
1 tougher. You need professional
advisors who are able to make sense of
the big picture, while still being able
to take action on the details.
That's why BDO offers a spectrum
of professional services including:
• Pre -year end tax planning
• Income tax return
preparation
• GST problem solving
• NISA application assistance
• Capital Gains tax planning
• Intergenerational farm
transfers
• Estate planning
• Accounting/bookkeeping
Our fees are competitive, our service is personal. Call us today.
We'1I help you succeed.
Hanover
364-3790
Wiarton
534-1520
BDO
Walkerton
881-1211
BDO Dunwoody
Chartered Accountants
Mount Forest fort Elgin
323-2351 832-2049
Kincardine
396-3425
Wingham
357-3231
Owen Sound
376-6110
•
Orangeville
941-0681
Talk to us about our complimentary review of your
operations and last year's financial records.
MARCH 1999 5