The Rural Voice, 1987-01, Page 16CORN�
I've heard a lot of people say they
weren't going to grow corn in '87
because there is no way it's going to
pay, but they're forgetting the situa-
tion of the stabilization. Stabilized
com for '86 will probably be around
$3 and we hope that were going to
continue to hold it up to that point for
'87. You're looking at soybeans at
probably $7.50 so that's your 2 1/2 to
1 rule of thumb ratio.
On my own farm, I stay in a
rotation, and I don't base it that much
on price because it seems that at the
end of they year it always comes out
near the 2 1/2 to 1 ratio.
All farmers know how to grow
com, but I would keep a real sharp eye
on the marketing of the next two years
because you have to get the average
price to come up to that $3 that I was
talking about. So you want to be
either average or above average in your
marketing, and the people who do that
are going to be ahead of the game.°
John Cunningham
Treasurer
Ontario Corn Producers'
Association
Ouroutlookat Playerdise Farms,
is positive, as it has been since
we bought our farms in 1979.
Every year we set out with the
past year's production and finan-
cial records and try to improve on
them. In farming you can't stand
still, you either go ahead or
backwards.
John and Gordon Player
L.. Perth County Hog Producers)
From the Minister of
Agriculture and Food:
It is impossible for the federal and
provincial governments to fully coun-
teract the international forces that are
responsible for the low commodity
prices that farmers are facing. How-
ever, the provincial government will
continue to take the situation seriously
and undertake appropriate actions.
Since I became Minister of
Agriculture and Food, there has been
a 56 per cent increase in provincial
spending on agriculture for programs
that will ensure the long-term viability
of the agricultural industry.
— Jack Riddell
14 THE RURAL VOICE
CFFO:
Things are so complex in the unreg-
elated commodities. You have to
include the whole world market in
your calculations - if you don't you
just end up with an isolationist policy.
'Isere seems to be quite a bit of
money out there available to farmers
and it must be targeted towards need;
otherwise, you just increase the dis-
parity out there,
All our programs are based on
production. If you produce you get a
pay -out. We need more programs to
take marginal land out of production
instead of an invitation to produce.
We're going to be looking at both the
Foodland Preservation issue and the
Right to Farm proposal - they need
our full support..
We'll continue to look at alternate
ways of quota transfer in the supply
management sector that's a real
tough one - but our Daily Commi-
ttee has come up with a program that
looks very interesting.°
Bill Jongejan
President
Rural Canada is in
the midst of changes
so profound that it
will never be the
same. The driving force is the
restructuring of resource commodities
world-wide. These changes are perma-
nent, not cyclical; we can't just wait
them out. It would have been more
convenient had this not happened, but
now the only question is how to
respond. While there will continue to
be major disturbances, there are some
opportunities on the same coin. Every-
one says change is inevitable and then
goes on acting as before. It is time to
form new development concepts for
rural Canada ...
Gary Davidson
Director of Planning and Development
Huron County
COMPUTERS
Randy Ross, Agricultural Computer
Extension and Research
Ridgetown College
We're looking at some new ways
to reach out to farmers in the computer
area. We just started an agricultural
computer users' group here at Ridge -
town College ... I think we may be
doing more of that within the min-
istry, trying to live within fairly small
resources to reach out to people.
The first thing is that if you're
thinking of putting your records onto
a computer system and you're com-
pletely disorganized in your manual
system, a computer is not going to
help. You need to know what you
want to do before you start. My
general advice is if you're not sure
whether you need one or not, at this
stage don't buy one.
My best estimate is that between 9
and 10 per cent of commercial farmers
in Ontario are using computers, so
that is up a bit from a couple years
ago. Two years ago it was around 7
per cent. There is growth there, but
not fantastic growth.°
WI
We are going to have for the first time
a provincial convention to celebrate
our 90th year (in North Bay, July 7-9).
We are 90 years old but we are improv-
ing all the time and are very forward-
looking.
We are going to deal with social
and economic problems as we see
them. We have a number of represent-
atives on different organizations. We
have a representative on the OFA and
we are a member of the Coalition for
Better Daycare. It was the Women's
Institutes of Ontario that had the first
pilot project for daycare in 1984. A
great deal has been done in this area
and more will be done.°
Marcie Johnston, Secretary
Federated Women's Institutes
of Ontario
For farmers, the challenge of '87
will be to gain just reward in the
face of world commodity prices.
Good management practices are
still rewarded, and the govemment
will continue to support farmers
through stabilization, insurance,
and favorable policy.
Harry Brightwell, MP
Perth