The Rural Voice, 1987-03, Page 6THE GREY & BRUCE MUTUAL
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4 THE RURAL VOICE
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THE NUMBERS GAME:
FARMERS ARE LOSING
The rural community today is
suffering from over -production and
poor commodity prices. I believe
this is taking its toll on our small
communities as well as we see more
stores become vacant and more For
Sale signs go up.
Recently I looked at the average
returns for a market hog. Early in
January, market hogs averaged
$136.82, while on August 17, 1986,
a comparable hog would have aver-
aged $188, a difference of $51.18.
Considering that 99,000 were
shipped in Ontario that week (and
multiply the figure by $50), hog
producers in Ontario were left with
a shortfall of income that week of
$4,950,000. This is a very large loss
of income, or a loss of purchasing
power to the extent of the price of
330 cars or farm pick-up trucks at an
average cost of $15,000, or 40 com-
bines at an average cost of $125,000,
or 66 tractors at an average cost of
$75,000, or 4,950 major kitchen
appliances at an average cost of
$1,000.
Statistics Canada figures show
that the average wage paid in the auto
manufacturing industry in October of
1986 was $16.30 an hour; in the
machinery manufacturing industry at
the same time it was $13.93 an hour.
Let us consider $15 an hour as
the average wage for these industries.
Then, the $4,950,000 loss of income
for one week to the hog producers
represents 330,000 man hours.
Statistics from the Farm and
Industrial Equipment Institute of
Ontario in Burlington show that farm
machinery companies are beginning
to realize the effects of poor returns
(Coned on page 5)