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The Rural Voice, 1987-09, Page 311 AL on Christianity in Latin America. While at the workshop in Cuernavaca, Mexico, King interviewed a farmer who told him that only two years earlier he had been trying to support his family by growing one crop on his two and a half acres of land and work- ing part-time in Mexico City. But with the help of about 20 of his neighbours, the farmer organized a co-operative financed partially by the government and Oxfam. The co-op owns a tractor and a plow, and each member borrows money to put in a crop. Instead of going to the three moneylenders in their village and paying exhorbitant rates of interest, they started up their own credit union. Although the members still pay a fairly high rate of interest, the money they borrow is their own and it is now much easier for them to get the fin- ances they need for their crops. That same farmer is now produc- ing three crops and making enough money to support 17 people. He was able to quit his part-time job and buy such luxuries as a refrigerator and television set. Furthermore, the far- mers in the co-operative have made enough money to buy a truck to haul crops to markets outside their village. King admits that many farmers in Canada dislike the idea of working for anyone but themselves, but he says that if Canada is going to compete for a share of the world market, there is an obvious need for more collective action from farmers as well as for more support from the government. Having said that, King adds that he believes we will eventually have freer trade in agriculture, if for no other reason than that the U.S. and the Eur- opean Economic Community cannot afford to maintain their enormous agricultural subsidies for much longer. Canadian farmers, for the most part, are resourceful and efficient, he says. They can compete with farmers anywhere. But if we do have freer trade, he adds, it is likely that the own- ers of small farms will either have to sell out to larger interests or take on other part-time jobs. As for his own future, King says a church committee will review his work after a year, and if he's offered a second term he will probably accept. That's good news for farmers.0 ESTABLISHED 1680 ft-6rmosa }'i'1 utu a L »tsurcmce co* {D1 Yi1o5c,7 7 0nttirio NOG 1 WO Specializing in Farm Insurance Loss Prevention Service BROKERS/AGENTS Cardiff & Mulvey Insurance Ltd. Brussels Chatsworth Chesley 363-3436 Cowling & Kearns Insurance Brokers Limi Meaford Lyle Crockford & Son Davis & McLay Insurance Brokers Limit Hope & Leader Insurance Broker H.E. Janke Insurance Brokers Limited Larry Grummett Insurance Broker Ltd. Johnson-Dadson Insurance Brokers Keil Insurance Brokers Limited Chatsworth Insurance Brokers Limited. Chesley-Tara Insurance Brokers Limite Dundalk 923-2313 Lion's Head Paisley Port Elgin Clifford Listowel 291-2964 Wingham 357-2636 Walkerton Ripley Port Elgin Jack Lambertus Insurance Broker Limit A. Cameron MacAuley Carruthers Insurance Brokers Inc. 887-6100 794-2870 d Tara 934-2250 ted 538-1350 Tara 934-2082 ed 793-3322 353-5200 832-6961 327-8025 Port Elgin 389-4142 Gorrie 335-3525 ed 881-0480 395-5112 832-2093 McDonagh Insurance Broker Ltd. Lucknow 528-3423 Teeswater 392-6200 Craig, McDonald & Reddon Insurance Brokers Limited Formosa 367-2197 Mildmay 367-2297 Walkerton 881-2701 Middleton's Insurance Brokerage Chesley 363-3162 Kincardine 396-3465 Owen Sound Chepstow Owen Sound Allenford Elmwood Chesley Wiarton 534-3333 Miller Insurance Brokers Inc. Ripley 395-2661 Owen Sound 376-0590 Percy Morris Insurance Broker Limited 376-2666 Carl Morris Insurance Agency Elwood Moore Insurance Broker Limited James Shirreff Insurance Broker Don Threndyle Insurance Wagner Insurance Agency 366-2714 376-1333 934-2181 881-1697 363-2962 DIRECTOR/ADJUSTER Lorne Robinson, R.R. 2, Kincardine John Clancy, R.R. 1, Chepstow Len Metcalfe, Mildmay Jack Cumming, R.R. 2, Dobbinton Charles Kelly, Port Elgin Ron Lipsett, R.R. 1, Annan All claims should be reported promptly to the representative in your area or to the head office in Formosa. 1-800-265-3020 396-8045 881-2075 367-2791 353-5556 832-9334 376-6722 SEPTEMBER 1987 29