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Home My WebLink AboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1979-12-05, Page 15.—•�.,,e..hr::r�+ ` .; c.g;:aarA ..�.ue:: xi:e.,,w.�+«y Lacknow Sentinel, Wednesday, December 5, 1979—Page 15 Farmers must be involved: Hannam BY BRENDA McINTOSH Farmers must become in- volved in the decision mak- ing which shape social and economic policy. We must continue to get our say and tell the consumer, the polit- ician, the civil servant, the businessman .and all those who influence policy, just how important farming is to this country. The Ontario Federation of Agriculture has become a powerful voice for Ontario's farmers. We must be organized, we must be well financed and we must have the research and we must have the skills to make our voice heard.. The right to farm will continue to be a problem. Even the decision as to what to produce and when is being taken out of our hands. Decisions at Queen's Park, or increasingly by urban-do- mindated municipal councils, now .dictate whether or not we can produce livestock, whether or not we can ex- pand; and even the hours we can work in our fields. As the pressures from change grow in the 1980s, there will no doubt be at- tempts by some few farmers to operate in a way that we cannot condone. We must be cautious that those few do not spoil the industry for the rest of us. We, as a total farm com- munity, must be concerned that farming practices do not cause unnecessary pollution and that our record remains clean; that the food we produce continues to be wholesome and safe for our customers as it has been for decades; and that all our farming practices are respon- sible practices, yet practical and based on common sense. One of the discussion papers at this Convention, replacing the Code of Practice, proposes that we become - involved in defining what acceptable farming practices are, and in mediating com- plaints against farmers. The alternative to us policing our own industry, will be more and more controls imposed on us by people more con- cerned with recreation, hous- ing and various side issues than they are with the prod= uction of food. If we can prove our responsibility, then „we will be listened to more seriouslywhen we hit hard on .the problems facing farmers. We must attack inflation, because it is crippling us with increased costs. We are predicting that the inflation rate may well be over 10%, and in addition, we will be paying 25% more for drain- age tiles, 12 to 18 cents more per gallon for gasoline, dies- el fuel, and heating oil, and at least 15 per cent more for fertilizer. Prices in the future will go still higher, but there is little corresponding pros- pect of prices for ,our prod- ucts keeping pace. We , must' object to the damage that .. unprecented high interest rates are caus- ing in our industry, and we must demand that alterna- tives be found, or that the agriculture industry is shiel- ded from the full impact of these senselessly high rates, just as farmers in other countries are. We must continue to find A SHTON'S Ladies and Men's. Wear ,i•�� .mow >« 41, ��Ir.� ; ■., -- NM MO El IMm.nor an VII 1111— ■ --'-• 11110 ION WI — - • — Ell"- .■ — — r - ■ — —, 10r — M ■ I. ■ sow MN 10 11111•111• MINI • III MEM WIWW 1•1 : MO IN MINIM „WI MI WI 11111 1111•• —' MI WWI ■' .•—• —, - •' - - MAIM 111 . —' - ' I ,i — ■ — — • — - ■ s Having A Terrific more markets for our farm products. This involves con- tinuing to fight for fairer trade rules, to undertake programs to have our food replace imported food and to increase our export market efforts. We must ensure farmers will have assured supplies of fuel at reasonable prices. Following the . world price of oil in the key industry .of agriculture, will cripple pro- ducers and will jeopardize this country's food supply. There are many challenges facing farmers in the next decade. We must take a positive attitude that these Turn to ..page 25• S Days Only -Tues., Dec.4 thru Sat., Dec. 8, 1979 Gift Selections For The Whole Family Children's Wear Ladies Wear Men's Wear On Sale Paris Star Sportswear Elan Niccolini Coats Lady Utex Ski Jackets on sale To Help You Save Bfilk601125 RIRG OUT HT OUR CHRISTMAS SALE Shop Now ASHTON'S Ladies' and Men's Wear Lucknow • Phone 528-2126 OPEN 6 DAYS A WEEK tin FRIDAY NIGHTS TILL 9:00 P.M. 1 • •