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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2004-09-23, Page 18Maizex Seeds Plot Tour 4 i siiy 444 t<: 4 MAIZEX vosimmemmor Hosted by: Orval & Mervyn Bauer Friday, September 24th 10:30 AM - 2:30 PM Take advantage of September discounts Save $$ From Brussels 1 1/4 miles east on Newry Rd. Everything you need for Preharvest Now is the time! Preharvest Roundup FOR WHITE BEANS, SOYBEANS, Cop Care ALSO WHEAT STUBBLE with a 120' Boom - makes less tracking Parrish & Heimbecker Limited PAGE 18. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2004. No certainties in litigation, Woods reminds Continued from page 1 assembling a team of trade experts that feels it has a strong case, but when you're in litigation there are no certainties, he said. "Our legal team is based on the premise that we're going to go out and get what you need," he said. "One of the strongest parts of our case is that the U.S. government through the Harvard University risk assessment and through the state- ments of U.S. Agriculture Secretary Anne Venneman, has said Canada is a minimal risk country. After the assessment said Canada was of little risk of spreading BSE, Venneman shobld have opened the border to Canadian cattle. Pascal Wendy Holm, P. Ag., award-win- ning agrologist, farm columnist, economist and author, will be the guest speaker at the Huron County Federation of Agriculture's annual regional meeting to be -held in Brussels Arena, Brussels, Ontario on Thursday, Oct. 21 at 7 p.m. The title of her talk is Hard Ball: Playing to Win on the Farm Trade Front. A widely-read farm columnist and expert on international trade and competition policy who doesn't pull said but instead of making a simple decision she set up a program to cre- ate rules for the entry of Canadian cattle. In doing so she created oppor- tunities for American opponents of trade like R-Calf to throw, up road- blocks. R-Calf producers in Montana and North Dakota have a hard time grasping that Canadians can actually have a lower cost of production than they do, Pascal said. He said he can understand their feelings when you realize that 100 truckloads of cattle were heading south from western Canada to a packing plant in Billings, Montana every day. R-Calf doesn't, want to trade with anyone but themselves, Pascal said. her punches, Holm will explain in plain language why Washington's 17-month closure of the American border to Canadian beef and cattle is in contravention of NAFTA, what remedies this gives Canada and how Canadian farmers affected by BSE can encourage both Ottawa and sen- ior cattle industry leaders to act. While the current BSE crisis is what prompted organizers to bring Holm in as a speaker, she will also provide local farmers with a quick update on The Farmers' Resolution "I'll bet that once we get the bor- der open these guys will come for- ward with a countervail challenge on the aid money we've got from the government," he said. "By fighting back we have gained instant respect (of the U.S. govern- ment)." Woods said. "The cost of (their) losing is too big to ignore. The by-product (of the suit) is we're sending a clear message: the border closure has nothing to do with sci- ence; it has everything to do with the fact the American system will keep the border closed as long as possi- ble." Roy Cunningham asked Woods if he did win how he would collect from the U.S. .government if it to Exempt Water from the NAFTA (an initiative with the support of some 200 Canadian farm organiza- tions). A general question period will fol- low, in which Holm will also take questions on other trade interference issues such as OECD support levels. For more information and tickets contact Huron County Federation of Agriculture at 1-800-511-1135, 1- 519-482-9642 or any HCFA director. Deadline for ticket sales in Oct. 4. refused to pay. Woods said there has never been.a NAFTA Chapter 11 case where the country that lost refused to pay. "NAFTA itself is on trial," he said. "The whole of NAFTA would be torn to shreds." While Pascal puts great hopes in the Chapter 11 suit, he said farmers must also take other actions. The Canadian cow-calf industry must come on side to allow cattle from all states to be imported, not just the 39 states that are currently declared free of the diseases blue tongue and antiplasmosis and allowed to ship stocker cattle to Canada. "That's where you people have to go to work," he told the cattlemen, in the job of pressuring our government to open th- borders. Until that there's going to be tremendous pressure in some north- ern states against opening the bor- der. Farmers must also pressure the government for better support pro- grams. He labeled the CAIS pro- gram as "Chartered Accountants Income Support" instead of Canadian Agriculture Income Support. And, he said, the Canadian gov- ernment needs to get directly involved in building slaughter plants because under the current uncertain- ties, no entrepreneur is going to want to put money up. Even if the plants have to be moth-balled in two years it would be cheap insurance, he said. Farm journalist to speak at Federation meeting WE ARE READY FOR HARVEST RECEIVING • White Beans • Soybeans • Corn Parrish & Heimbecker Limited Walton Elevators Also - Off-farm trucking available at reasonable rates WILMAR EAGLE - 120 FT. BOOM Good supply of Wheat Seed available • Soft White • Soft Red • Hard Red Ask about our 1.P. Premiums Walton 887-9261 1-800-786-1476