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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2005-01-06, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 6, 2005. A year in review A look back to the stories in the news in 2004 Ontario’s annual meeting, members raised $400 in donations. recommendation allowing East to withdraw from the District fire area board. membership pin. 2)04 Wav Chelsey McLellan of Brussels and Aaron Richmond of Ethel were nominees for the Ontario Junior Citizen of the Year Award. The Ontario Superior Court granted a further extension to financially-troubled Acre T Farms Ltd., which was under court protetion from its creditors. Majestic Women’s Institute member Yvonne Knight was presented with her 40-year Farm equity means debt to some Continued from page 4 other healthy foods like the proverbial hot potato in response to their 50-something girths. For many, farm equity, created and passed down by hard-working men and women who broke the land and nurtured it into productivity, has become farm debt. Beaming 4-H parents still nod in excitement as children, proudly clutching ribbons, scan the crowd for their eyes. But for this generation of farm families, encouraging sons and daughters to lake over the family farm is fraught with unprecedented questions. And unprecedented risk. For a country so hooked on sustainability, you'd think ensuring the sustainability of Canada’s farmers would be the first priority of government. Pivotal players in a primary sector, farmers take sun and seeds and soil and water and smarts and turn them into food. A kind of magic, really, bred in the bone from a lifetime of waking early to help in the barn, of watching parents “figure it out” on the kitchen table every winter, of helping to work up a crop in the spring, tend it over summer and take it off in the fall. Year after year, it is a dance that esonates through the family to its /oungest member, imparting a sense . if rural rhythm that lasts a lifetime. Sure, a motivated kid from the city an study farming and make a go of t, but no amount of training is going o turn displaced workers into aimers. When uture of farming to become so incertain way from the land, ancestors weep. And communities shudder. Where does Canada stand in its upporl for farming? This October, )ntario's Huron County Federation »f Agriculture asked me to speak on ust that. The picture is not a pretty >ne. According to the latest (2003) Jrganization for Economic Co- iperation and Development governments allow the that young people turn Students from Hullett Central Public School spent a day job­ shadowing with employees from Wescast Industries. A new chamber of commerce was launched to provide all businesses in Huron East with equal access to a number of opportunities and a voice for municipal issues. During the Huron County committee for the Dairy Farmers of (OECD) report on measures of support to agriculture, Canada’s farmers are losing ground. Per farmer support in Canada during 2000-02 averaged $10,000 U.S., amongst the lowest of all OECD countries and almost half the $19,000 U.S. received by American farmers. Put anther way. Canadian farmers received 53 per cent lower levels of support than American farmers. While per farmer support in Canada fell nine per cent below average OECD levels, it rose in the U.S., exceeding those levels by 73 per cent. Measured on a per hectare basis, support for farming in Canada during 2000-02 declined by 57 per cent from 1986-88 level During this same period, per hectare support to American farmers increased by 14 per cent. As a result. Canada’s farmers received 51 per cent lower levels of per hectare support than did their American counterparts. As a proportion of gross farm receipts, support to Canadian farmers in 2000-02 declined by 44 per cent from 1986-88 levels; Canadian farmers now receive 39 per cent less support as a proportion of farm gate receipts than the OECD average. During 2000-02, total per capita support for farming in Canada declined by 33 per cent from 1986- 88 levels and now falls 35 per cent below average OECD support levels. During the same period, per capita support to American farmers increased by 18 per cent and now averages close to 20 per cent above OECD levels. Canadian farmers received 55 per cent lower levels of per capita support than did their American counterparts. And it’s not as if Canada.s farmers are slouches on an economic level. During 2000-02, Canada.s farmers contributed, on a proportional basis, close to 60 per cent more to the gross domestic product and created 12 per cent more jobs than American Several Brussels and area girls were heading to Treasure Island, Florida for a performance with the Seaforth District All Girls Marching Band. Over 200 secondary school students from across the region were in Blyth for the annual Sears Drama Festival. North Huron council approved a farmers. During this time. Canadians continued to enjoy the third lowest food costs of all OECD member nations. Canada’s farmers are losing ground. They deserve the policy respect of government.Commodity politics politics, so Canada's farmers need to speak in one voice. A minority government provides a unique opportunity. undermining farmare Toronto, in the Corbett. The Grey Fire Department received a new custom-designed pumper. Justin Peters of Blyth and goalie for St. Mike’s Majors in scored his first goal OHL. Twins Chris and Adam sons of Charles and Abi of Brussels, w-ere competing in the Spring Classic hockey tournament in Slaney and Prague, Czech Republic, as members of the Huron- Perth ‘AAA’ Major Bantam Lakers. Huron East residents were ready to tackle the issues facing their municipality, according to a recent community survey. Young student fi I makers from across southwestern Ontario were able to express their creative talent through submitted entries to the third annual Imago Student Film Festival being held in Clinton. Just half a year into the their new term. North Huron council vacant seat to fill, administrator John Stewart letter of resignation from DeVries, one of two representatives for the Blyth ward. For the third consecutive year, the number of Avon Maitland District School Board students successfully completing the provincial literacy test exceeded the provincial ave­ rage. Gas prices had risen considerably in the past month, frustrating motorists more and more every day and it didn’t appear there was much hope of the prices dropping any time soon. Members of Huron East council agreed the municipality should own all its facilities as council opened its May 18 with a long discussion on how recreation and day care should be funded. It was noted, arenas need revenues of $1,000 per day to break even. had a Clerk­ read a Ralph Continued on page 7 Ontario’s new free vaccines will protect kids The government of Ontario is helping kids stay safe from chicken pox, meningococcal meningitis and pneumococcal disease. Here’s how it works: • Vaccine for pneumococcal disease is now available free for children born on or after January 1, 2004. • Vaccines for chicken pox and meningococcal meningitis are now available free for one-year-old children bom on or after September 1, 2003. • Five-year-olds and high-risk people of any age who haven’t had chicken pox can also get the free vaccine. • Twelve-year-olds, 15- to 19-year-olds and high-risk people of any age can get the free meningococcal meningitis vaccine. For more information, talk to your doctor or local public health unit. Call 1-877-234-4343. TTY 1-800-387-5559. < )r visit HealthyOntario.com.