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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1997-10-29, Page 17il Farm sales have risen in ' Huron since last year . ney in 'Farming is a very noble profession. It CONTINUED from page 7 They're spending mo the community." Cummings said the ommend to county pl "not to ignore the in aed induced effects of Culture." y rec- needs no other reason for being except anners for feeding people. I politicians want direct g p p f agri- numbers, we've got them.' He used the analogy of an iceberg that 10 per cent is - above the water and 90 per cent below. In farming three- quarters of the job numbers are invisible if you just focus on the farm, says the profes- sor. "You miss the ag.-related businesses." Farm Sales Up For two years Cummings says he worked with the HFA to go "out there to get the truth. What is the total eco- nomic impact of agriculture on Huron County." The amount of direct sales s from agriculture in Huron County has risen from $436 million in 1996 to $512 mil- s lion in 1997. There is a total n of $2 to $2.4 billion in direct and indirect agriculturally related sales for 1996. Cummings says a need su exists to review economic an and planning development an policies in regards to agricul- is ture and the impact it has on P the local economy. vi "A $2 billion industry in be the county is not to be be ignored." 24 Cummings says on the ge impact side of agriculture, is businesses in the community On provide various necessities of ua farming including gravel for us the road, farm equipment, oth fertilizer, feed, tile drainage wo and veterinary service. The H professor said he and stu- the dents Karen Morris and Dan to Mclennan attempted to assess wa the total role of agriculture in the Huron. ma Co wou agr Can Al clud ties cult Huro in to For canni proc ethan eg. a vet, real estate bus tile drainage, feed suppl compression specialist, toir, etc. A second compone phase two was an attem see the number of busi was accurate. "Like last year, we tr promise to be conservati estimates. The estimate too low last year. We back and checked numbe Morris found that w talking to farm business econd time, she discov hat some farmers did nclude themselves, th pouses or children in umber of employees th usiness had. First of its Kind Wallace said this stu pported by the HFA, 0 d Huron County planni d development departme the first of its kind in t rovince. "The OFA has ero- ded funding for a manual to used in other counties (to ready by the OFA's Nov. convention). Then we can t the accumulated econom- value (of agriculture in tario)," he said. This man - I will outline the methods ed in the study and how er counties can do similar rk. uron is the clear leader in province when it comes agriculture production. As s reported last year when first half of the report was de public, if Huron unty was a province it Id be the seventh leading icultural producer in ada. Room for More Money though the report con- es that more opportuni- can still be found in agri- ure related industry in n, no specifics are given rms of what's missing. example,. processing .or ng plants. e don't have a major essing plant or an of plant," says Wallace. iness, "We've talked to the plan - y, air ning department about this. If abet you want to expand industry nt of in Huron County, ag.-related business is the way to go." nesses PI 0 One benefit of local ag.- industry, off the top, is reduc- tion in transportation costs, y to says Wallace. ve in Family Operations was Even though the number of went farms has decreased, the size rs•" of farms has increased. And hen the vast majority of farms in es a Ontario are still family run ered operations, says Wallace. n't "Corporate farms are few and eir far between." the He says it bothers him eir sometimes that studies like this even have to be done to justify the importance of FAdy agriculture. ng `Farming is a very noble P nt, profession. It needs no other t he reason for being except for t feeding people. If politicians N want numbers, we've got them." Morris said when conduct- ing interviews, one local trucking company said one of the biggest complaints it had was that although it could find drivers, it couldn't find young people in Huron County who could deal with livestock. Wallace said he just received a letter from a local honour student, who received a HFA bursary and went to U. of G. to study agriculture, who was asked by fellow stu- dents why he wanted to study farming when he was smart enough to do anything. It was important for him to return to the farm, said Wallace. And he thought it was as "cool" a profession as anything else he could be studying in uni- versity. The HFA gives five bursaries a year in Huron, one to each high school. Tourism Study In addition to gathering facts on agriculture, the U. of G. team simultaneously icked up information on ourism in Huron and plans o release that report ovember 6. Starting Point With a list of farms and farm related businesses from the assistance of municipal clerks, phone books and busi- ness lists, the U. of G. team endeavored to carry out the survey. In the summer of 1996, 221 farm businesses were surveyed by 15 minute to half-hour phone inter- views. "We extended it this sum- mer in interests of accuracy," said Cummings. Twelve long interviews, ranging from one to three hours each, were conducted by a random selec- tion of the 221 businesses - We wish to draw your attention to the following In our 'Giant Home Fix Up Event" flyer. Page 8. Item 4. 6-1/2" circular saw blade, 54- 1066-0. The illustration is incorrect. Page 17. RCA AM/FM tape player, 44-2279-2. The illustration is incorrect. We sincerely regret any inconvenience we may have caused you. cnote343-97 zonae: all excl.7, 7 aft, e, 9, 9 alt. EXTRA RECREATIONAL SWIM During Teachers Strike Monday - Friday 1:30 - 3:00 p.m. Plus Regular Swim Times Vanastra Recreation Centre 482-3544 Happy 65th Birthday to MARY STOREY Love from Your Family CENTRALIA-HURON PARK LIONS "BINGO",; PLACE: Huron Park Rec. Centre DATi: '$unday, Nov. 2107 TIME: 1:00 P.M. - Doors open at 12 noon 51,000 JACKPOT MUST GO (YOUR SUPPORT IS APPREaATE01 EARTA . : atulationsl You Just "Bagged A Buck"I Just fill It In and bring It to •tie Sun oast Mall to WIN ONE OF 3 -- s 100 GIFT CERTIFICATES! Name Address Phone Place this tag on one of the Bullseyes. located at the mai '0 1 From the Witch's Den CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSE •Wooden Furniture •Wooden Crafts and more! THURS. NOV. 6TH 5:00-10:00 pm AT Harpurhey (5th house on the right coming from Seaforth) Penny 527-0391 Diane 522-2055 •11Mi4641NI411411 HAUNTED NOUS Thurs., Oct. 30th 7 - 9 p.m. at the Optimist Hall '2.00 per person '5.00 family Sponsored by Seaforth and District Ringette Association THE HURON expos TOR, *etas*, 1007-17 1,0144114* AAVPOOIAMINOVI BENNETr — TAYLOR Bill and Betty Bennett of Seaforth and Ron and Joyce Taylor of Varna are pleased to announce the wedding of Karen Elizabeth and Brent Forbes Taylor on September 19 at the Justice of Peace in London. There was a family dinner at the Golf and Country Club in Sarnia on October 19. Karen and Brent are now residing at 49 Main Street, Seaforth. C4TH CENTENAIRESr HALLOWEEN DANCE FRI. Oct. 31st SEAFORTH AND DISTICT COMM. CENTRES 9 pill - 1 a111 Ate,: `MUSIC BY DJ LUNCH PROVIDED PICKETS $5.00 ADVANCED s7.00 AT TI IE DOOR 1(.t-. OF MAJORITY 011.1 I'R I%I :S I"OR IMS'I' COS'I'V,\ 11: I('K1';'I'S .1\ I'I';'I'I';'ti 1':11'1';It SU, kI"O RT I 1 ILAIlLE LIP OR .1\1• 1';x1';('1'"I'I\ AIENIBER FRI. - THURS. OCT. 31- NOV 8 FRI. 31 8 PM ONLY SAT. 769 PM SUN.-THURS 8 PM IIII 1 111\1 11 II \\1 \lr)\11 'rrl \II\1 11 s, ( )l \I:k,( )I t 11 I III \t;1 11'' \ 1 F. I \ •S LONG DISTANCE) CAFE I BOO 265 34)5 FOR 1011 f9EE MOnE 111110 Seaforth Minor Sports Council 7th Anniversary BINGO MONDAY, NOVEMBER seat 3rd orth & District Community Centres License #M466572 Proceeds to Minor Sports