HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2006-01-11, Page 8Page 8 January 11, 2006 • The Huron Expositor
News
New Year beginning with banks calling in
loans and credit lines from local farmers
Cheryl Heath
Some area farmers are starting
off the New Year in a bad way as
banks are calling in loans and lines
of credit.
Marilyn Broadfoot, a Brucefield-
area farmer and farm activist, says
though farmers are reluctant to
step forward about mounting finan-
cial problems, the reality is the
country's largest banks are begin-
ning to call in : loans and lines of
credit when farmers can least deal
with the problem.
"The banks want their money and
I don't know how long the banks
will wait," she says, noting a wide
range of people within the industry
are facing a. financial crisis and
without help from family members
or fellow farmers, there is little they
can do.
Broadfoot says what is especially
frustrating is though agriculture
ranks high as an income , generator
for the country, it is
receiving shockingly lit-
tle attention from feder-
al election candidates.
Steve Webster, a
Blyth -area farmer who
enjoyed a comfortable.
lifestyle with his
Holstein heifer opera-
tion before the Bovine
Spongiform
Encephalopathy (BSE)
crisis resulted in the
United States slamming
its door shut to
Canadian imports, says
the time to act is now.
The resulting impact for
him is a loss of $817,000 in equity
and a still -on -the -books stranded
debt of $50,000.
"To make a long story short, the
bank has been nice to a point," says
Webster, adding he has been
extremely fortunate in that "two
white knights" have
come to his financial
aid.
Plus, he notes, the
fact that he is single
alleviates the potential
stressload since there
isn't the extra weight of
carrying a family's
expenses to cover.
Webster, who is the
president of the
Holstein Heifers
Association, is astound-
ed by the government's
inaction to date.
What is : especially
shocking, he ' says, is the
federal government is well aware
the Canadian Agricultural Income.
Stabilization (CAIS) program is not,
working and that it fails .to address
the multi-million dollars lost by pro-
ducers through the BSE crisis.
"I know guys in Ottawa who have
lost $2 to $3 million in equity," he
says. "That's a fair bit of a loss."
Webster, who notes that he has
had discussions with everyone from
Ontario Federation of Agriculture
representatives to Agriculture
Minister Andy Mitchell, says it is
difficult to comprehend why the
government is unable to come up
with a loan guarantee or equity
replacement program given that the
mounting cash -related problems of
farmers from virtually every field
have been well known for years.
'The banks
want their
money and I
don't know
how long the
banks will
wait,' --
Marilyn Broadfoo
of Brucefield
MUNICIPALITY OF HURON EAST
CLASS ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF WATER SUPPLY
FACILITIES
COMMUNITY OF SEAFORTH
NOTICE OF STUDY COMMENCEMENT
The Municipality of Huron East is undertaking a Municipal Class Environmental
Assessment (Class EA) to investigate the best long-term solution for upgrading
municipal water supply facilities in the community of Seaforth. The purpose of the
study is to define how the existing water supply facilities can be upgraded to address
the short and long-term needs of the community and accordingly has identified a
study area at the north end of Seaforth, adjacent to the existing Welsh Street well
supply, for further investigation. The study is needed to resolve certain deficiencies
with the Seaforth Water System, as identified by recent hydrogeologic studies.
The project is following the planning process set out for Schedule B activities under
the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (Class EA) document. Schedule B
projects are approved subject to a screening process. The purpose of the screening
process is to identify any potential environmental impacts associated with the
construction of the facilities and to plan for appropriate mitigation of any impacts.
The need for a screening process is triggered in this project because the work may
involve the establishment of a new well supply and may require the
decommissioning of an existing well supply.
The process includes consultation with the public, stakeholders and government
review agencies. For further information on this project, or to inspect a copy of the
Class EA document, please contact the consulting engineers: B. M. Ross and
Associates, 62 North Street, Goderich, Ontario, N7A 2T4. Telephone (519) 524-
2641. Fax (519) 524-4403. Attention: Kelly Vader, Environmental Planner
(e-mail: kvader@bmross.net).
Public input and comment are invited for
incorporation into the planning and design of
this project and will be received until February
2, 2006. Subject to comments received and
the receipt of necessary approvals, the
Municipality intends to proceed with the
planning, design and construction of the
project.
This Notice Issued January 4th, 2006
Jack McLachlan, Clerk -Administrator
Municipality of Huron East
•
He adds while it is tempting to
vilify banks for calling in debts, it is
nonetheless understandable given
the government's unwillingness to
address the situation.
"Nothing ever happens," he says.
Once one adds the fact that farm-
ers are the least likely bunch to
speak out when facing cash crunch-
es, it is not difficult to understand
why the general public is not aware
of how dire the plight has become,
says Webster.
Webster, " who notes grain and
oilseed farmers are grappling with
their own challenges, says the feel-
ing of hopelessness is pervasive.
"Disappointed in the govern-
ment's inaction is an understate-
ment," he says. "I'd say I am.
shocked at the lack of action."
He adds the what to do is the
biggest question looming over the
heads of farmers.
One plan, he says, involved join-
ing forces with more "radical
groups" in order to lead the charge
with more effective protests in order
to get the government's attention.
Webster says as a farmer, he has
two questions he'd ideally pose to
electoral candidates.
The first is how they plan to
address lending institutions that
are currently putting pressure on
farmers to liquidate.
The second is what they would do
within the next three months to
keep farmers afloat.
"Canada is a nation founded upon agriculture; a country
that has linked its national economy to the success of the
agricultural sector. If agriculture flourishes then so does
the rest of Canada. Governments must recognize this and
then act accordingly. This Liberal government has proven
its clear understanding of this reality" - Paul Steckle 2006
"Our commitment to the agricultural community was to accelerate our review
of the CAIS programme and to do it in accordance with Wayne Easter's
Report The fundamental principle of his report was to get more money into
producer's pockets. The Grains and 011 seed producers have proposed a way
to do just that. And We agree. So our review will be conducted with exactly
their proposal in mind."
Rt. Hon. Paul Martin, Prime Minister of Canada
Leader, Liberal Party of Canada
For Intloitnatiort, Call or Visit my Campaign Offices;
ling Street, Clinton, Ontario NOM 1140
735 een Street, Kincardine, Ontario N2Z 1Z9
116Durham St., E.,. Walketton, Ontario NOG 2V0
Official Ara For PaulSteckde