HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2006-03-22, Page 5Opinion
The Huron Expositor • March 22, 2006 Page 5
Farmers are hardworking, dedicated
people, not cry babies, says reader
To the Editor,
In response to Mr. Dunn's com-
ments of farmers receiving lots of
concessions, not only is he not
politically correct but he is not cor-
rectly informed.
If he thinks farming is so prof-
itable why is the average age of a
farmer around 60 years old? Why
are most farm wives working off
the farm? Why are a lot of farmers
holding second jobs? Let's enlight-
en him.
Thirty-five to 40 years ago, the
average cost of an 80 h.p. tractor
was $8,000 to $9,000. Today it's
$75,000 to $85,000. Corn prices
were $2.50 per bushel; today
they're $2.60. Soybeans were $6.00
per bushel; today they are $6.24.
Wheat was $110 per metric ton
and today it is $130. Combines
were $20,000 and today they're
$200,000-$500,000.
I don't wish to get into the crop
input costs of then vs now but all
farmers know input costs have
increased many times over. It
doesn't take long for anyone with a
calculator to figure out why the
peril in agriculture.
If you think farmers are buying
new tractors, combines, pickup
trucks, etc. go ask any dealership
(your choice) how their sales .are
now vs 35-40 years ago.
The next time you have a meal
served to you in a restaurant,
chances are your tip (if you leave
one) will be more than the farmer
receives for the food served on your
plate.
Here is some food for thought
Dale. If the farm gate prices were
to double in price (corn 5.20/bu.,
soys $12.84/bu.) every farmer in
the country could make a prof-
itable living and the rural economy
would blossom, greatly helping our
small towns as well as the cities. I
doubt if the consumer would barely
feel the increase in food costs if
this increase went directly to the
farmer bypassing the middleman.
Two weeks ago, you could buy a
240 lb. market weight pig for $110
from a farmer. The cost to cut and
wrap it was $140.
Is there not something wrong
with this picture? I know this to be
true because I just had this done. I
was in the hog industry 15 years
ago and if I received $110 per pig
at that time, I lost money.
Farmers are not cry babies Mr.
Dunn. They are hardworking peo-
ple, dedicated to the well being of
their livestock and the care of their
land with most working seven days
a week, 365 days a year. No farmer
wants subsidies but would rather
have fair market prices.
In order for people to survive,
they need three things in life -
food, clothing and shelter.
Anything after that becomes a lux-
ury. When we as a society spend a
greater portion of our dollar on
items such as vacations, new boats,
snowmobiles, movies, eating out,
just to name a few things, than we
do on food, again , I say something
is wrong.
In closing I'm sorry, you have no
more dreams to aspire to because I
believe most of us do. I for one wish
to leave the air we breath, the
water we drink, the land we live on
in as good or better condition than
when we started. That is some-
thing -I believe farmers wish to
leave to future generations.
Paul McCallum
Walton, On.
ve
Write a tette
to the editor
amaissin
Freezing rains and tornado-like winds
create worst storm of season in 1956
MARCH 18, 1881
On Sunday night last, Cardno's
hall in Seaforth was crowded to
suffocation, on the occasion of the
preaching of the ex -monk
Widdows.
The auction sale on the farm of
John C. Steele, on the 10th conces-
sion of Tuckersmith, on Tuesday
last, was a splendid success. There
were abut 500 people present and
the sale realized nearly $1,400.
The company for the establish-
ment of the Walton Cheese Factory
has been duly organized.
Andrew Morrison of Walton has
purchased the farm of John
Walton, which is situated on the
gravel road, nearly opposite and
very convenient to his own.
MARCH 16, 1906
John Dodds and Mayor Anderson
of Seaforth were out on a hunting
expedition on Monday and succeed-
ed in bagging two fine foxes.
A.F. Hallett, wife and two daugh-
ters of Louisville, Kentucky came
here last week on a visit to his
mother and brother. Since coming
to Seaforth, Mr. Hallett has pur-
chased the grocery business of G.
Emery, south of the railway track.
John Chesney of Hullett, recently
purchased from T.J. Berry, the
well-known horseman of Hensall, a
fine draught mare, five years old
for which he paid the handsome
sum of $249.
MARCH 20, 1931
Rochus Faber has rented Dr.
Moir's farm, a short distance
northwest of Hensall. Rochus has
worked for the doctor for over six
years and has proved himself an
industrious and thoroughly reli-
able young man, whom everyone
wishes to see make a success of his
new project.
James Dunlop has purchased the
residence of Julia Murphy on
Coleman Street, Seaforth and is
making a number of alterations
and improvements to the property.
MARCH 16, 1956
The tragic fire,of September
1876, when a major portion of
Seaforth's business area was laid
waste by flames, was recalled this
week when workmen, removing
the front of the former Cleary store
on Main St., bared the northerly
wall of the building occupied by S.
Shinen. The smoke blackened wall
recalled the fact that it was that
building which stopped the flames
some 80 years ago.
The district experienced one of
the worst storms of the season last
week when freezing rains on
Thursday were followed by torna-
do-like winds on Saturday and
Sunday.
In the Hensall-Zurich area, hydro
was off 36 hours until Friday noon.
Telephone service was disrupted
over a wide area and damage
amounting to thousands of dollars
resulted when poles and lines
crashed to the ground.
A crowd estimated at more than
1,000 attended a clearing auction
sale at the farm of the late Harry
Caldwell in Tuckersmith.
MARCH 19, 1981
The towns of Seaforth and
Mitchell will honour skaters Lloyd
Eisler and Lori Baier at an appre-
ciation night at the Seaforth Arena
tomorrow evening beginning at 8.
Enrollment at Seaforth District
High School, contrary to what's
happening at other secondary
schools, is going up. SDHS princi-
pal Bruce Shaw said there were
363 students enrolled in
September, there are 367 students
enrolled today and there will likely
be 370 students next fall.