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Home My WebLink AboutTimes-Advocate, 1988-09-14, Page 16Page 4A Times -Advocate, September 14, 1988 , Tour Pioneer plots • • Record Incomes Send Western Farmers on Buying Spree said a re-. cent headline in Canada's so-called national newpaper, the Globe and Mail. And on another -page, a story about a S2-billion.bailout for Cana- da's drought -stricken Prairie farm- ers. _ It does not make sense to most readers. They have trouble under= standing why farmers need constant - public money to survive. When they see that farmers are on a buy- ing spree, they scratch' their heads. 1 have suggested in this column before that the public, the taxpayers of Canada, will contin.uc to support farmers with grants, and subsidies only as long as they feel farmers really need it. When ,they come to the conclusion that the money is not needed, they will tell politicians in no uncertain terms to discontinue those grants. Those wtio read more than just the headlines of those stories will • PIONEER DAY - Among the 300 people attending a Pioneer Seed day to tow the demonstration plots on the farm of Wayne McBride at Kippen are - district sales manager Keith McMillan (left), Vern Alderdice, McBride, and sales representative Bill Coleman. Gwen Holland named United Breeders champ CLINTON - Gwcn Holland, Clin- - ton, of the Kippficld 4-11 Beef Club, was the Overall Grand -Cham- pion Beef Winner at the United Breeders slxrnsc.red Silver Dollar Competition. This Competition, which drew 4-H participants from eleven counties in Central Ontario is designed as a challenge of intelli- gence, self expression, showman- ship, and knowledge. Other "4-1-1ers in the beef section were Steven • Beane, RR 1, Brucefield and Karen Campbell, RR 5, Seaforth, also from the; Kippficld Calf Club. Huron County was also well rc- sprescntcd in the dairy crass. Art Bos, Shannon Hallahan, Sharon - Ramsey and Mike Pentland all made - a good showing. T7tcy are all mcm- -bers of the Hallrice Dairy Calf. Club. . - This Competition is an annual event held at the United Breeders In- corporated -headquarters in Guelph, and at the Erin Fairgrounds.: Nick Geleynsc. Rural Organization Specialist - FOUR - Perth sales manager Brian Jackson led a group of farmers at- tending a Pioneer Seed Day at:the Kipperr.farm of Wayne McBride in a tour of the demonstration plots. WI. features.miniature .farm machinery By EERNICE- BOYLE DAM-MO(p - The DttAiw•ood NVMae. n's 110tuie Agricultural mecting.opencd with the idcntifica- bon of miniature farm machinery 00 display. . Mrs. Katherine Becker gave a de- scription. of the plowing match poster and the attractions of the Tent City': The -17 members and - seven visitors named their favourite farm animal in answer to the roll call-- • Mrs. Pearl Miller, who was in President Mrs. Becker. was in- charge of the program, compared formed by the provincial office in farming 3(1 years ago to the present Guelph that the Loaf of Bread netted day. Beth Prouty. Exeter, sang a S17,000 and the F.W.1.O. donated solo. S50,000 to the Guelph Nutrition • lab. The Provincial Theme for 1088-k9 w ill he "Waste Manage— ment". \lrs. Mary Weber and Airs. ;11ar- tha Weigand were appointed dele- gate to-- the- fail -Rally in.. flensal! October 3. Delegates to the London are convention October 13 and 14 will be appointed next month. .- The curator vv orkshop was attend • - cd by Florcnc. Martenc and Maud Hoffman..11cs. Katherine_ Becker re-. roved awards for the log books which were displayed. Aor Bob and 13onnic Becker, Grand Bend shoed their beautiful pictures' of their recent trip to Australia and We're perfectly located to handle your crop 'A hen it's time to market your crop, you'll find all the services. facilities and expertise you need are - cfose-by at Cook's. We go out of our way to give you the best pos bfe-prices. terms and,cpticns-to-make all your hard work pay off. •' When it's time to deliver your crop make Cook's your destination. "Where you can trade with confidence" . Gertro (torn Mensal 262-2410 Centroho 228-6661 Kirkton Wotton 229-8986 527-1540 887-9261 \e., Lc;dand.'Thcir travelopue 'gas Montreal vvuh the \'antlahls for h,>i- very etlucational.• •. Ila}ter Reunion Good companions The . cicornert-titr.dttl rm d;tmpeur '11,e. fall has arrived and when ail tett:-,pirit 6t-14 rytLi._rla:100he.l.l at __ the e,rLa01/ Itiun, bean their_ meet- llarry and Frieda lfavter� (Rune in;. \l; ti. Stan 1'r�s c:n,ir, pre -,- Sunday, September. 5. Irrteresting, dent'ut the Good C'omparrions Scn- g;anresand relay, wire cnjuycd with for Citizens would like to welcome Turn and Elaine .11.1% -ter in charge. the nrcmix.rs and guests to the Sep- Th-c}Y had it h;rb� prctrire tar\ins! -teniber i9 - 8-p:rn. meeting. Come contest. out and support -your 1988-89 exec - The youngest present was :Andrew Thomas, age seven weeks, son of uUvc. Brad and Janice Oke. Oldest present A fanner-Uashwood boy, Robert Joe and Thcada Bruce. of Exeter. Guenther, was married Saturday in President Dorothy tIla>ter► Van- London. to Brenda Blythe -at St. Bahl led the business and Sec. liar. .Lukes in the Garden Church. bara Duffy read the previous thin- Guests included. Mrs. Shirley Tic- utes. : • - roan, Mr. and Mrs. Gary Tiernan, A delicious- supper was enjoyed Mrs. Vera Guenther, Mr. and Mrs. by the relatives Irony • Montreal, Ron Guenther, Mr. and Mrs. Elgin Noir Michigan,-Missi;sauea, (ode- Kipfcr, Mr..a►1d Mrs. Brian Kiptcr. rich and Exeter. ' The reception was held at the Ivan - Miss Jayne .l Iavtc r returned to hoe. lene,a •,• , ,'.c.aie0 Dr ENO hone, Nava na 14n.'4 Ont Oil 311 IC T realize that the buying spree was quite legitimate; . that the buyers .were farmers outside the drought ar- eas: But few city people will read that much of the story. Only those interested in agrifulture-will get be- yond the first paragraph or two. And only those who are quite con- cerned about agriculture will read the whole story which explains a great deal. It said that hefty crop in- surance payments and federal assis- tance payments have given farmers - ready cash. The story also explaincd.that the major .effects of the .drought will not be felt until .1989. Farmers, be- cause of the drought, arc selling off inventory now and have some cash. Next year, they won't have. the in- ventory. Farm income. is up, in other- words, therwords, on a cash basis but not on an accrual basis. In the first half of 1989; they'll have nothing left to sell. Only. farmers .who have •good crops can take advantage of the soaring prices of grains this year. -and that cuts out most farmers in southern -Manitoba Saskatchewan - and Alberta. The Globe and.Mail did not men- tion that until: halfway through the story. "Too many people will read a great deal into that headline that is not good for agriculture. As men- tioned, most people read the head- lines and a paragraph or two of .the story. Only those interested in aeri- culture will -read any further. How many? It is difficult to -say but less than • five percent of the • population of Canada is actively engaged in agriculture. perhaps an- _ other 10 percent are interested in agriculture. If fanners are lucky, ti maybe 15 percent of the. people • . , who read the headlines -will read the entire story and that is far from a - majority and a majority rules in a - democracy.. It.takcs-50• percent to make a dif- ference and it is my firm belief that more than 50 percent of the people in this country really don't give a. damn about'agriculturc. They may have some sympathy for a farmer - or two but that's it.• - Which is why farm organizations are going to be in deep trouble in a fcw years. What they need is a con- certed effort to -bet their story in front of the entire nation so that wtien the senior governments .de- cide to help. them, the man -in -the- - street knows why, Too often these days 1 hear pco- ple grumbling about massive aid programs for agriculture. . - "Why can't they • stand on their own two feet?" a chap told me the other day. "I'm - sick of hearing thein cry. Let. 'cm sink or swim just like any other businessman." Well, farming is not like -any__ .other business but 1 feel like a .- voicc crying in. the- wilderness these days. Nobody pays -much at- tention anymore. - Plowing Match Special SAVE $1200 Powe► ;lean ;or pennies a day 1 "Agri" Limited 'Edition - .Only 200 available to Ontario .Farmers Don't buy unless you give a Karcher a HURON TRACTOR ij Exeter, Ontario (519) 235-1115 Karcher Hotline 1-800-265-4268 try! We Service What We Sell • Hill ANS Hill FARMS LIMITED VA RNA ONT. Varna Grain CUSTOM COMBINING AND TRUCKING AVAILABLE Call Pete or Bev At WE ARE READY TO RECEIVE YOUR 1988 CORN AND SOYBEANS Hill and Hill Farms Ltd. Varna Plant the top -yielding -FIRST LINE HARUS WINTER WHEAT • yields as well or better than all other varieties 2 or 3 days earlier than Augusta Also certified Augusta Hill and H Bev 233-3218 Varna Farms Ltd. Pete 233-7908