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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1986-06-25, Page 18• 4 • Page 6,. Times -Advocate, June 25, 19136 • HAY DEMONSTRATION --Becker Farm Equipment staged a haying demonstration at Centralia, Fri- day, displaying several new lines of equipment. Looking over a mower/conditioner from the left are Ralph Lynn, Frank Hicks, Dirk Hoonaard, John Becker, Bill Elliott and Phil Lynn. • • Suicides are the second greatest killer of farm men. An astounding statement? You bet. It was made by Rev. Richard Holl- ingsworth of Underwood, a rural com- munity in Bruce Township, Bruce County, not far from the sparkling shores of Lake Huron but one of the hardest-hit areas in this rural depression. Rev. Hollingsworth spoke at the 62nd annual meeting of the Hamilton Conference of the United Church. He told the 500 delegates of the terrible crisis in agriculture and that the church should be doing something about it. Why, he asked, is there no hue and cry clean across this nation? If doc- tors or other professionals faced this statistical evidence of suicide, task forces and inquiries would be set up to find solutions. But, because it is in the country where life is supposed to be slow and easy, nothing is done. There are, said another delegate, no social agencies in the country. And this delegate knew what he was talk- ing about. John Otto, who farms near Palmerston, faced personal bankruptcy on his land and watched while the farm survivalists organiz- A sergeant and a private were, courtmartialed for kicking a colonel as he got into his car. The sergeant said the. colonel had stepped on his most sensitive corn, and he had lost control unintentionally. That made sense to the court. The private then gave his explana- tion: "I saw the sergeant kicking the colonel and I thought the war was over." ed a penny auction to prevent a bank from foreclosing. The auction was successful in that the bank made other arrangements but John Otto maintains that more and more farmers are wondering if suicide is the only way to end their debts. When he was going through his financial crisis, his church literally abandoned him, he said. There is nothing out there and farmers don't know which way to turn," he said. I have known John Otto since 'he was a Boy Scout in his home town of Elmira. He is a hard-working, honest, straight -talking young man, the kind of man agriculture in this country needs. To losemen like him is a tragedy. Those Tho know him are happy he was able to stay on the land. There are hundreds more out there in the boondocks, though, who are in just as much trouble. ,The United Church of Canada, through a task force, has drawn a seven -point plan for governments which is aimed at halting the crisis in agriculture. Its main suggestions include independent farm financial review boards, grants and loans at affordable rates for farmers, investment and tax policies to promote family farms and legisla- tion to discourage corporate farming and absentee ownership. Also .and I like this one -- educa- tion programs to ensure appreciation of family farms. I have heard a number of frustrated farmers in re- cent years say they would try harder if only they thought they were being appreciated by the general public. Too many people look upon farm- ing as a second-class occupation for those who can't make it in the big cities. "Living on a farm today is like be - Last Week's. Shop Exeter Prize Winners • 1 dress H. Larmer, Parkhill, 1 dress L. MacDonald, Crediton 2 dresses from Jacquelines • Liz Varley, Exeter '100,00 Gift Certificate from Gerrards • Mary Westlake Exeter '20 Gift Certificate from The Beat • Mrs. Marie Eckert, Clinton '50.00 Gift Certificate from Looking Good • Tim Oliver, Huron Park '40.00 Gift Certificate from Gentlemen's Choice • Rick Kenrett, Stratford Pair of shoes from Wuerths • T. Voerman, Exeter '50.00 Gift Certificate from Image Cleaners • Joanne Bengough, Hensall '25.00 Gift Certificate from Campbells Jewellers • Shaun Glavin Ailsa Craig '30.00 Gift Certificate from Creative Lady • Von Overholt, Centralia '50.00 Gift Certificate from Little People • L. Olmstead, Grand Bend '30.00 Gift Certificate from Polka Dot • Mari Hamilton, Exeter '50.00 Gift Certificate from Brigittes • Fred Wells, Ailsa Craig '35.00 Perm from K 8 K Hairstyling • Marg Thompson, Aliso Craig Perm, cut, etc. from Main Event Winners are asked to pick up prize vouchers at Russell Electric, Exeter 4 1 sod 1104%1 cw..a R43 .c ing in a pressure cooker and I'm afraid the lid is about ready to blow," said Jim Walker of Brandon; Man., who has just completed a study on farming on the Prairies. Rural Routing: I made a statement recently about the farm community doing nothing about high quota costs. I was wrong. The Ontario .Milk Marketing Board is doing something. Two agricultural economists from the University of Guelph have been hired by the board to study quota costs. The 18 -month survey will study the effects of rising quota costs, why they con- tinue to climb and what can be done to prevent further inflation. Hibbert adds velvetleaf RIddeII announces aid to help hog efficlency The Ontario government wig spend 04 mWiop over the next ye aero to help pork , ' - - more ef- ficient to , ve ,industry's processing ' ,and marketing contingents. Jack Riddell, Mitt ter_ of Agriculture and Food, mn ed the vdouble-barrelled b �t the opening of the lath annual Ontario Pork Congress in Stratford. The minister also took the tunity to laud the one -year-old Li aj government's contributions ' to agriculture, and to release a few political' arrows aimed at Harry Brightwell, the Conservative member of parliament for- Perth, and the federal government. Although details of the new pro- gram for the pork industry have yet to tie established, Riddell said 15 million will be available during the first year $900,000 of which has been slated for marketing. Over the five-year term of the plan, which will be retroactive from April 1, 1986, $49.5 million will be spent on production thorugh the. Ontario Pork Neither will freer trade come at the 'Industry Improvement Plan. Tripartite Program, which he said Riddell emphasizes that the pur- Dr. Brightwell "alluded to" in his expense of the family farm, which is pose of the plan is to improve efficien- remarks at the opening. "fundamental" in the mind of the cy, and not to add to Ontario's 15,000• At an agriculture ministers con- federal government, Dr. Brightwell pork producers or -to increase ference in Newfoundland last year, said. production. Riddell said, he told the federal Given the fact that the U.S. is in an In an effort to achieve its goal, the minister of agriculture, John Wise, "extremely protectionist" mood, he government will contribute grants that it was time "tve started fishing said, a better deal must be negotiated. toward capital improvements, Finan- with live bait" regarding the But "there'll be no deal with the cial, production and feed analysis, stabilization program. United States unless it's a good:deal and producer education. The provincial government has for Canada." Hibbert Township has become the first municipality in Perth County to designate velvetleaf as a local weed on the noxious list. ' All municipalities in Huron have applied that designation to the weed which has been making'considerable inroads. Perth weed inspector Cyril Brown points out that once such a bylaw is passed and approved by the minister of agriculture and food, the named weed isi tHeh treated 'the same as those on the noxious list under the On- tario Weed Control Act. This means that every property owner is responsible for destroying the weed on their holding and failing to do so, the municipality may enter upon the said land and destroy the weed at the owners expense. Velvetleaf first appeared in Perth County about ten years ago and is now in every township in the county. The weed, a member of the mallow family, is an annual with a tap root and alternate, heart shaped leaves which are velvet to the touch. It has yellow flowers and cupped shaped seed pods, each having 12 to 15 carpels containing up to five seeds. A 0 -foot plant is capable of producing 8 0 seeds that have high viability, pr longed dormancy and sporadic germination. The seed will survive the digestive system of livestock and poultry, similarly, storage in liquid or dry manure does not reduce its viability. Studies show that 40 percent of seed will germinate after remaining in the soil for 40 years. Brown urges farmers to watch for and pull any plants before they set seed and time spent walking their fields to spot those first plants can pay off by preventing a general infestation. Anyone doubtful whether he has velvetleaf can call the weed inspec- tor at 393-6398 for positive identification. Arabians to compete The Ontario Lupus Association's London Branch is holding its eighth annual Benefit Arahian Horse Show at i{derton Fairgrounds on August 3. The show is put on in cooperation with area Arahian horse owners, and all proceeds go to aid Lupus research in Ontario. In the past seven years, more than $45,000 has been raised. Lupus (short for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus) is a chronic, life-long rheumatic disease which afflicts 75 in every 100,000 people, and can cause damage through inflammation to any organ or part of the body. its cause is unknown as yet and as yet there is no cure. Formed in 1979 under the auspices of The Arthritis Society, the London Branch is a volunteerorganization devoting its efforts to'informing the public about this disease, and pro- vidings-- uiWt for Iup !�s sufferers and their families. The horse show is the branch's main fund-raising effort. Last year $9,000 was realized, largely through sponsorship of 46 classes of competi- tion by area businesses, groups and individuals, and donation of entry fees to the rest from surrounding communities. Show competition starts at 9:00 a.m. and admission to the public is free. • The program's approaeh to herd health will provide for caesarean or embryo transfers, rodent control and possible restocking of herds. Research, the record of perfor- mance program and artificial in- semination will also receive boosts, Riddell said. Improving the slaughter and pro- cessing side of the pork industry, which employs 14,000 people, will be • tackled by the Marketing Assistance Program for Pork and will stress that "the ctatomer is always right". Consumer surveys will be carried out on a national and provincial level, he said, and new products will be developer¢ for the "global market". One aspect of the program, as it relates to exports will involve bring ing more potential buyers into On- tario, Riddell added. • Technological improvements are planned as well, with plant upgrading and rehabilitation. In a review of agricultural pro- grams implemented by the provincial government over the last year, Rid- dell took credit for the National spent 119.5 million on Ontario pork producers as a result of the program, said, with $'J.1 million coming from the federal government. Riddell also pointed to the Ontario Family Farm Interest Rate Reduc- tion Program as an achievennert of the new provincial government. The program has drawn 7,000 al) plications, 1,000 of which are from pork producers, he said, and has dispensed 14.2 million to those producers. For his part, Dr. Brightwell prais- ed disease control in the pork in- dustry, which he said was the result of co-operation between producers and government. He reassured pork producer*. that trade negotiations with the United States would not ignore herd health. "Trade and health are so intertwin- ed," he said, "that they have to be talked about together". The veterinarian made particular note of pseudo -rabies, which = he described as more common south of the Canada -U.S. border. POSTER WINNERS — Students from three area schools received prizes for their winning posters in a contest sponsored by the Exeter and area fire department. From the leftetfleanportent,pq Ann Marie Mittleholtz of Precious Blood: Ctiri:ttine Passmore and Aaren Gardiner of Usborne Centra% whit also retains the schotll title for'the second yeari'Lisa Forest and Jasorl,Weiji,.Txrifp lic:1i,tfie .•. age Leroy Edwards, chief Gary Middleton and Larry Smith of. the fire department.' ,f,_) Fifteen Jr. Agriculturalists are placed on Huron farms • • The first week of the 1986 Junior Agriculturist program is well under way. Urban students are getting their Plan sessions, for speakers "If you are a 4-11 or Junior Farmer member between the ages of 17-24, you can be one of forty lucky young people this summer," says Joyce Canning, Rural Organizations Co- ordinator with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food. Two public speaking workshops with an emphasis on agricultural topics will be held the weekend of August 15-17 at Ridgetown and New Liskeard Colleges of Agricultural and Technology. Up to 20 young people will be accepted at each location. Ap- plicants should have a keen interest or experience in public speaking to qualify. Sessions will deal with how to research a topic, how to keep up-to- date on agricultural issues, tips on presentations, actual practice in public speaking and video taping of presentations for review. Three similar workshops were held last summer as part of the Ministries' emphasis on youth activities during International Youth Year. Application forms are available at. Ministry county offices, through Junior Farmer Clubs or from the Rural Organizations and Services Branch, Guelph Agriculture Centre, Box 1030, Guelph, Ontario NIH 6N1. -BRANDY POINT._. FARMS CENTRED AROUND ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION • Our breeding stock provides our buyers with proven genetics from the top 3% animals tested across Canada. • Our program enables us to offer quality and health at a price that is hard to beat • We have on ongoing supply of A.I. sired rHamp/Duroc, York/landrace boars 8 Fi York/landrace gilts • Our closed herd is ranked "Good" by the OMAF standards of Herd Health Classification. Come and tako a look at our stock anytlm•I Dolivery available KURT KELLER R.R. 1, Mitchell, Ont. 519-348-8043 first taste of what life on the farm is all about. This program enables young people with no previous fanning background to establish a solid foundation in prac- tical farm experience. The Host Farmer benefits from the program with extra .help during the summer months as well as having the oppor- tunity to pass on his skills to eager studentk, This Is the fifteenth year of operation for the program with efforts being made to continue the success from previous years. At the present time, there are 15 Junior Agriculturalists placed throughout Huron County. Before starting the program, each student was required to attend an Orientation in which both farm safety and life on the farm were topics of discussion. Co-ordinators Brock Whitehead and Dave Wright have made every effort to ensure a safe and successful sum- mer and will continue to do so in 016 coming months. Sometimes men come by the name of genious in the same way an insedt comes by the name of centipede - not because it has 100 feet, but because most people can't count above 14. Dr•giln• • Farm ponds • Gravel Bailing H • Trucking • Gravel, Sand & Stone • Bulldozing • Excavating • Top Soil • Septic Systems "No lob is too big or too small" Ros. 484-9414 Tr.skl • I:ee�rti�ill�y Clinton Shop 484-9946 10, —r