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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1986-10-08, Page 1�t. BEANS ROT — Stanley Township cash crop farmer Ken McCowan, RR 1 Brucefield, examines some of his rotting white bean crop with Agriculture Minister Jack Riddell. Concern over some banking prac- tices appeared to rank second to current crop conditions with about two dozen farmers who met Riddell at the farm. TALI( POTATOES — Problems with the crop insurance program were outlined to Agriculture Minister Jack Riddell by Frank Soudant dur- ing a stop at Soudant Farms on Friday. The Soudants estimate their potato crop Toss at about $450,000 and note that on top of poor prices for the past couple of years, it is beyond their ability to survive in the business without government assistance. Federation claims worst disaster ever Following the comments of Agriculture Minister Jack Riddell on Friday, after he visited some of Huron County's flooded farms, about 40 concerned farmers met at the Huron County Federation of Agriculture office on Monday to set up a committee to request the federal minister of agriculture to come and tour the area. "Crop conditions are rapidly ap- proaching a crisis, with the edible bean crop almost a total Toss. Farmers and indeed everyone in Huron County is asked to contact the committee at 482-9642 to offer their support. "As well, people are requested to call their members of parliament and the legislative assembly to impress on them the seriousness of the situation". Not only farmers, but the entire economy of Iluron County is being threatened by record rainfall. Elevator layoffs and equipment lease defaults are already occurring due to the largest and most widespread disaster ever to occur in Iluron Coun- ty's agricultural economy." BAIL OU Agriculture Minister Jack Riddell bad a first-hand look at the crop losses experienced by area farmers on Fri- day, but promised only dint the situa- tion will be monitored and repeated- ly stated that no plans are in the im- mediate offing for special assistance. At stops in the Grand Bend bog, Stephen, Hhy, Stanley and Usborne Townships, Riddell expressed op- timism that a turn around in the weather would enable farmers to salvage many crops and several times expressedcriticiismsthat crops already lost had not been covered under the crop insurance scheme. While vegetable producers in par- ticular explained that the insurance program was inadequate, Riddell countered that they should have made their views known before they faced huge losses so the programs could have been altered to meet their needs. . He said he was disappointed that farmers and farm groups hadn't come before the Crop Insurance Com- mission before this to outline their complaints with the programs and now, in the face of disaster, were coming up with all kinds of excuses why the programs were not adequate. P said Huron -Middlesex MPP a id that some vegetable producers were being honest in admitting that they didn't carry insurance because they felt their crops were in the low risk category. He also explained that while some farmers had obviously experienced losses in their crops, their stress was really not much greater than that be- ing experienced by others over low commodity prices. Noting that corn producers were facing the worst prices since the 1930s, the Agriculture Minister ex- plained that their problem was as bad as the weather. While telling growers at the Grand Bend Produce Company that he realized many of them would not harvest crops, he said the govern- ment wouldhave to wait until the total crop picture in the province was clear before any assistance programs would be considered. The bog owners had a table of spoil- ed vegetables for him to examine on his arrival. Theit potatoes, carrots, onions, celery, cabbage and head let- tuce were displayed to show that they were beyond salvaging. Some were nothing but mush. Riddell's comments carried only the explanation that if help is needed for Ontario farmers, all will be treated on an equitable basis. He repeatedly emphasized that the federaL govern„.,equal responsibility to help growers and complained bitterly that Ontario and Quebec are often overlooked in pro- grams that have been offered to over- came problems in western and eastern provinces. "Don't let the federal government off the hook," he admonished in urg- ing farmers to take up their plea for help with MPs Sid Fraleigh and Mur- ray Cardiff. "This can not continue," he said in reference to his comments that the federal government has completely ignored the plight of farmers in On- tario and Quebec. After being told by grower Henry Jamrozinski that the loss to the Grand Bend-Thedford area producers was in the $6 million figure, Riddell said the situation of farmers' cash flow would be one area to be considered, although he said that other segments of agriculture, such as the red meat pro- ducers, had gone through the same problem in the past without much help from the government. "We can't open our wallets to the growers in the marsh and ignore those in other areas," he advised. Farmers on the tour were told that the Agriculture Minister has already met with vice-presidents of most ma- jor banks and has pleaded with them r,x COLE CROPS LOST -- Exeter area vegetable grower Bert Visscher, third from the left, tolls about his loss of $200,000 on this year's crop. Listening are Greg Brown, Ieft,manager of field services for the Crop Insurance Commission, Agriculture Minister Jack Riddell, Visscher, Huron ag rep Don Pullen and Tina Visscher. Will visit area councils Disister group Ted Soudant of Soudant 1''arins, - near Zurich has announced the for- mation of a }furor' County Vegetable Growers Disaster Committee. Other members are Iirt Visscher of Visscher Farms and .en Veri of Exeter Produce and Storage. Turnip growers are expected to join if the rainy weather continues. Estimates of losses by the three vegetable growing farms have now reached well over one and one- quarter million dollars. The committee has documented proof of the inadequacy of crop in- surance in this situation. They have figures to show that some farmers. would now he worseiiff financially if they had paid crop insurance premiums. Others with crop in- surance who have suffered a 100 per- cent loss will receive less than half their operating loans. The disaster committee has sub - forma *Otte(' written requests to Hay, Stephen and Usborne townships and the county t f Huron asking them to declare this area a disaster because of crop insurance inadequacy and the record rainfall. This would clear the way to seek financial assistance at a higher level. Committee representatives will also be making visits to township councils this week to support their written requests. to show some leniency to farmers who have suffered losses. Those bankers have indicated to him that they will cooperate. "They don't want to put farmers out of business," he commented. Before leaving the Grand Bend facility, he urged growers to get infor- mation on their plight to him so it can be assessed. "You can be sure I'll be on top if it," he promised, adding he would also be happy to accompany the growers if they want to set up a meeting in Ot- tawa to seek federal support. "We have to get some cooperation from our federal counterparts," he concluded. After leaving Grand Bend, the en- tourage, which included crop in- surance officials and local OMAF representatives moved on to visit Ex- eter area vegetable producer Bert Visscher, a neighbor to Riddell. $v:J taitKigit • M MFRS When asked to detail his losses, Visscher had to walk away from the group to regain his composure and returned to emotionally explain that his losses were in the $200,000 range. He explained he was a believer in crop insurance and had it on his beans, but didn't think the program was suitable for his vegetable crop. "It's just not attractive enough to in- sure," he continued, arguing that the programs should be comparable to fire insurance to compensate for any loss. Riddell said he couldn't understand why the programs were considered good for beans and not for cauliflower and cabbage and reiterated that growers should have made known their concerns about the insurance ppograms before they faced a wipe- out. "Farmers have to tell us what they want," he said, adding that crop in- surance is a federal program and is only administered by the province. While noting he was establishing a conunittee to review crop insurance, Riddell commented that if federal minister John Wise isn't interested in changes, the exercise would be futile. Next stop was at Soudant Farms in Hay Township, where Riddell again faced complaints about the insurance program and repeated his answers. Frank Soudant estimated losses at $450,000 for the firm and explained that on top of the poor prices in the last couple of years " it's beyond survival''. The Soudants- and Hensall Co -Op crop specialist John Van der Burgt had a 25 -page report detailing inade- quacies in the insurance program and suggested that with even a partial harvest of their potatoes, they would have been worse off with insurance Please turn to page 3 Serving South Huron, North Middlesex EXETER, ONTARIO, October 8, 1986 & North Lampton Since 1873 ^J fSMx>M vJYvv:v.+$ Price Per Copy 60 Cents UMBRELLA HELPS — Minister of Agriculture Jack Riddell gets protection tram the rain while talking ,.,ta.iarmers Friday afternoon on the Osborne township farm of Donald Ki rslake. From the leftfare Kerslake, Larry Gardiner and Huron's Ag Rep Don Pullen. �- T -A photo • • TRAMPLE BEANS -- These Stanley and Hay Township farmers didn't have to be concerned with damag- ing this white bean field...the weather has already done that. They were on hand to talk to Agriculture Minister Jack Riddell, second from the left, during his stop at RR 1 Brucefield on Friday. . He has beans out too Cardiff is well aware "It's a blow that agriculture doesn't need," Iluron-Bruce MP Murray Car- diff said this week in reference to the weather woes being experienced throughout the riding and elsewhere. He indicated that farmers can be assured that federal officials are well aware of the devastation that has taken place but added that no pro - grasps had yet been announced to ease the plight' that is being ex- perienced by many. Reacting to a suggestion by Ontario Agricultur# Minister Jack Riddell that farmers lshould put, some pressure on federal politicians,'.Car• cliff said that was not necessary as he and others were well aware of the situation. Ile said that he had advised AgriculturerMinister John Wise as early as two weeks ago about the vegetable crop loss in the (;rani Bend area and some parts of his riding. As a farmer, he said he also had first hand knowledge that weather conditions have been devastating to the white bean crop. Cardiff.still has white beam in some of his fields in the Brussels area. in an interview with the Times - Advocate in Hensall on Monday, the . MP indicated some parts of the pro- vince could he classified as disaster areas. However, he said those specific areas would have to be identified by local townships, then passed on to the provincial and federal governments for consideration of assistance. "We all have to work together," Cardiff said, saying that discussions are already underway.• I owever, similar to Riddell, he said officials would have to be careful and. cautious that the concept of crop in- surance is not destroyed. He said the first and foremost priority was to ensure that farmers are helped to the point that they can put in a crop next year. Cardiff said the plight of farmers in this area is the topic of most conver- sations at events he has attended and noted that many farmers are now feeling that the weather conditions on top of previously low commodity prices could be the straw to break the camel's hack. He explained that the wet, humid conditions have resulted in attacks to crops by insects and moulds and "it's all very devastating". Cardiff, whose was leaving for Ot- tawa shortly after his stop in Hensall, said he would be talking with Wise as soon as possible to update the agriculture minister on the current situationin this riding. CORN MOULDS Usborne farmer John Oke shows Huron - Middlesex MPP Jack Riddell that some mould is already appearing on corn in the area during the latter's tour of area fqrms on Friday.