Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1987-01-14, Page 17• I h • A SHORT SLIDE On the way home from school Thursday after- noon Jeff Latulippe, Somsack Phannavong and Mary Vannavong found a short slide on Marlborough street. 1 T -A photo • Degradation, urban sprawl serious problems January 14, 1987 Ontario sof/ is in jeopardy Within 30 years Canadians may not be capable of feeding themselves because of rapid soil degradation, Senator Herb Sparrow warned Cana- dians Monday at Ridgetown College Farmers' Week. "We live by the soil and we die by the soil," said the Liberal senator from North Battleford, Sask. who headed a study resulting in a book titl- ed Soil at Risk. "This country could lose a major portion of its agricultural capability". Only 4.5 percent of Canada's land base is suitable to agriculture and that slim figure continues to erode rapidly, Sparrow warned, particular- ly in Ontario where urban expansion eats up farmland, compounding other problems of soil degradation. "Every form of soil degradation we have in Canada is exaggerated in On- tario," Sparrow said, which takes on added significance when considering that fully half of Canada's class 1 and 2 soils can be seen from Toronto's CN Tower. Urban expansion in Canada, most concentrated in Ontario, eats up 26 acres (10.5 hectares) of farmland an hour, Sparrow said. "That's 260 acres every working 10 -hour day eating % Ile says he has written letters, -made hundreds of -phone calls. ap- peared before milk committees, milk commissions and board of directors meetings but gets nowhere. His name is Delos Dann and he does not have much praise for the Ontario Milk Marketing Board nor the Milk Commission on Ontario. And this comes after I penned a piece in early December commending the milk board for 20 years of service' to the farming community. "You've had experience as a newspaperman getting bureaucrats to get off their asses. Mr. Trotter." said Mr. Dann. "Is there any way to get these milk guys into action?" • Mr. Dann's story is probably uni- que. He came to Canada in 1984 after farming for nearly :30 years in the Ex- cited States. He arrived here quite prepared to pay the price for quota to get into milk production in Ontario on farm with his son near Teviotdale. J He got quota but the decision cam! 1 Might in the middle of a Telex strike in September, 1984. The strike effec- lively caught him and his family in a ,--BRANDY POINT— FARMS OINT 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 an ongoing supply of A.I. sired •Hemp/Duroc, York Landrace boars & F1 York 'Landrace gilts • Our closed herd is ranked "Good" by the OMAF standards of Herd Health Classification. Come and take a look at our stock anytime! Delivery available KURT KELLER R.R. 1, Mitchell, Ont. 519-348-8043 1 bind. An over -quota letiy_caught up with him but the strike caused pro- blems for a new producer. Without getting into the extremely com- plicated reasons for how it cost money. Mr. -Dann took his case to the Ontario Farm Products Appeal Tribunal. The Danns figured the entire screw - up on quota costs, over -production and extra levies cost them more than $20,000. The appeal tribunal, a provin- cial body, agreed the Danns were money out of pocket. The family of- fered to settle for $10,000 just to put an end to the squabble. Tuckersmith lady named Agriculture Minister John Wise has announced the appointment of more members to the federal Farm Debt ,aview Boards for Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island; New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Includ- ed is a women from Tuckersmith Township.. The boards were established in August by the federal government to assist farmers and their creditors resolve financial difficulties. They have the power to examine farmers' financial situations and to provide for a stay of proceedings by creditors for up to 120 days. Included in the Ontario appoint- ments was Brenda McIntosh, 46, a cash crop, hog and layer operator from Tuckersmith. She is a member of the provincial decision committee for farm operating credit assistance program and the Ontario Family Farm Interest Rate Reduction Pro- gram (OFFIR). Mrs. McIntosh has been active in the Huron Federation of Agriculture and other community activities. These people will provide the in- valuable knowledge and expertise necessary for the boards to work ef- fectively," Mr. Wise said. Applications can be picked up at Farm Credit Corporation offices and !Agriculture Canada regional offices. - --A-settlement of -$4;500 -was -finally agreed upon. The milk commission. according to Mr. Dann, and the ap- peal tribunal agreed upon a sum "equivalent to the dollar value of 400 litres of milk," about $4,500. That was in November of 1985. But Mr. Dann has not, as this is written, received a single penny. "I -know what was meant and I'm sure they know what was meant in the settlement but they will not budge." said Mr. Dann last month. "How do you move these damned bureaucrats? They (he OMMB and the Milk Commission of Ontario) say an overquota levy is a federal matter and comes under the jurisdiction of the Canadian (not the Ontario) Dairy Commission. "They're using that as a cop-out." "That bunch at the OM81B are the coldest bunch of bureaucrats I have ever seen and the milk commission is just as bad." Mr. Dann of DAnnroving Farm maintains Ken Knox of the milk com- mission is well aware the money is owed as is Ken McKinnon, former chairman of the OMMB, now vice- chairman of the Canadian Dairy Commission. "Knox is the hardest -man in On- tario to get ahold of and McKinnon was vague and evasive and even refused to testify 'Without legal counsel' present," said Mr. Dann. "All I'm trying to do is get a little justice for money that is owed to me. And we're willing to settle for one- fifth." Mr. Dann sounds like a reasonable man. He is not vindictive. In a telephone interview he remained polite and up front, able to retain his sense of humor in a situation that would have some people ripping out phone lines. I have not contacted either the milk board or the milk commission. Their side of the story may be different. But if it isn't, then they owe Delos n $4,500 and they should pay him. It s ms to me to be a lousy way to treat producer, making him wait more than a year for $4,500 and defy- ing an order from Ontario's top farm appeal board. i 01/5"--rfr— ELEVATOR 196 William St. Lucan, Ontario - 227-4479 offers you a complete line of SHUR-GAIN Feed . in bags or bulk SHUR-GAIN Animal Health Products Also, we offer CUSTOM GRINDING WE ARE YOUR COMPLETE FARM SERVICE CENTRE away at our most precious resource." Sparrow listed crisis degradation problems across Canada and possible scenarios should Canadians not im- mediately adopt what he calls a "con- servation ethic:" • The Maritime provinces' topsoil, which unlike Ontario's doesn't regenerate, is eroding at such a rate that there will be no agricultural base within within 30 or 40 years. • Fragile Quebec organic soils are eroding at such a rate that within 20 years fanning could be eliminated. • 11 Prairie soil erosion and soil salinization continues because of im- proper cropping methods, agriculture in the West could be history within 40 Soil awards this Friday Eight Huron farmers are among the nominees for the 1987 Norman Alexander Conservation Award, chosen for their outstanding leader- ship implementing and using soil and water conservation practices in their day to day methods of farming. The winner of the prestigious trophy will be announced at the Huron Soil and Crop Improvement Associa- tion's annual Awards Banquet in Var- na this week. Nominated for the Norman Alex- is r Award are John and Harry Swinkles and Jim Maclntosh, all of RR 4 Seaforth; Ken Gascho and Roy Erb, both of RR 3 Zurich; Jack McGregor of RR 2, Kippen; Bruce Shillinglaw, RR 1 Londesboro; and Lyle Martin, Ethel. The annual prize was named in honour of - Norman Alexander of Londesboro, who was also the first recipient of the trophy when it was first instigated by the Huron Soil and Crop Improvement Association in 1981. Mr. Alexander is known throughout the province for his work in conservation and for his efforts to educate people from all walks of life in the urgency of preserving our natural resources. - This year for the first time, the Soil and Crop banquet will be held in co- operation with the Ausable-Bayfield Conservation Authority Awards, which include awards for both the in- dividual and the group showing the most concern for conservation over the past year. The banquet gets underway at 6 p.m. on Friday, January 16 at the Stanley Township Complex. When a man assumes a public trust, he should consider himself as oub1ic property. - -Thomas There's nothing a man can do to im- prove himself so much as writing his memoirs. May.rd Pmnrn, years. • Because of the mountainous ter- rain of British Columbia, only four percent of the land is suitable for far- ming, and most of that is in the valleys. Unfortunately urbanization is progressing rapidly in British Colum- bia and much of that growth is in those fertile valleys. Because Ontarians are sitting on the country's richest farm base at the same time they are contributing to rapid deterioration of that resource.. Sparrow ells on farmers and their ci- ty cousins be quick at adopting the Page 15 soil conservation ethic. Besides erosion through wind and water, Ontario is plagued by in- dustrial and housing sprawl, highway construction and utility corridors that gobble up non-renewable farmland. Sparrow said. On top of all that, pollu- tion is heaviest in Ontario and con- tinues to harm soils. Western Canadian farmers are dry - land farmers in a semi -arid climate, so expect wind erosion of their soils. Sparrow said. "Few Westerners 1. would believe that lush Ontario would have dust storms.... but you do." Your Regional u Feature: New M4950 OTA Dealer • 4 wheel drive • 47 PTO HP • » " •• 6 c Iindex 12 speed transmission List $27000 Super Special. $,900 • Complete sales, service and parts • One of the fastest growing Kubota dealers • Complete selection of inventory 10 h.p. to 100 h.p. • Competitive financing • Buy the best for less up to $1500 M -F SAVINGS up to $1500 - Trim $275 to $1500 off our best price on Massey -Ferguson tractors M -F 1010 Hydro M -F 298 Now may be the best time ever to buy a new Massey -Ferguson tractor. That's because when you bring in this Savings Certificate Massey - Ferguson will, give you a discount of $275 to $1500, depending on the model selected, on a new M -F tractor. • Save $275 to $500 on M -F Compact tractors. • Save $400 to $900 on M -F orchard/vineyard and 200 Series tractors. • Save $550 to $1100 on M -F 600 Series tractors. • Save $1300 to $1500 on M -F 3500 Series tractors. Or choose low 7.9% APR M -F financing and generous factory discounts from Massey -Ferguson. M -F 699 Pick out your best deal on the best tractor for you. And save like you could never save before. Name Address Telephone Model Number Serial Number Customer's Signature Otters expire January 31. 1987 EXAMPLE ONLY (Sale on November 15 19861 Setting Pnce 520 000 00 Down Payment -6 000 00 Balance to r,nance on November 15 t986 .514 000 00 The arranged terms at T 9'. APR for four years — tour annual payments 01 to beglg November 15 1987 . Wdh equal payments on November 15 1988 November 15 1989. November 15 1990 Total rmance charges at ; 9'. APR to November 15 1990 Total All Payments 1111Trir MASSEY-FERGUSON Where farmers' Ideas take root. Sherwood (Exeter) Ltd. 5421700 • S 2 869 96 516.869 96 up to $1500 Via, p: 18 wellington St. west: PHONE: 235-0743 CERTIFICATE w up to $1500 ar ��'��'` tom.. •. U `�