HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1987-10-21, Page 3Students hear first-hand of crisis
By Shelley McPhee hoist
English 4G2 is not a traditional
course of study. This. unique high
school course that is being offered al
Central Huron Secondary School in
Clinton takes a practical approach to
learning.
This year, Grade 12 students who
are taking English 4G2 are learning
about the Farm Crisis in this country.
Studies in this course focus on the
written word as well as visual•and
audio presentations. -
Part of the study included a panel
discussion that featured presentations
made by farmers and agricultural
experts.
The morning seminar was held Oc-
tober 8 at CHSS. The panel guests in
eluded Brian Ireland, Brenda. McIn-
tosh, Paul Klopp, Tony McQuail and
Brian Hall. Their discussion focuss-
ed on the farm financial crisis in On-
tario - the causes and the solutions.
Brian Ireland, a hog and cash crop
farmer from Bruce County, told the
students, "It doesn't matter how good
a worker you are, (on the farm )
unless you've got it paid for, you're
practically on a downhill skid."
Ireland has seen the dramatic ef-
fects that financing difficulties can
-have on farm families. He is an "ac-
tivist" and a farm financial consul-
tant who has helped mediate many
disputes between farmers and finan-
IN THE CLASSROOM - Taking part in a discussion to inform Central Huron Secondary school students
of the crisis in agriculture are Brenda McIntosh, Brian Ireland, Huron F of A president Paul Klopp,
moderator Jim Barnes, Brian Hall and Tony McQuail. Clinton News Record photo
Fight to keep post office
Residents from this community
learned during an October 19 meeting
held in Brucefield United Church they
are in danger of losing their post
office. .
Viola Higgs, secretary for Rural
Dignity, met with over 50 concerned
citizens to discuss the current postal
situation in the area. Before discuss-
ing changes that might take place she
briefly explained Rural Dignity is a
group of people from all walks of life
who were set up to help rural people.
Their number one concern right now
is in saving the rural post offices.
- Higgs noted that the problems for
the small post offices will arise when
a post office is sold, such as it was in
Brucefield, or when a postmaster
retires. It is at this time that some
conversion takes place. -
When someone is hired to take over
the post office, they will be taken on
as term employees, Mrs. Higgs noted.
However, the new employees will not
be offered actual post office jobs:
They will become -agents of the cor-
poration, or contractors who are sup-
plied materials and sell them on
commission.
Running the post office on this
basis, a person can expect to earn as
little as 56 to 84 cents an hour, Mrs.
Higgs added.
"If noone takes it on at this rate of
pay, then you will automatically get -
a super mailbox. As a -result, you will
have to goto Clinton to buy stamps,
pick up registers or pick up parcels,"
she stated.
Mrs. Higgs also warned the group .
that they could be hurt economically
if their post -office is taken away.
"We all know that if you're going to .
Clinton to pick up your mail, you're
One stop access
Interested groups, agencies and in-
dividuals are invited to attend a
public meeting, October 29, 1987, 2:00
p.m., at Clinton Town Hall to learn
more about One Stop Access. Input
from this meeting will be the first step
- in the development of the One Stop
Access pilot program.
This program will assist with the
development of a more co-ordinated
approach to the provision and plann-
ing of services for the elderly by im-
proving access to services.
In Huron County, the Board of
Health has been selected as a local
authority, responsible for planning,
development and management of One
Stop Access. They will be assisted in
the development of their pilot project
proposal by a research team from the
University of Guelph.
Safety signs
The Huron County Junior Farmers'
are concerned about the safety of
farm children. This year as a Com-
munity Betterment Project they are
helping the Farm Safety Association
sell signs to_cautiondrivers about
children.
Signs will be sold at a cost of one
dollar (the actual cost to the Junior
Farmers'). The signs should be
posted along laneways or near areas
where children play. Hopefully by
warning drivers about children at
play, fewer children will be injured by
farm machinery, trucks, etc.
These signs can be purchased at
Junior Farmer club meetings or by
contacting any Junior Farmer
member.
81111111111
90%
$100.000 or more
Term 30-096131
ON YOUR MONEY
all M•1 •uDl•ct 10 Ss000- us000 1/5.000.950.000
ck•�p•.�1,+6v1 Term 30 S96M Urn, 50.3961r
001' •
STANDARD
f► TRUST
386 MAIN ST. S.. EXETER
235-1060
Member - Canada D9povt Insurance Corporator
going to shop in Clinton, and do other
things in Clinton," she said, adding
that the eight or nine small businesses
in the village will be hurt.
,"There are 11 (post offices) in the
Huron area under review, and there
is a great possibility they will be gone
unless we can stop them. I think peo-
ple have to work to save them, or they
will be gone," Mrs. Higgs said.
'She urged the local residents to
write their members of parliament,
sign petitions and do some yelling to
save their post office.
- After bringing the crowd up to date
on possible changes that tan take
place, the meeting was thrown open
so the people could voice their
concerns.
One man in the crowd noted that he
goes through Brucefield every day for
work and stops off at the post office
on the way through.
"I think it's a dirty deal if I have to
go all the way to Clinton. If I have to
drive to Clinton to buy a stamp, it's
a bunch of malarky.'"
It was also pointed out that the
rural post office is a tradition, and if
it is taken away, it will be the end to
part of the village's culture.
"I think there are three things in
any community that hold it together.
We're in one tonight, and the other
two are the post office and store. I
recognize what they do for this com-
munity. We have to look at what this
community would be like if we lost
them," one concerned citizen, John
Broadfoot said.
The gathered citizens showed they
fully supported Mr. Broadfoot's sen-
timents when a show of hands was
taken at the end of the meeting. -When
the group wos asked if theywould like
to see the post office remain exactly
as it is, every hand in the building
went up, and many people put up both
hands. The group also lined up im-
mediately after the meeting to sign -
petitions.
In three weeks time, a meeting is
expected to be arranged with
representatives of the post office to
hear their side of the story, and to let
these representatives hear how
Brucefielders feel about the change.
In the interim, though, Mrs. Higgs
said theresidentsshould get busy
writing -to their MPs, to the post office
and to their MPPs.
Higgs explained Rural Dignity can
help them out with advice, but they
can't do all of the work for them.
"You've. had these services all
these years, it's hard to believe you're.
going to lose them. You are going to
lose them," she cautioned.
ADAPT agenda
ADAPT, an alcohol and drug
awareness program, has scheduled a
number of events at SHDHS-from Oc-
tober 26 to November 6.
The public is invited to attend any of
the following events Tuesday, Oct. 6. -
9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Whole school assembly in new gym to
hear Christine Nash, mother of a son
who died in an accident, talk about
how alcohol-related accidents affect
the survivors.
7:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Parents and students attending
Education Night can talk with a
guidance counsellor, a public health
nurse and a psychologist. - Exeter
police chief Larry Hardy will show a
video, explain a drug kit, and
demonstrate the Alert machine.
• •
Wednesday, October 28
11:45 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Old gym
Member of town police will be back
with the drug kit containing samples
of illegal substances.
1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Educational films on alcohol and drug
abuse for grade 13 students.
2:10 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.
Film showing for grade 12 students.
Thursday, Oct. 29
11:00'a.m.
Theatre room.
Speaker from BACCHUS, Ryerson
Community Centre, will offer an
alternative lifestyle.
9:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.
Old gym
Films for grade 11 students
10:30 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.
Filmy for grade 10 students.
11:45 - 12:30
Town police with video "Drugs and
Sports Don't Mix"
s * *
Friday, Oct. 30
11:45 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Old gym
Town police demonstrate Alert test.
•
clot institutions.
In his experiences he has talked
farmers out of committing suicide, he
has seen children in farm families
suffer because of stress in the home.,
He has seen families; mothers and
their children come to his home in the
middle of the night because the hus-
band and father threw them out of the
house when F.e was in a state of ex-
treme distress. • -
Ireland urged that more mental
health and stress counselling is need-
ed for farm people. He further sug-
gested, "When the farmer is suffer-
ing, everyone in a community is suf-
fering," from the store owners in
towh, to the church, the schools and
the recreation centre.
Brenda McIntosh works with
farmers who are in trouble. She
works with their bankers. The Clinton
area poultry, hog and cash crop.
farmer is also a member of the Farm
Debt Review Board.
In its first year of operation. the
board has dealt with more than 847
applications. In September of this
year, some 84 farmers applied for
assistance.
The Farm Debt Review Board aims
to break down barriers between
farmers and their creditors. The
board works to devise compromise
arrangements between the two.
"Its a difficult process," Mrs.
McIntosh explained, "the farmer
wants to keep his farm and the lender
wants his money back... often the two
have been at odds for upwards of five
years."
The review board studies individual
applications, they visit the farmer,
meet with his creditor and aim to find
a solution to the financial stalemates.
"We want him (the farmer) to be
able to make it," McIntosh told the
students.
Paul Klopp, a Zurich area farmer,
is following a family tradition in em-
barking on a career in farming. He
runs ashog and earth crbp operation.
"I'm a businessperson, I went into
agriculture because I wanted to make
money," he told'the students.
He doesn't believe that he should've
satisfied With less.
"Were always told that things are
going to get better, we're told to hang
on," he said. -
"People cheer for the Maple Leafs
every year. It's no different in
agriculture."-- -
Klopp, a former NDP candidate for
Huron riding, believes that govern-
ment assistance is imperative to the
future survival of farming.
"Our government MPs have to act,
they're listening to big business now,"
he stressed.
He said that the government will-
ingly helps big businesses out of finan-
cial crunches, but the same
assistance is not being given to the
agricultural industry. In fact, Klopp
suggested that the government may ,
be working to undermine.farming.
He said that media reports in the!
past have uncovered the fact that the
government is committed to getting
rid of farmers.
"Everyone says that farmers are
the backbone of the nation, but they
(government) admit that they're try-
ing to get rid of them." '
Klopp said that farmers must work
to ensure their livelihood. They must
be prepared to stand up to govern-
ment. They must be willing to oppose
and lobby.
"Farmers hesitate opposing
government. They don't want to rock
the boat and find that the present pro-
grams of assistance are withdrawn,"
he suggested.
He said that he will continue to
work to better agriculture. "We want
a better place for our next generation
to come into."
Tony McQuail believes that farm-
ing must move from being a highly in-
dustrialized business, back to simpler
ways, in order to prosper.
The sheep, hog and apple producer
has farmed organically for more than
12 years. He farms using minimual
outside inputs, this includes doing
Times -Advocate, October 21, 1987 Page 3
in farming
much of his field work with horses.
McQuail says that modern -in-
dustrial agriculture consumes more
energy than Z produces. Add to the
high interest rates, speculative loans
and low commodity prices, and that
creates a farm crisis. •
"What can 1 do as an individual
farmer?" he asked, "I can reject the
industrial approach to agriculture."
McQuail says that through his far-
ming practices; he is aiming to build
an operation that he has control over.
a farm that is self-sufficient.
He does not want the banks to own
his farm. He does not want to rely on
big business to keep his farm
operating. He is aiming to create -an
agricultural base that sustains itself
and provides three meals a day for his
family.
He is concerned with protecting the
soil, long term food security and a
future agricultural scene that will see
locally controlled farming, with a
greater number of farms and more
mixed farming operations.
McQuail is a current director of the
Ecological Farmers Association of
Ontario. He is a past president of the
Huron County Federation of
Agriculture and a former chairman
of the Foodlands Hydro Committee.
The last speaker in the panel
discussion was Brian- Hall. A .Farm
Management Specialist with the On-
tario Ministry of Agriculture
(OMAF), discussed the causes of the
farm financial crisis.
He said that in the 1970s there was
fear of a global population explosion.
Farmers were called upon to provide
more food. With advanced technology
in agriculture; productivity was
greatly increased. Money was easy to
borrow and farmers bought more
land, they improved and expanded
their farming operations. Farmers
moved from mixed farming opera-
tions to those that specialized in one
commodity.
By the early 1980s the market was
flooded with produce, farmers were
carrying high debt loads. They had
high input costs going toward their
operations and high interest rates.
"Thirty percent of the farms now
produce over 80 percent of -the farm
products," "They also carry a large
part of the debt load."
Hall said the OMAF works to help
farmers succeed in business. Ministry
programs help provide education and
information courses. OMAF pro-
grams work with marketing boards
and provide stabilization programs.
OMAF management courses are of-
fered to help farmers who choose to
give up agriculture. Another program
works to help beginning farmers
establish themselves. Mr. Hall noted
that in the last three years,.some 200
young people in Huron County have
gone into farming.
There will be some students of the
English 4G2 who will someday en -
bark on careers in agriculture. The
farming tradition will continue in
spite of the problems facing the in-
dustry in this decade.
Difficulties are not new to farming.
In the 1930s farm life was tough. In the
1980s, farming continued to carry its
share of problems.
Still, farmers are hopeful. Paul
Klopp says that he is an optimist. He
believes that there is a good future in
farming.
Brian Ireland advises young people
who are considering farming as a •
future occupation. "Get a good educa-
tion. a good career, but never take
your eyes off of farming, because
someday it's going to be better."
OPEN HOUSE
Wed., November 4, 1987
12:00 noon - 9:00 p.m.
Join the 20th Anniversar} Celebrations
Attractions
12:00 noon
of the Day include;
Opening Ceremonies
Food Demonstrations
1 p.m.; 2 p.m.
3 p.m.; 4 p.m.
2:00 p.m.
4 p.m.; 8 p.m.
6:30 p.m.
8:00 p.m.
9:30 p.m.
Bridge Building
Canine Obedience Classes
Skits and Speeches
Hamster Races -
Alumni Pub and Air Band
Competition
Plus class exhibits, student competitions in field and
vegetable crops, rutabaga carving and poster design,
photography and video, food, clothing and crafts, pet-
ting zoo.
Bring your family and friends
**Lunch and dinner available**
Centralia College
of Agricultural Technology
Huron Park, Ontario
NOM 1Y0
(519) 228-6691
Ministry of
Agriculture
and Food
ONTARIO
Jack Riddell, Mmyter
Clay Swatter Deputy
Take a look at some beautiful ways
to top off your days at SAAN stores!