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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1987-12-16, Page 25Times -Advocate. Dw..ernber 16. 1987 Pais 9A Garniss on OFA executive The Ontario Federation of Agri- culture, the province's largest direct membership farm organization, re- cently held its annual convention electing a new set of officers. Doug Garniss," an outstanding farmer from Huron County, was elected to the Federation's Executive Committee. Doug Garniss typifies today's young farmer -- aggressive, articu- late, concerned. Doug actively works with the Hu- ron Federation of Agriculture where he has chaired various working committees and has served as federa- tion president. In 1986, he was Hu- ron County's representative on the OFA board of directors. He has been a director of the Hu- ron Pork Producers' Association. He has also worked with the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority where he was instrumental in under- taking a Beaches Study. He and his family, wife Shirley. daughter Ann and son Adam, have a mixed farm in Wingham with a beef feedlot and a 50 -sow farrow -to - finish operation. He is also in- volved in cash cropping, corn, soy- beans, white beans, wheat and cus- tom forage handling round bales, silage. Doug has a BA in Economics from the University of Waterloo. THREE AT A TIME -Triplet Holstein calves arrived recently at the Whalens Corners area farm of Harry and Sheila Damen. Shown with the new arrivals are Ron, Cathy and Sharon Damen. Text not available in time OFA rejects trade deal At the Ontario Federation of Agri- culture convention recently in To- ronto, delegates passed a resolution rejecting the bilateral trade deal re- cently negotiated with the U.S. While turning down this particular deal, delegates want the OFA to continue to work for trade liberaliza- tion at both the bilateral and multi- lateral level. Delegates also con- demned the federal government for its failure to provide the legal text of the agreement in time to be openly discussed and analyzed by the agricultural sector. Delegates were disappointed in the failure of the Honourable John Wise to provide any concrete information on benefits of the free trade deal in his keynote address on Tuesday, No- vember 24. They were also dis- pleased that Mr. Wise offered no new solutions for the problems be- ing experienced by the Farm Credit Corporation. Also during the convention, dele- gates returned Brigid Pyke, OFA President, to office by.acclamation. They elected Roger George, of Pow- ascan Ontario as First Vice - President of OFA, and Bill Benson of Wellington County to the posi- tion of Second Vice -President. At the Board of Directors' annual meeting immediately following the convention, the other members of the Executive were elected. They are Doug Garniss of Huron County, Ken. Kelly of Bruce County, Earl Saar of Renfrew County, and Ed Segsworth of Halton County. Delegates re -affirmed their desire to work with the pork and cattle commodity groups to hold a referen- dum concerning marketing practic- es. They also voted to pressure the Ministry of the Environment to make it mandatory that municipali- ties dispose of their garbage through a combination of recycling, inciner- ation and disposal of ask in properly designed landfill sites. AT HERITAGE PARTY - Santa Claus and the White Wonder visited Saturday's Exeter Heritage Foundation Christmas party. Above, they en- tertain Michael Ford. Announce change to stabilization program The Ontario and Federal Govern- ments have announced changes to the crop income stabilization pro- gram. The deadline for signing up for the tripartite white bean and co- loured bean stabilization program has been extended to December 31, 1987. The tripartite programs for these two crops were new programs that were announced this past summer. The original sign-up date for white beans was August 31st and for co- loured beans October 31. The pro- ducer enrolment fees for the pro- gram are $18.20 per tonne for white beans and S18.50 per tonne for -co- loured beans. Producers already enrolled had their fees collected when they sold their crop. Producers not enrolled must pay this fee when they enroll. Enrolment fees arc not returned to the producer. If you have not yet signed up for the program, you will still have a chance -before the end of the year. Enrolment forms for the white bean crop are being mailed by the Onta- rio White Bean Board 16 producers. Coloured bean forms will be availa- ble the week of December 14th from the Ontario Ministry of Agri- culture and Food office. If you enrolled in the provincial Income Stabilization Program for crops this fall (deadline October 1st), then you should take note of a change in that program. Many pro- ducers across the province reaped ex- ceptional yields'on some of their crops this year, especially -white beans, soyabcans and corn. The Stabilization Commission is allowing enrolled producers to in- crease their number of tonnes they have enrolled for any crop by an ad- ditional 25 percent. To do so, pro- ducers must obtain an enrolment form for this additional tonnage from their local Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food office, and re - tum the form before December 31, 1987. Brian Hall Farm Management Specialist for Huron County DARWOOD COMMUNICATIONS 201 King St., London (519) 434-3534 ❑ conomically Priced OHigh Performance Specifications 0 Rugged Steel Chassis OCompact Size ODual Internal Speakers One Year Warranty Sales Service Rentals Considerable discussion took place concerning the problems with farm financing. Policies that were discussed included providing debt re- view boards with a mechanism for imposing binding settlements and maintaining pressure on the federal government to resolve the Farm Credit Corporation's problems. A resolution was carried to pres- sure the provincia: government to take immediate steps to provide a level of support to Ontario produc- ers, equal to that provided by other provinces. Another resolution that was passed asked that pressure be put on the federal government to provide long-term credit at interest rates comparable to farmers' return on investment. The buck did not stop at Premier Peterson's desk. It should have, mind you, but he" passed it to the towns and villages and cities of Ontario. Sunday shopping will come all across this province whether we like it or not. But because the govern- ment of Ontario was too chicken to take a stand, we will have Sunday shopping just as sure as David wears a red tie. A few small towns may resist the temptation but they will be few and far between and I think it's a shame. The Ontario cabinet has said it will be "local opinion". In other words, municipalities can hold a ref- erendum. Taxpayers will be able to vote on the question of Sunday shopping. But you know as well as I do that, if only one town or city al- lows stores -- all stores, not just small stores -- to open on Sunday, neighboring towns and cities will follow suit. They will have no choice because too much business will be driving past their doors to the open town a few miles away. I am, obviously, in the minority in my dislike of open Sundays. The preceding paragraph suggests that. I have always enjoyed driving down the main street of our town on a Sunday morning. It's quiet and dignified. The hustle of crass com- mercialism is gone. More than that, I have always felt that everybody needs at least one day when the pressures of work can be forgotten for a few hours. It seemed fitting that the Lord's day should be differ- ent from any other day of the week. But the writing has been on the Sunday school wall for some time. The big -buck merchants of this country want Sunday shopping and they are '` re r le who help fill political . .s. What they • want, they a although Premier Peterson handled it in a political manner. Theoretically, -we have a choice. We can .vote on it. But in practice, the choice is not ours. Competition will force every town to follow the first one. ' We had promises from Queen's Park that the government would take a long, hard look before turn- ing Ontario into a carbon copy of the cities in the Excited States. Attorney -General Ian Scott and Solicitor -General Joan Smith hinted that the province would bite the bullet on Sunday shipping. I guess I misread their intentions, though. I had the distinct impression that the legislature was going to come down against open Sundays. I thought the law would be strengthened and the loopholes plugged. I was wrong. Again, as usual. But I think it was the coward's way out. The province could have accepted the inevitability and passed legislation allowing Sunday shop- ping. I admire and support most of the legislation passed by the provincial government even though I usually - - not always -- vote Conservative: But I agree with the opposition on this Sunday question. "The government has ducked an issue that they clearly could have made some policy on," said NDP MPP David Reville. "What they've said is: We don't want to do any- thing about this at all; we're too wimpy to figure this out." If the present law was too full of holes to enforce, then better legisla- tion should have been passed. Instead, our day of rest will be- come just another day of the week and I don't like it. CHAPARAL FENCING R.R. 1, Lucan Ontario NOM 2J0 ALL TYPES FREE ESTIMATES Industrial Fences Chain Unk A Patio Farm Fences Phone Bob Hardy 227-4160 ...to lighten your Holiday Shopping! YASHICA AF -J %1i 11 is a stylish performer with everything you need for ,- - carefree shooting, anyplace. anytime! •Autofocus 'Built-in "auto on flash" *Auto exposure 'Auto wind/rewind •Built-in lens cover 'DX film setting •3 -year warranty ONLY $15995 w YASHICATZ AF DATE the only auto -focus camera with a Carl Zeiss T' lens! 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