Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1991-05-08, Page 16tY• Page 16 Times -Advocate, May 8, 1991 Kirkton area farmer views agriculture in China, KIRKTON - Rick DeBrabandere, a cash crop farmer on the Kirkton Road, was one of 30 members of the Advanced Agricultural Leader- ship Program (AALP) who recently toured China and Hong Kong. The two-week study tour (March 25 to April 7) was sponsored by ag- ricultural industry and affiliated with the University of Guelph. A wide variety of people made the trip, including a journalist with the Ontario Federation of Agricul- ture, a farm credit employee, bank- ers and several farmers. Lynda Hod*ins of RR1 Granton and Valerie Lind of St. Marys were also among the Ontario contingent. The AALP members looked at how China is attempting to feed its growing population of 1.3 billion people, and achieve its goal of self sufficiency in food production. They were also interested in how the communist government is ad- dressing agriculture, diversifica- tion, efficiency of production, agri- cultural economics, and advancing technology. AALP members were impressed by recent moves by the government of China to give more authority over production decisions to family farm operations. This has increased productivity and provided market - mg options leading to increased family income for farmers. With 79 percent of China's popu- lation involved in farming, agricul- ture receives the highest govern- ment priority --both in policy and in budget percentage. Four days in Bening The Ontario continent was in the capital city of Beijing for four days, where they talked to the Ca- nadian trading commission about such things as "problems and op- portunities in the agricultural sector rn China," and Canada -China trade, DeBrabandere said. The AALP members also visited a couple of farms and dairy plants, and made a stop at an agricultural university. With China having 22 percent of the world's population, the Kirkton area farmer was actually surprised not to see signs of malnutrition. "I thought there might have been; but China seems to have that well under control," DeBrabandere said. "I was really surprised to hear that China actually exports food. "They're really doing an amazing of job of feeding the population on the land base that they have. That was quite amazing to see. Their largest natural resource is the num- ber of people that they have." Three-quarters of China's popula- tion is considered rural, and the country wants to keep it that way, DeBrabandere pointed out. "Their cities are getting over- whelmingly large and being that food is one of their largest con- cerns, they find it easier to feed the people if they're more locally oriented in the rural atmosphere. "The cities seem to have more problems with pollution, too. They bum a lot of soft coal and leaded gas. I think their idea is to keep the people as close to their require- ments as possible, and that's mainly food and clothing." Other highlights for Rick DeBra- bandere were an overnight train trip and visiting a machinery factory, where workers were making bever- age -handling equipment. "China has a lot of contrast, in that they use everything over and over and over," he said. "They just keep using it because they don't have the mechanization that we do. They just keep making it work; they have to." DeBmbandae noted that the ma- chinery factory's main objective is to increase the number of its em- ployees from 1,200 to 1,500. "In Canada, we seem to be going the other way." The Canadian group also had time to see such tourist attractions as The Great Wall and the Ming Tombs. They concluded their tour in Hong Kong. Note: The Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program is a two-year leadership program for Ontario men and women involved in agri- culture and agricultural organiza- tions. -r_ Iootbe It pains an old hydro power poop like me to listen to the pontificating pouring from the Ontario Environ- mental Assessment Board hearings. Everybody and his uncle and her aunt is getting a chance to bash On- tario Hydro. In all, more than 200 organizations and individuals will be heard by the board as they take turns either agreeing with or disa- greeing with Hydros 25 -year plan to supply power for the next century in this, the most populous of prov- inces and home to one of the world's largest power utilities. Ontario Hydro is also a world leader in nuclear technology and in putting nuclear energy to work for peacetime purposes. Nine million people live here. It is the hub of Canada's industrial might. In addition, southern Ontario contains this country's finest farm- land. It has been said that, on a clear day, one-fifth of all the arable land in Canada can be seen from the CN needle. This utility is one of the most effi- cient in the world. It has more than 75 generating stations, five of which are nuclear. If Hydro had its way, another five nuclear stations, perhaps even 10, would be built as soon as possible. But Ontario's New Democrats have put a hold order on any more nuclear power plants. It seems to me -- andIhavebeen unabashed supporter of using nucle- ar power for peaceful purposes -- That the present fossil -fuel plants in Ontario, and there are four or five of them still burning coal, cause far more pollution than nuclear plants. One of the reasons you cannot see much of Ontario's good farmland from the CN tower is because those coal -burning, generating stations are belching so much crap into the air. The environmentalists -- and I am usually on their side -- are smiling smugly because the NDP has put a freeze on nuclear power. They are out in full cry to support the anti- nuclear hue and cry. They want power, hydro power that is, but they want to see more emphasis on conservation and less on genera- tion. They are in favor of purchas- ing power from outside the prov- ince or from anyone that wants to generate it. Another player is Energy Probe. They advocate privatizing all gen- erating stations, much the same as in the Excited States. I am well aware that many farm- ers across Ontario, especially southwestern Ontario, do not ap- preciate Ontario Hydro. They can remember when Hydro played one farmer off against the other by us- ing underhanded, even nefarious methods to buy rights -of -ways across farmlands. Hydro buyers in the early days did not care how they got the land. They got it and hydro towers marched relentlessly in straight lines no matter what was in the way. Streams, swamps, roads, houses, environmentally fragile areas were all ignored. Thank the Lord both Hydro and farmers have decided to get along with each other and better acquisi- tion methods have been adopted. Ontario Hydro, although not fighting the battle alone, is going to have a rough time persuading all and sundry that all these won- derful expansion plans are needed. I hope this great utility will not be left out to dry. And no, friends, I am not on Hy- dro's payroll. I have tad a couple of battles with them over the years when I felt its officials were riding roughshod over farmers. I am con- vinced, though, that Ontario Hy- dro needs support in this big fight for the future. Hydro was looking for a new chairperson last month. If they are looking for a replace- ment I know a broken-down farm writer who would be interested... You say they have already ap- pointed one? So much for that idea. Host farms sought for summer program CLINTON - The Ministry of Agriculture and Food are looking for farmers in the immediate area to become part of the 1991 Junior Agriculturalist program. To quali- fy they have to have an interest in educating an urban youth "in the fine ways of country living". For the past 20 years, the Junior Agriculturalist Program has brought youths of ages 15-24 from non-farm backgrounds out into the counties to gain agricultural knowl- edge and basic job skills. The pro- gram benefits the host farm by pro- viding summer assistance for eight weeks of the growing season be- tween June 24 Lnd August 16. Fanners pay only $20 a day to the junior agriculturalist candidates, with an additional $20 funded by the Ontario Ministry of Skills De- velopment through OMAF. In addition, the host farm pro vides room, board, and laundry fa. cilities. Any local farms interested in the program can contact the youth em- ployment supervisor, Cindy Stute, atClinton's OMAF office at 482- 3428 or 1-800-265-5170. The deadline for applications is May 16. OFA criticizes provincial budget TORONTO - Last week's provin- cial budget recycled some important farm news, $50 million will be pro- vided in interest rate relief, and $40 million will be committed to the gross revenue insurance program (GRIP), read a release from the On- tario Federation of Agriculture (OFA). "Regrettably, there is absolutely no mention of the companion NISA program (Net Income Stabilization Account) by the treasurer," said OFA president Roger George, urg- ing that "the Ontario Minister of Agriculture and Food endorses the NISA initiative soon." In addition, George said "This $90 million of okt news wasn't Air seeders -an encou trend lnsoltc REGINA - The increased use of air seeders has contributed to the gradual improvement in soil con- servation over the past decade. Air seeders that are capable of seeding directly into standing stub- ble are havin a major impact on soil conservation, says Bob Linnell, Regional Soil Conservationist with the Saskatchewan Soil Conservation Association (SSCA) in Weyburn. The seeders prevent erosion, reduce evaporation, build soil structure, preserve wildlife habitat and reduce operating costs. Trash management, which in- volves keeping the straw residue on or near the surface of the soil, re- duces losses from wind and water erosion and will improve soil struc- ture. Air seeders will leave that straw standing in the field to collect snow after harvest and to protect the newly emerged seedlings m the next growing season. Approximately 15 percent of Saskatchewan farmers are current- ly using air seeders to seed and fertilize the ground at the same time. "This reduces tillage and helps extend cropping rotations -- two very important factors in conserva- tion farming," he says. In addition, the increased effi- ciency .of air seeders is helping farmers to deal with decreasing profit margins by reducing the number of field operations, he says. Reduced tillage also cuts. phosphorus AILSA CRAIG - Conservation tillage systems are an inexpensive and effective way to limit soil ero- sion and phosphorus runoff, ac- cording to a study commissioned by SWEEP, the Soil and Water En- vironmental Enhancement Pro- gram. j. "Conservation tillage increases the amount of crop residue left on the soil surface", says Jane Sadler - Richards of Conservation Manage- ment Systems (CMS), the company that carried out the study. "Crop residue reduces the damage done by water and wind erosion. In our work we were aiming for 20 to 30 percent residue coverage, which is the baseline for any conservation tillage system. Our study shows that this residue level can be achieved with a modified mold- board plow." Surveys show that moat farmers already own a moldboard plow. From a conservation tillage per.' spective, the main problem with using this traditional plow is that it tends to bury almost all residue from the previous crop, which in- creases the potential for soil ero- sion. In the CMS study, three se ate, progressive cuts were made to the shape of popular moldboard plows. In the first cut, 25 percent. of the moldboard was removed. The second cut removed 38 per- cent while the third cut removed 67.5ent of the plow. The modified moldboards were used DeBrabandere - Back from tour of China. esagmovmmainswr ANNOIYMJEME for fall plowing at three sites in Essex County in 1988. Results from one year of study generally show that the most radi- cal cut on all plows left the great- est arhount of crop residue on the sur. "Iffacethe moldboard plow could be successfully adapted to a conser- vation tillage system, many more farmers would seriously consider the conservation option," says Sadler Richards. anan Dave Moore of Dave Moore Fuels Ltd. is pleased to announce the appointment of Kevin Buchanan as sales manager of his company. Kevin brings with him 12 years of experience in helping the ag- ricultural community and looks forward to his new position with great enthusiasm. WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW WHEN CHOOSING. A LIQUID PLANT STARTER FARM AND MUNICIPAL DRAINAGE Clay and plastic tele installation - Backhoe Service Thompson's is pleased to offer PREMIER LIQUID PLANT STARTERS to our customers. Careful consideration of the following factors along with a current soil analysis are important steps in maintaining a sound Agronomic program for your farm. • Nutrient Solubility • Nutrient Availability • Nutrient Uptake • Micro -Nutrient Requirements Many of today's farmers are adjusting their crop input pro- grams to take advantage of the convenience of fluid fertilizers. For more information on PREMIER LIQUID PLANT STARTERS, contact your nearest W.G. Thompson branch to get the PREMIER EDGE. enough Minis of Agriculture and Foods (OMAF) share of the total provincial budget, given that agri- cultural spending, excluding prop- erty tax rebate, slipped to 8/10th of one percent of total provincial expenditures." The 35 percent increase in pro- vincial tobacco tax, pied on top of the February federal increase, will put an untold number of Ontario's tobacco farmers out of business. "The OFA has advised succes- sive treasurers that if you're going to tax tobacco products off the shelves, the government must pro- vide some transitional support for tobacco farmers. This budget doesn't do that," said George. The Big '0' Drain The Company Limited .1gEnifiwAD Call Wayne Cook Zurich 519 - 236-7390 «??1! • i K IN... PARKER & PARKER LTD. Quality Service' Saaforth 346-2545 Pt. Mort 829-7901 Mansell 252.2527 Allsa Craln 2933223 • Mitchell 348-8433 (Ironton 225-2360 COI77p0fit; ve f�At1?s