HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1993-07-14, Page 12•M AR )
Page 12. Times -Advocate;, July 14,1993
r Biddulph
Several hundred people, mindful of last year's disastrous com harvest, attended the Corn Day
held at Dietrich Farms in Biddulph and sponsored by the Ontario Agricultural Training Institute
and OMAF. The day included crop tours, guest speakers and displays of the latest high tech
equipment.
One To&
in the FUl7OW Bob Trotter
Farmers continue to bicker .and
bitch among themselves and I can
see the multi -national food compa-
nies and the big chain stores chor-
tling with glee.
Divided farmers are easy to con-
quer.
A classic example of farmers
fighting farmers is evident in the
legislation being prepared by the
provincial agminister, Elmer -Bu-
chanan, for an automatic checkoff
that farmers would pay. The pro-
ceeds would go to three general
farm organizations, the Ontario
Federation of Agriculture, the
Christian Farmers -Federation of
Ontario and the provincial section
of the National Farmers Union.
The plan is to have all .farmers
pay $150 to the provincemltich,,in
turn, would return the money to
any of the three organizations indi-
cated by the farmer. Those who do
not want to pay to any farm group
can have the fee returned. This
part of the bill was included atthe
request of several groups.
The principle of having all who
benefit help to pay for those bene-
fits is not new. Labour unions have
had automatic checkoffs for dec-
ades. Only -recently have courts al-
lowed- those checkoffs to be re-
funded or given to the charity of
choice.
Ever since the 1islation has
been in the planning stages, all
kinds of opposition has been
mounted including a.group calling
itself the Silent Majority. A mem-
ber of the -group is Joe Daunt of
Listowel. It was this group plus
several others that persuaded -the
province to withdraw the first bill
and make some necessary. changes
such as the provision to have the
$150 retumed at the request of the
farmer.
Dissension in a democracy is
healthy. Everyone is entitled t0-1111
opinion and 'the opposition to the
original bill brought about>some
much needed changes in the word-
ing. But now these same people
are opposed -- again -- to passing
the bill.
Daunt recently told the puss that,-
the proposal to allow farmers .10-.
claim refunds does not make the
program truly voluntary„, -He warns'
that the next step will be to wipe
out refunds and make the annual
payment compulsory.
I suggest that most of the 70
percent of Ontario farmers that
have consciously decided not to re-
main, or not to become, a member
of a general farm organization will
ask for a refund," Daunt claims.
"Because this IPgidsition will not
achieve the goals of the Ontario
Federation. of Agriculture and the
Christian Farmers Federation
Deadline awroaching
NISA workshop is i*nnl1
CLINTON - You have just dust-
ed off your 1992 NISA Program
application and have discovered
that the deadline is July 31. Ques-
tions concerning what fortes do I
need, how much money, how ddds
the program work, etc. stir in your
mind. The bottom line is that you
want to understand how the "pro-
gram works and you want a prdper-
ly completed application.
With this in mind, another NISA
workshop is planned for Wednes-
day, July 21 at 7:30 p.m. in the
seminar morn of the Ontario Minis-
try of Agriculture and Food Office
in Clinton. Pre -registration is re-
quired by contacting the office at
482-3428 or 1-800-265-5170 by
Friday, July 16.
The pUrpose of the workshop will
be,to give an overview of the forms
required, to look at -key Steals on the
forms, -to discuss the ptttpd+e of the
program and to answer que*tidns.
o, it will be but a short time
before the cries of 'freeloader' and
'people not paying their share' are
heard again."
He claims the cry will be heard
to delete the word "refundable" in
the legislation. He wants a free -and
democratic vote of all farmers be-
fore -the bill is passed
This automatic checkoff seemed,
to me anyway, an excellent method
of providing duet income. Ifa-farm-
er does not want to pay, -all 'he or
she las to do is ask for -a refund.
Simple at that.Under the new pro-
visions of the legislation, the Onta-
rio Ministry of Agriculture .and
food will handle all registration
costs. Fanners will make their
cheques payable to any one of the
three general farm organizations
and those who want a refund will
file a request with the farm organi-
zation of their choice.
think Buchanan, in withdrawing
the original bill and making the
changes, has fulfilled his obligation
to those who opposed the original.
I say let's get on with it and give
these organizations the money they
treed. They've been in limbo king
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