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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1993-09-29, Page 25• Times -Advocate, Septetl+kfer 29,1993 Page 25 Maty% rutabagas shoat o a iorid There are probably better ways to spend a Thursday afternoon, but these farm labourers had to transfer a whole load of rutabagas into a new truck after this one turned over on Stephen Township Concession 2-3. If I was a carpenter...and you were my lady... That popular song from a decade ago should be sung by farmers right now with a slight change in the lyr- ics. If I was a farmer...in an election year...I would badger my candi- dates...and keep bending their ear. An election provides everybody - with an opportunity to talk to politi- cians. This is especially true for fanners because most politicians to- day know little or nothing about ag- riculture. Many of them are abys- mally ignorant on farm problems. Most of us know that too many lawyers are in politics. (Latest joke: How can you tell the difference.between a snake roadkill and a lawyer roadkill? Withthe snake, there are skid marks). If candidates are not lawyers, damned few of them are farmers so they must be told and told and told about farm problems. The best per- son to tell them about agriculture is a farmer so do not hestitata toiell • • them and tell them and tell them. As John Core, the articulate - chairman of the Ontario Milk Mar- keting Board, says in the latest is- sue of the Milk Producer: This is particularly important as the discus- sions on the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade enter another crit- ical phase. "Ask your local candidates for their views on Canada's balanced position on agriculture in the nego- tiations. If they are not aware of our position, please take time to explain it, seek their support for a strength- ened and clarified Article XJ, and tell them you're proud to be a dairy farmer," says Core. And he is right. I would be will- ing to bet that damned few candi- dates, especially if they are new candidates. know the first thing about our GATT talks, most espe- cially what Article XI is all about. If you, aha farmer, do not know, then you had bloody well better By Bob Trotter :¢ find out. 1 am not a full-time farmer but I am aware that Article XI is the pro- vision in the agreement which al- lows marketing boards. This provi- sion needs to be clarified and strengthened as Core says. He also points out that farmers will probably have an opportunity to meet the leaders of the parties, not just the candidates. It is critical, he says to emphasize the impor- tance of agriculture. If you don't have figures, get them. Core says that dairy farmers get more than 93 percent of their income out ofthe marketplace and that is why:milk prices are higher here thanin:1he Excited States. In other words, the American dairy farmers dependon government largesse to a greater degree than Canadian farmers. "Point out that rtniry and poultry farms support $18 billion worth of economic activity and provide more than 100,000 jobs across Can- ada," Core says. "The total value of -milk at the -farm gate in Ontario alone is $1.2 Gillian:" 'The milk board, as usual, has the figures and facts right up front to help dairy farmers. If you do not have the stats for your sector of the agriculture economy, then get 'em and make sure your figures get to the right place. I heard some figures tossed around a few years ago which sug- gested that one job in every three across Canada depends on agricul- ture because these jobs include some in the steel industry, the man- ufacturing industry (implements and equipment), but most particu- larly, the food industry. Everything you eat depends, to some degree, on agriculture. I am of the opinion that many, many politicians -.especially somc of the younger ones who do not know the difference between a Hereford and a Holstein - need to be reminded about the value of a strong agricultural base in this country. Now is the time to tell 1993 farm tax rebate announced for property owners TORONTO - The 1993 Farm Tax Rebate Program will be main- tained at the 1992 level of $159.2 million, despite government -wide expenditure controls, Minister of Agriculture and Food Elmer Bucha- nan announced September 21. The program rebates property taxes levied on farmland and outbuild- ings. In order to be eligible for the rebate, the property must be used as part of a farming operations that has a gross production value of at least 57,000. Rebates are not provided for taxes levied on farm resi- dences and one acre of land. Brochures and applications regarding the program will be mtliled this fall to owners of land assessed as farmland. Farmers can expect to receive rebate cheques six to eight weeks after applications are re- turned to the ministry. Mill rate increases and other assessment changes set the 1993 rebate level at 73 percent. The 1994 progoarn will be similar to the 1993 pro- gram, with the rebate level to be 461101Mined next year. them. Don't wait until the election is over and then bitch about the re- sults. Nature goes to bat for potatoes LONDON - Nature refuses to give in, but it can be persuaded to help out from time to time. In fact, the use of nature to fight its own shortcomings is guiding some im- portant research on potato protec- tion at the federal London Research Centre. The potato is hardly an endan- gered species, but like other crops it falls prey to pests, drought and disease. Consumer demands for organic produce and concern for the envi- ronment are spurring the hunt for alternatives to traditional farming practices which often use costly chemical products to protect the po- tato. Dr. Frank Marks, director of Ag- riculture and Agri -Food Canada's research centre, says the goals of the research programs are to devel- op environmentally acceptable pest control methods and'assess the en- vironmental impact of farming methods. "We work with our industry part- ners to find practical solutions to some pretty tricky problems," says Marks. For instance, the Colorado potato beetle with its legendary appetite is a swom enemy of potatoes, toma- toes and other commercially impor- tant plants. Now, this scourge of field crops is finding itself on the • • • • • onsered "SWEDISH - MADE" Al po:.cpp/np O.UABr1 from Appt,7 io Mx. 30M ;11;93 With every purchase of Jonsered model 2045" - 2050' or 2054 receive free . of. charge a carrying case, 0 chain, _ a f p and a .can_'of Durarnax :©ll, Mal value if $80.00. 5 = 45cc / 150 = 50 cc / '2054 = 54- 1 bales & Service tion (519) 236.4934 ex (519) 2364330 22 Main Street} E., Zurich other end of the fork, thanks to the two -spotted stinkbug which dines on beetle larvae. To be effective, the stinkbug has to be plentiful, but it does find the potato beetle an at- tractive entree. Work between the London centre and the University of Guelph has seen the development and deploy- ment of a crack stinkbug team. At London, researchers fine-tuned mass rearing technology to crank out 30,000 stinkbugs, which con- fronted their quarry in field trials at Guelph and London last summer. At a density of about nine stink - bugs per plant, defoliation by the beetles was a mere 14 percent in the release plots, compared to 44 percent in the untreated plots. This is the first time in Canada a preda- tor species has been shown to be ef- fective in controlling Colorado po- tato beetles. Double Guards $10.99 Chrome Sections 900 ® Double Cut Double Cut . Guards Chrome Sections $1.60 Pkg. 25 Bolts $5.75 4 L. Engine Oil $6.49 4 L. Hydraulic Oil $6.29 20 L. Hydraulic Oil $32.22 $13.50 Parts Centre Tillage Replacement Parts F r All Makes !00000000..1' °•0000000 0000o000.,' Come in and check out our HERE'S INC GREAT WW PRICES and with a $50 purchase receive a * FREE * 4 L. jug of engine or j....- hydraulic oil! Offer expires Oct. 30/93. LONDON FORD NEW HOLLAND FORD' NEWHOLLAND Hwy. /22 - West of Hyde Park Road, Hyde Park, Ont. Phone: 641-8820 Hill and Hill Farms Ltd. Varna Grain "ta WE ARE READY TO RECEIVE YOUR 1993 CORN AND SOYBEANS If White Winter Wheat is in your plans we have: Cert. Harus (bagged or bulk) Please contact Pete Rowntree or Bev Hill at 233-3218 or 233-7908 for your fall seed needs Varna Grain Hill & Hill Farms Ltd. 2.33-3218 Varna 233-7908 Please contact Pete Rowntree or Bev Hili All polling stations, with few exceptions, pmvidE- level access. If the following symbol does nc�t appear on your card from Elections Canada, contact the Elections Canada cffjce in yc.€ ur riding if you need level access. ELECTIONS CANADA The non-partisan agency responsible fir the conduct of federal elections