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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1984-11-21, Page 18Page 6A Times -Advocate, November 21, 1984 Could be long debate over beef proposal Long.awe,It•d rn.rk.tlng plans unveiled for beef and sheep pr.dueers It promises to be a long, hot winter of debate for Ontario's beef farmers who are split over a controversial proposal for a producer -run marketing agency. The debate on a similar proposal for Ontario sheep should be shorter and more congenial because most producers have been asking for such a plan. Agriculture Minister Den- nis Timbrell last week releas- ed the beef and sheep agency proposals made by two separate commisions he had apointed in January. Hear- ings were held across the pro- vince. Calls for change have increased in both sectors because of the continuing farm financial squeeze. Because of the obvious split among beef producers, Timbrell declared his neutrality and called for a vote five months down the road in mid-April, 1985. But the Ontario Sheep Association. which holds its 4icr• �\ ,annual meeting this week at the Mohawk Inn near Milton, is expected to go for the idea because the majority in the association has been pressur- ing for two years' for a marketing agency. Beef Plan Although consideration of a supply -management beef marketing system was out- side the commission's terms of reference, the final report noted that (dere was a full spec- trum of opinion expressed on marketing changes from no, change at all to adoption of supply -management mark- eting and production. The most controversial con- clusion appears to be the pro- posal to outlaw direct farmer - to -packer sales - which bypass the auction pricing system - to make the free market pricing mechanism more equitable. It's estimated about 30 percent of cattle sales are farmer -to - packer. In making its recommenda- tion for a marketing agency, the commission urged it in- itially be divorced from the Ontario Cattlemen's Associa- tion because the OCA has con- sistently rejected such an agency in its submissions across the province. "The opportunity for suc- cesssful implementation of the agency is remote if an organization that opposes the agency concept is put in charge," the commission said. And the commission recom- mended the agency be established first, then a pro- ducer vote be held after it has had a chance to show what it can or can't do. Three years' time was suggested. Timbrell chose to hold the vote prior to an agency being established and put the recommendations in the hands of the cattlemen's association to conduct the ne loot in the furrow' f 0.'. Canada's tobacco farmers are in deep trouble and they need help. I can see thousands of peo- ple shrugging their shoulders in the classic Trudeau man- ner, saying, so what? Why should Canadians be bothered helping a group of farmers who grow a crop that perhaps should be outlawed because smoking is a health hazard? Hold on, my friends. '('here's more to the story than meets the eye. Ontario farmers grow abopt9opercent of the tobacco in Canada but about half of the crop is ex- ported. This crop provides considerable foreign ex - Ceramics Classes - firings For inquiries please call 238-8256 Highway 83 i Intimate & Lacy Lingerie For the discriminating Woman By Kayser, Van Raalte and Barbizon Silk and wool scarves by Liz • Claiborne Free Gift wrap!)- , ing for men Rumor's II Centre Mall Exeter 235-0202 ,.n.•, a,.apo, change, foreign exchange that is sorely needed in Canada. Not only that but the in- dustry supports more than 2,500 farm families, provides seasonal. employment for 25,000 and jobs in processing, manufacturing and marketing. Put tobacco farmers out of business and add another quarter of a million jobless to the present staggering total. Tobacco sales are dropp- ing. So is the export market. Last year, Canada exported 86.4 million pounds. The crop has been cut by almost 25 per- cent because of the expected loss of the export market and reduced local sales. It will be the smallest crop in almost 20 years with the subsequent loss of jobs all along the line. But here is the important answer to the question as to why tobacco growers should be helped through these dif- ficult times. The Flue -Cured Tobacco Growers Marketing Board in- sists that tobacco farmers get only six cents from a pack of 20 cigarettes. Get that: six cents. The province gets 65 cents and the federal government gets 43 cents. The provincial tax has increased from 24 cents in 1981 to 65 cents this year. In other words, provin- cial tax on tobacco generated $584 million a year, far, far more than the tobacco growers get. This ratio of money has come from tobacco for 50 years. Tobacco growers have been providing a source of taxation for both senior governments to the point where they -- thegrowers- are being taxed out of business. If this is 2,overnment policy and ...a ow em l,o,,., t e.r Ad r,m.,. Gni (00 c r tobacco growers have been supplying all that cash to government coffers for two or threegenerationswhen tobac- co growers need help, they should get it. If we as a democratic na- tion want to be fair to tobac- co farmers, why can't some of this tax money be directed to them on an on-going basis to develop new products and new markets for crops that are suitable for sandy soils? I've heard talk in church basements, by health nuts and environmental kooks who say, let the tobacco farmers starve. This is not a solution to the problem. It is simply not fair to throw them to the wolves after they have generated so much tax money -- tax money that relieved the non-smokers of bearing that burden. "It is essential that crop alternatives are provided for producers wishing to volun- tarily withdraw fromgrowing tobacco," says a brief recent- ly sent to the provincial Cabinet by the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, a brief from which most of these statistics are gleaned. So, there are two sides -- or three or four sides -- to the plight of the tobacco growers in Canada. They have been a valuable asset to the agriculture picture in this country. When they are in trouble, it is not enough to let them struggle in obscurity to find new crops and new markets. They have contributed far more than even a generous nation could return to them. Pick Up And 1 Pitch -In '84 ( EARLY ORDER T PLANTER SALE! It* ORDER NOW! Place your New Idea planter order now and receive: • Guaranteed availability • Guaranteed 1984 price • Free finance until 5-1-85 Save money by ordering your 1985 planter now! NEW IDEA FARM EQUIPMENT CORPORATION FARM SUPPLY LIMITED Sales and Service - Repair Phone 236-4934 236-4321 Box 39, 22 Main St. E. Zurich Ont. 4 prevote discussions. The commission recom- mended among other things, that: - •The agency be established under the Farm Products Marketing Act and be funded by a non-refundable checkoff on sales; •From the checkoff the agency provide an annual grant to the OCA for ad- ministrative purposes; •"Free market forces should continue to determine prices based on product supp- ly and market demand"; •Supply management isn't the correct marketing ap- proach "at this time"; •All slaughter cattle be sold through licensed agents, but exempted are breeding and virgin bulls, cows, veal calves, crippled or distressed cattle and custom -killed cattle; •Killing plants be exempted 50 head weekly; •Producers always be given the right to refuse the highest bid when selling on a carcass weight and grade basis; •Agency -employed inspec- tors be allowed to enter pack- ing plants unannounced to observe weighing, trimming and lot identification procedures; •All sectors of the system including cow -calf operators, backgrounders, and feeders, be represented in the agency ; •All cattle purchased out- side Ontario for slaughter in Ontario be exempt from agen- cy regulation as would farmer -to -consumer sales; •Producers have the right to refuse the highest bid. Sheep Plan Timbrell's release of the sheep commission report came just 11 days before the November 23-25 annual meeting of the Ontario Sheep Association. The association had been pressing Timbrell since mid-September to release the commission recommendations prior to the meeting. Two years ago the associa- tion's annual meeting passed a resolution calling for the board of directors to develop a marketing agency plan and last year the board presented a marketing agency plan to the meeting. That 1983 annual meeting passed a resolution calling for the directors to complete the plan and pro- ceed to negotiate with the pro- vince to have the agency established through the Farm Products Marketing Board. It was only about a month after that meeting that Tim- bre!! announced he was going to set up a sheep commission to recommend a plan. The Timbrell commission recom- mendations are similar to what the association had planned and Timbrell has told the association it's up to the farmers to decide whether i , t CO-OP DIRECTORS — Shown chatting following Friday's annual meeting of the Ex- eter and district Co-operative are directors Wayne Rowe, Gerald McBride who is retiring after nine years, Ross Ballantyne and Wayne Ratz. T -A photo they want to vote on the pro- posed plan. The commission recom- mended a marketing agency be established first for a period of three to five years a vote be held among producers to see if they want it continued. Some farmers feel there should be a vote prior to the agency being established. Among recommendations of the sheep commission: •The agency register all producers; •Sheep, lamb and woll buyers and sales agents be licensed along with all abet, toirs and packing plants and all truckers handling licensed products; •All lambs sold live in On- tario, including lambs pro- duced outside the province must go through the agency but live farmgate sales direct to consumers and sheep sold for breeding purposes be excluded; •A marketing fee - not to ex- ceed two percent of the gross sale value - be collected at the point of custom slaughter. •The agency implement a live grading systm. The Westeel-Bosco Agri -System -- designed 10 grow with your needs Your new Area Dealer for Westeel-Rosco Storage and Hop- per Bottom Bins Call us for all your material handling and storage needs Dougall Construction Exeter 235-1281 SOUTHWESTERN ONTARIO Hydro Transmission Studies Continue Bruce NPD Lake Huron Georgian Bay Lake Simcoe n Lake Ontario Peters Comers Iddiepb'rt Strathroy She Nanticoke GS Lake Erie • 1 1 New Study Areas Previous Study Areas * Information Centres ■ Transformer Station (TS) A Generating Station(GSi Areas of New Route and Site Studies Information Centre Locations: WINGHAM Canadian Legion Hall Monday November 26 RIPLEY Huron Community Centre Tuesday, November 27 PARIS 3 Main Street South Tuesday, November 27 CLINTON Community Centre and Arena Wednesday, November 28 PETER'S CORNERS Beverley Community Centre Wednesday, November 28 EXETER South Huron Recreation Centre Thursday, November 29 Ontario Hydro is continuing efforts to find acceptable routes for new transmission facilities within the shaded areas shown on the map, and has scheduled a series of information centres to bring local residents up to date on the studies. The need to expand the electrical power system in south- western Ontario remains crucial: • to provide adequate facilities to deliver power from the Bruce Nuclear Power Development (BNPD) to Ontario consumers; • to meet the growing electrical demand in southwestern Ontario to the year 2000; and • to maintain an adequate interchange of power between Ontario Hydro and electrical utilities in Michigan. Background In 1981, Ontario Hydro conducted extensive studies of alternative system plans for the expansion of the electric power system in southwestern Ontario. An environmental assessment was prepared and submitted to the Ontario government in October, 1981. Public hearings were held under the Consolidated Hearings Act early in 1982 and a plan was approved formore detailed investigation. However, on June 25, 1984, a decision by the Divisional Court of Ontario invalidated' the findings of the 1982 public hearing. As a result Hydro staff are carrying out additional route and site selection studies in the areas shown on the map. This information will enable detailed comparison of a number of possible route and site locations and the sub- mission of a new environmental assessment. The facilities being studied for these new areas are: • a single -circuit, a double -circuit or two single -circuit 500 -kilovolt (kV) transmission lines from Bruce NPD to a new Transformer Station (TS) near London; • a 500/230 kV transformer or switching station in the London area; • a single -circuit 500 -kV line from the London area TS to the Aberfoyle area (the corridor studied last year and centered on Highway 401 has been widened, generally between Cambridge and Brantford); and • 230 -kV transmission lines to connect the new London area TS with Hydro's existing 230 -kV system. Approval of Facilities Hydro plans to identify possible routes and transformer station sites early in 1985. This information will then be con- sidered in comparison with the routes and sites identified in other areas of southwestern Ontario over the past two years. An environmental assessment submission and public hearings are expected to follow. An important component to these studies is the information provided by the public. Local residents and other groups or individuals interested in the study are encouraged to participate and make their views known. Information Centres Hydro staff will be available at the following information centres to discuss the studies, answer questions and receive comments. Detailed maps and charts will also be available. Members of the public are invited to attend one of the centres, open from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the afternoon, and 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the evening. OXFORD CENTRE Community Hall Thursday, November. 29 ILDERTON Community Centre Monday, December 3 Open to the public 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Further Information For more information please contact: Mrs. Laura Formusa Community Relations Department H8 -F5 Ontario Hydro 700 University Avenue Toronto, Ontario M5G 1X6 or call collect (416) 592-2016. STRATHROY West Middlesex Memorial Centre Auditorium Tuesday, December 4 SHEDDEN Odd Fellows Hall Thursday, December 6