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Times Advocate, 1994-8-10, Page 9F RM UPT)ATF One Foot in the Furrow By Bob Trotter / Long work hours cause farm accidents It was more than 30 years ago this summer but it is something that will be forever etched in the memory of the 10 -year-old daughter of a Victoria County farmer. She was hippity-hopping down a long, back lane of a farm to take a lunch to her dad- dy. She came upon the corn - binder, still idling in the field, and could not see her father un- til she came around to the front of the machine. Her father had been trying to dislodge a wire -wrapped board from the machine. His arm caught and he was dragged into it. The littlegirl ran screaming to the house. The mother stopped the machine when she came running from the farm home but it was too late. As a reporter for a small daily paper, I was sent to report on the death because it just hap- pened to be Farm Safety Week and my editor decided to head- line the story. 1 will never forget the shocked look on that little girl and.the grieving mother. I wrote the sto- ry with tears in my eyes. Farming has become the most dangerous occupation in Cana- da. At one time, lumbering and e mining were at the top of the danger list and one bad mine disaster could change the statis- tics at any time. But for now, farming has the dubious distinc- tion. Six people died on farms dur- ing the first five months of I994. Twenty-four died last year and 28 the year before in Ontario. Those are startling statistics. Accidents will happen. No amount of prevention work could prevent all of them but, on the fann, many are caused be- cause farmers are forced into working 15, 16 and 18 hours a day. They are compressing weeks of work into a few days sometimes. They push them- selves harder and longer. The old adage about making hay while the sun shines is too true in many cases. The work has to be done or else. Too often, the farmer is over -tired when an ac- cident happens. Too often, an overturned trac- tor pins the driver and kills him. Too often, children are involved in a farm accident because both mother and father are trying to get the work done, perhaps al- lowing the kids to wander. I can remember a white-faced uncle of mine who came back to the farm house one fall day with a cardigan sweater in shreds. Luckily, he said, tlie sweater was old and well worn because a bulky sleeve had been caught in the power takeoff shaft. He was able to pull his arm free but shredded the sweater. The shaft of a PTO spins about nine times a second. Nobody, not even Wayne Grestzky at his best, can react fast enough to prevent get- ting caught. Most farmers have a few hair- raising tale to tell about PTOs. And most farmers have a healthy fear of farm machinery. That scene in the movie Wit- ness. starring Harrison Ford, where the had guy suffocates under tons of corn, is an indica- tion of what can happen in a silo. Another danger in a silo is the accumulation of deadly gas- es. And falls outside or inside a silo can cause terrible injuries and death. Some of the deaths, the trage- dies, this year on the farm in- volved asphyxiation, goring by a bull, rolled over tractors, a fall through a hay chute and being pinned by a huge round bale. Many urbanites have this bu- colic picture of farming as an easy-going, stress -free, delight- ful way of life. For the most part, it is a wonderful way of life buy it has more hazards than any other occupation in the country. The next time you see a trac- tor moving slowly across a har- vested field with a wagon load- ed to the stakes behind it, remember that that farmer has to be aware and awake at all times or he or she can be involved in a terrible accident in seconds.- Dashwood econds.- Dashwood man travels on Saskatchewan farm study tour WEYBURN, SASK. - Agricul- ture, the backbone of rural Sas- katchewan! Right? Not anymore, according to Dale Miter. of the gina Leader Post. In fact the re- verse is now true. Rural communi- • ties across Saskatchewan are bringing in other industries in their attempt to create jobs and stem the "brain drain" of young people look- ing for greener pastures. Many farm families have found other sources of income which allow them to remain in rural areas. For participants of the Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program, this was one of many myths "de- bunked" during ten days travelling and studying local issues in Sas- katchewan and North Dakota. John VanderBurgt of RR 1, Dashwood was among the 30 Ontario farm and agri-food industry leaders on this study lour in mid-July. Another myth: - the continuing reign of wheat as the foremost crop in the prairies. Mile after mile of canola, in brilliant yellow flower, with scattered fields of peas, lentils or brightblue flax, confirmed the trend to crop diversification. This year, for the first time, the dollar value of the Saskatchewan canola harvest is expected to be higher than that of wheat. The Ontario group met several innovative Sas- katchewan farmers who have diver- sified in order to survive. Yet another myth was laid to rest by Vance McNab, spokesman for the Saskatchewan Federation of In- dian Nations. McNab talked about aboriginal leaders who are ready to negotiate a fee for services received from municipal governments, in place of land taxes on native re- serves. The aboriginal population df Saskatchewair will likely reach 49 percent within':2-Years. Sas, katchewan Urban Municipalities Association members described their efforts to reach amicable set- tlements with native bands. Saskatchewan was the birth place of universal medicare. News stories of hospital closures indicated that it might also become the burial ground. In fact, the health care sys- tem in Saskatchewan has under- gone a drastic overhaul and now appears to be healthier than ever. Knowing the need for revisions in Ontario, the leadership participants were intrigued by the new "well- ness promotion" approach in Sas- katchewan. At least one preconceived idea, however, proved to be true. North Dakota farmers do not like the Ca- nadian Wheat Board! And they do not want their millers and pasta makers to buy Canadian durum wheat. Saskatchewan farmers, on the other hand, are proud of the quality of their product and defend their right to sell in the U.S. market at a fair price. There are no easy so- lutions to this dilemma. Learning the facts, and hearing the views of farm Leaders on both sides of the border, gave Ontario agricultural leaders a greater appreciation of the challenges faced by our trade nego- tiators. Study travel is an important pan of the Advanced Agricultural Lead- ership Program. Through travel, leadership participants broader, their perspective on issues that af- [ MIDDLESEX BEEF PRODUCERS Nal BEEF Thursday, August 18th, 1994 POPLAR HILL PARK Meal served from 5:00 - 7:30 p.m. FEATURING: Paul Bros. & Shirley from Kirkton Entertainment: Beechwood Tickets ere; $9.00 advance (price includes one adult and one elementary school child) $10.00 at the gate and $3.00 elementary school child Preschoolers FREE Tickets available from; Alan Hill 227-4869 • Ralph Lynn 227-4189 Mike O'Shea 225-2600 • Jim Scott 227-4391 1 T • fect agriculture and rural communi- ties, and learn how leaders i(t other nO3 Rai speaker at areas deal. with issues similar to 4 those we face in Ontario. Times -Advocate, August 10„1994 Page 9 Dairy farmers paid one price Consumers and farmers will benefit province -wide MISSISSAUGA - Consumers and farmers will benefit from a move to pay all dairy farmers one price province -wide under a simplified single -quota system as the industry continues to respond to the market and prepares to adapt to any future changes in trade under /new rules coming under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). "It was time to give our system an over- haul," said John Core, Chairman of the Ontario Milk Marketing Board (OMMB). "The new system will be much easier to administer and understand." The change will also allow Ontario to easily adapt to any changes in national marketing pro- grams. The former system had two types of quota, one for milk for' fluid consumption and an- other for milk made into butter, cheese, ice cream and other dairy products. It arose from Ontario's milk marketing history but no longer reflects today's markets. All milk has had to meet the same high quality standards since 1981 and milk components routinely flow between these two, formerly separate, markets. "Like any other progressive industry we are always striving for improvement," Core said. "The farmer - owned, -operated and -financed system which man- ages Ontario's milk production has gone through a continuous process of adapting to market changes since the OMMB was formed in 1965 and this is the next logical step." Consumer fluid milk prices in south- ern Ontario will not be affected by the .., August I change. Consumers in northern Ontario should see some lowering of retail milk prices as the dairies in the area will pay be- tween 1.4 and 3.2 cents per litre less for the milk they process. With the changes, proces- sors will pay the same for milk throughout On- tario. For farmers, the August 1 change was put in place in a way that meant all farrns had the same income potential under the new system as they did under the old system. All of Ontario's 8,300 dairy farmers are members of the OMMB and their views were sought and used to shape the development of the new quota system. Canada keeps U.S. market One-year understanding with American wheat market OTTAWA - Agriculture and Agri -Food Minister Ralph Goodale and International Trade Minister Roy MacLaren announced August 2 details of a one-year understanding reached with the U.S., which includes access to U.S. wheat markets which substantially ex- ceed recent historical levels. This will enable Canada to slip close to two mil- lion tonnes of wheat to the U.S. during the crop year 1994-95. This includes wheat both under and outside the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) jurisdiction and exceeds the one million tonne, recent three-year annual average of Canadian wheat exports to the U.S. Moreover, the new temporary U.S. tariff schedule does not apply to wheat grown outside the CWB area, nor does it apply to flour, or semolina, shipments of which are expected to exceed 500,000 tonnes in the next 12 months. Barley is also exempt from the U.S. re- strictions. The negotiated arrangement, approved by Cabi- net, was reached August 1 following five days of in- tense consultations involving the new ministers and their U.S. counterparts, U.S. Trade Representative Mickey Kantor and U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy. The U.S. has agreed to withdraw its notification under GATT Article 28, which eliminates a source of concern for Canadian industry and producers. Under Article 28, the U.S. was threatening to put in place permanent measures against Canadian wheat, flour, barley and malt. In addition, the U.S. has agreed not to impose any further import restrictions on Canadian grains, such as barley for the next 12 months. The arrangement also provides for the creation of a bi-national "Blue Ribbon" Commission of grain experts industry representatives that will examine grain marketing and support systems on both sides of the border, including such things as the U.S. Ex- port Enhancement Program and deficiency pay- ments. The commission will make non-binding rec- ommendations to both governrttents within one year. "I believe this interim arrangement provides a breathing space to work out a more durable and longer-term resolution of these issues," said Goodale. "Canada grained some important concessions in this understanding. Canada has always said that a nego- tiated approach was our preferred option." The Advanced Agricultural Lead- corn ership Program was initiated by the Agricultural Leadership Trust, a unique partnership between Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs; University of Guelph; Ontario Federation of Ag- riculture; and the Foundation for Rural Living. Funding comes from the Trust, participant tuition fees, and private and commercial dona- tions. The Co-operators was a ma- jor sponsor of this study tour. For more information contact Ad- vanced Agricultural Leadership Program Executive Director, Patri- cia Mighton, Box 1030, Guelph, Ontario N 1 H 6N 1, Phone: 519- 767-3266. producers meeting WOODSTOCK - Ontario's Pre- mier, the Honourable Bob Rae will he the Special Guest Luncheon Speaker at the Semi -Annual Meet- ing of the Ontario Corn Producers' Association (OCPA) on September 8 at the Quality Inn, Woodstock. The one -day event will also fea- ture a panel discussion.on fuel etha- nol with Doug MacKenzie, Vice- chairman of Commercial Alcohols Inc.; Bud Atkins, President, Sea- way Valley Farmers' Energy Co- operative Inc. and Jim Johnson, President, Canadian Renewable Fuels Association. "We're pleased that Premier Rae Quality Core Dense Shell Make bales which resist moisture while soft interior promotes curing. • Fixed chamber design creates a bale with a soft interior which promote' curing. Dense shell-like exterior helps bale resist moisture and keep its shape longer. • Compaction within the fixed cham- ber creates a dense shell around the high quality interior. • Big. open Throat design lets you start bales easily without,plugging. • Wide. endless belts Handle matenat carefully. More nutrient -rich mate- rial makes it to the bale. 1111104 Sales & Service Plane (819) Fax 1119) 23e-7330 22 Mein Street, E., Zurich • Three models available: Model Bale 4844 4' x 4' 4845 4' x 5' 4865. 6'x5' • Ask about competitive financing plans through Agricredit Acceptance Company. ( AOCO) NEW IDEA' 1 1 I b 23e-4 w r can join us and present the Ontario government's views on agriculture, particularly the corn industry," said Larry Covlran, Chair, OCPA Con- vention Committee. "Corn produc- ers are facing a variety of challeng- es from a crucial crossroads for fuel ethanol to unfair WGTA subsidies for western feed wheat entering the Ontario market." Arrowykooff Farms Red currants $1.50 qt. Blueberries $1.55 Ib. Dried Flowers 4 roads south of Melbourne on County Road 9. Turn right, go 1/2 mite 8 - 8 Monday to Friday 8 - 5 Saturday. Closed Sunday 289-2403 r!J 215 Pickard Rd. Exeter, Ontario NOM 1S3 (519) 235-2806 FARM SUPPLIES INC. 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