HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1978-02-23, Page 17•
•
Whelan says farmers, paying
The farmer is paying a lot
more for the privilege of
feeding the country, Canada's
agriculture Minister Eugene
Whelan told farmers at the
Canadian Federation of
Agriculture's annual meeting
last week.
He cited a drop in net in-
come to the farmer of 11 per
cent and an expected drop
this year of six per cent. Part
of this could be remedied, he
said, if farmers took ad-
vantage of legislation that is
in place now for their
protection. "All of you know
my position on marketing
boards..."
He went on to compare the
prices paid by consumers for
products that are regulated
by supply management
marketing boards to prices on
the free market. In all cases,
he said, that the regulated
product changed little in
price, gave the producer a
decent income and the con-
sumer a reasonable price,
while in the U.S., without the
benefit of a regulatory
agency the prices fluctuated
wildly, from sky high to
depressingly low. Over there
neither the consumer nor the
farmer was happy.
Right now Mr. Whelan said,
consumers see beef prices up
and figure the farmer is
making a profit at their ex-
pense.
He complained bitterly that
the stabilization program was
being abused in some
provinces. "I heard of a case
where apple producers were
told they would only get paid
a few cents a bushel for their
produce. They were told not -
to worry. Why? Because
Whelan would make up the
difference." He went on to
say that these are dollars out
of our pockets and that he
would not allow the
stabtlizal.1ui► Lund to be
abused.
He called on hog producer
organizations to have their
people produce more hogs for
in 1977, Canada bought
$100,000,000 worth of pork
from the United States, which
he strongly condemned as
being inferior in quality.
On the GATT negotiations
he had some strong com-
ments also. The agriculture
ministers ' of the different
countries fouled their
agriculture so important that
tl%y had decided to meet
every five years, he said with
heavy irony, "I'think I got my
point across. We may see
them meeting a bit more
frequently in the future."
He also would like to see the
agricultural countries
organized on the same basis
as the oil producing coun-
tries, for food is ultimately
the currency of the world.
OFA concerned about food problems
Farmers are concerned
that the National Food
Conference (Feb. 22-23) will
not recognize the major
problems facing food
production in this country,
says Peter Hannam,
president, Ontario
Federation of Agriculture.
Speaking at a news con-
ference at Queen's Park, on
Monday, Mr. Hannam said
this lack of appreciation of
the real issues facing farmers
has forced the OFA to hold its
own conference in Ottawa, at
the Chateau Laurier, Wed-
nesday, Feb. 22, 1978, at 8
p.m.
"We want to present a
positive viewpoint," said Mr.
Hannam. "Of course we
welcome the participation of
not only all aspects of the food
industry but also of the
general public.
"But at the same time, we
must remember that the
production sector is primary
and most important to the
health of the whole economy.
"Agriculture, not only in
Ontario, but . all across
Canada, is at a crossroads,"
said Mr. Hannam.
"Farmers are caught in a
vicious cost -price squeeze
which has driven net incomes
down for three years in a row.
Farmers are being in-
creasingly forced into debt
and it has become almost
4-H leaders at convention
'Jim Papple of RR 4,
Seaforth, John Carvalho of
RR 1, Walton, Don Watson of
RR 4, Clinton, Bill Brock of
Exeter, Barry Elliott of RR 1,
Lucknow and Ken Gemmell
of RR 2, Kippen, represented
Huron County 4-H leaders at
the annual provincial 4-H
L,;eaders'. Conference held at
g xe,,-Strpraton Centre, Toronto,
on February 10 and 11.
During the conference, the
leaders took part in
workshops and discussion
groups covering numerous
aspects of the 4-H program.
With an emphasis on im-
proving communication
skills, participants were
exposed to various methods
of presentation and effective
teaching methods.
John Gillham, a well-known
communicator from Toronto,
opened the conference with
his thoughts on the
"Importance of Expressing
Yourself Well". Discussion
groups, demonstrations and
illustrated talks, followed the
theme throughout the two
days.
Niagara North County 4-H
members Kathy 'Deifxberry,
Wendy Deuxberry, Lisa
Merrit and Theresa Paolosini
presented their demon-
stration on pruning grape
vines to the leaders. on
Saturday morning. This
group were entrants at the 4-
H Demonstration Com-
petition at the Canadian
National Exhibition in 1977.
The 100 delegates to the
conference represented the
1,500 agricultural 4-H leaders
in the province.
impossible for young people
to get into agriculture. All the
signs are present to indicate
that our industry is in serious
trouble.
"We had hoped that the
National Food Strategy
Conference would address
itself to these issues but it has
not. Instead,, the structure of
the Conference is such 'that
agriculture will be treated as
only a peripheral issue. This
is completely unacceptable to
farmers and ' it should be
unacceptable to every citizen
who is concerned with the
future of this country."
Hannam outlined a 13 -point
program which the OFA feels
must be considered im-
mediately in order to
alleviate the problems in
agriculture. These include: a
firm commitment to an
adequate income for far-
mers; a rejection of a policy
which would make food so
cheap that no one could afford
to produce it; a commitment
to agriculture as a basic
sector in the national
economy; a commitment to
farm marketing boards.
- a stronger position by the
federal government for
Canadian agricultural
products in foreign trade
negotiations; a consultative
role for farmers in all policy
development which will af-
fect agriculture.
Hannam concluded, "The
government and the public
must realize that without a
healthy farm industry, there
cannot be a food system --
without farmers, the whole
Canadian food system
collapses."
Farmer's problems discussed
A wide range of
agricultural problems were
.discussed at the annual
meeting last week of the
Canadian Federation. .of
Agriculture. From the cost
and hazard of pesticides,
machinery parts, energy and
taxes to some social issues,
very few delegates from
across Canada left the con-
vention floor.
The meeting asked the
Ogovernment
not to hand over
research funds to private
bodies if it can be done in-
house, and to increase
research in such fields as the
development of nitrogen
fixing plants. This would be a
great saving on petroleum
pi oducts.
In (order to give some in-
centive to part time workers
in harvest seasons, the
delegates asked that
unemployed persons would
not have to go through a new
waiting period if they worked
a limited time only, such as
harvesting.
A sore point with almost all
the farmers was the manner
of reporting the food index.
They urged that ' the food
index be designed so that the
Canadian farmer not always
get the blame when Florida
lettuce increases in price.
A long debate folLcwvpd the.
resolution by the Saskat-
chewan Federation of
Agriculture that asked that a
"national livestock and meat
authority" be established,
with no marketing powers or
pricing powers. Some op-
ponents of the proposal in-
s!sted that this was a
marketing board and the
proposal was defeated by a
surprisingly small margin.
More realistic com-
pensation for livestock or-
dered destroyed by reason of
disease were demanded and a
responsibility in the use of
medication was shown by
asking for better labelling on
the proper withdrawal
periods of medicated feeds.
As a vehicle, for the better
understanding of Canadians
from different parts of the
country and the promotion of
unity, there can be little doubt
as to its usefulness. One finds
soon that there are very few
"rednecks" among prairie
people. That Quebecois are
happy tc be able to. speak the
other Canadian language
through a simultaneous
translating system., That all
across the nation all are
plagued by the same
problems and have in the
main the same advantages.
SHUR.GAIN
ANIMAL HEALTH PRODUM
Shur -Gain has all the Animal Sanitation Health Products
you need -- available from
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Open: Mon. -Fri. 11100 4:00 p.m.; Saturday 1:00.12:00 noon.
CLINTON NEWS -RECORD, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23,1578 --PAGE 17
Don Pullen, ag. rep. for Huron County, was the featured speaker for the Huron delegation
at the annual meeting of the Ontario Plowmen's Assoc. in Toronto last week. Don outlined
the history of the county and emphasized Huron's position, as an outstanding food
producer. At left are County Clerk Bill Hanly and Warden Gerry Ginn. (Advance -Times
photo)
news farm news
Warren speaks at F of A meeting
The chief negotiator at the
upcoming agricultural
Multilateral Trade
Negotiations spoke to
Canada's farmers at the
annual convention of. the
Canadian Federation of
Agriculture last week.
Ambassador Warren said
that agriculture is of vital
importance at the talks, and
may -spell the difference
between success or failure.'
There is a difference' of
approach between the
countries of the European
Economic Community and
the United States. The EEC
wants a managed world
market for agriculture while
the U.S. wants a free market.
Canada is, as usual, in the
middle with the attitude that
it doesn't really matter what
system you use, as long as it
brings results.
Mr. Warren said that, he
expects the U.S. to open their
border more widely for
agricultural products before
we can open ours, but it is
inevitable that we have to
give something in return.
Non -tariff barriers will be
looked. at very closely, he
said. Such things as support
prices must be considered as
being unfair trading prac-
tises. The Canadian gover-
nment has firmly stated that
they won't be satisfied with
anything less than full
reciprocity in agriculture. We
are in a position to negotiate
OFA pres. to speak ,on taxes
Peter Hannam, President
of the Ontario Federation of
Agriculture, will speak at the
Clinton High School on
Monday, February 27 at 8:30
p.m. on the subject of the
O.F.A. policy on the property
tax reforms being proposed
by the Ontario government.
This special meeting has
been called by the Huron
Our Mistake
Sometimes the boys are
hard to distinguish from the
girls, as the Clinton News -
Record found out last week
when trying to identify a
photograph.
As a result the News -
Record incorrectly stated
that one skater at the Varna
Ice Carnival was Brenda
Consitt, when in fact the
youngster was David Draper,
grandson of Bob Peck.
The News -Record
apologizes for any in-
conveniences this error may
have caused.
County Federation of
Agriculture in order to give
all interested persons an
opportunity to discuss with
Peter how the proposed
property tax reforms will
affect the farming com-
munity and what the O.F.A.
policy is towards these
reforms.
MORE NEWS
MORE FEATURES
Keep informed
with the
News -Record
Smile
A committee room is ' a
place where everybody talks,
nobody listens, and everyone
disagrees afterward.
+ + +
A yawn is at least an honest
opinion
ANNUAL MEETING
Howick Farmers' Mutual
Fire insurance Company,
Wroxeter, Ontario%
The 105th Annual Meeting of the Company will be hold at the
Company Head Office, Wroxeter, Ontario.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24
1978; at 1:30 p.m. :
1. To receive the Annual Statement and Auditor's Report.
2. To elect two Directors to replace Clare Hutchinson and Ron'
McMichael whose term of office expires, both of whom are
eligible for re-election.
3. To appoint an Auditor -for 1978.
4. To amend the following by-laws: No. 33 Remuneration.
5. To transact any other business which may rightly come
before the meeting.
R. R. McMICHAEL
President
R. C. HUTCHINSON
Manager
in part on the basis of con-
cession withdrawal.
Particularly in the hor-
ticultural sector, Canada has
granted previous concessions
that can be withdrawn if the
U.S. doesn't make some new
concession in order to better
equalize barriers between our
two countries.
Quota year set up hurts
milk processing industries
.Milk -processing industries
are hurting because of the
present setup of the
producers' quota year. Grant
Smith, vice-chairman of the
Ontario Milk Marketing
Board, told Perth County
milk producers in Stratford
Smith said there will likely
be a change in the quota year
and suggested the next one
could run somewhere bet-
ween 14 and 18 months.
He said there was con-
siderable pressure to have
the year changed because
processing plants are running
out of milk during the winter
months, near the end of the
quota year.
Because producers are
nearing their quotas late in
the quota 'year, they must cut
back on production, leaving
the processors with a shor-
tage.
Some have suggested the
quota year be extended to 18
months to spread the low -
producing months over a
longer period, Smith said.
The province has suggested
the next quota year run from
April 1, 1978 to June 30,1979,a
period of 14 months.
a
While Smith said he doesn't
believe Ontario will win its
case, he anticipates some
kind of "saw -off" with the
quota period extended from
April 1 this year to about
August 1, 1979.
Bill Jarvis, MP (PC -Perth -
Wilmot) told the milk
producers the shortage
created during late winter by
the present system has forced
one viable cheese -producing
plant he knows of to restrict
production to 48 per cent of
capacity.
(C3t)
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