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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1979-09-13, Page 12PAGE 12 *--.CLUNTQN NEWS-RECQRP, THuRsDAY, SEPTEMBER i3,19.79 Dry conditions this year have sped up the white bean harvest in Huron County, resulting in ex- cellent quality, although yield is down slightly in som fields because of white mould. Here Ken McCowan combined beans on the second con- cession of Rainey last week and reported yields running at about 30 bushels to the acre. (News - Record photo) news farm news New assessment changes uncertain BY ALICE GIBB Assessment com- missioner Floyd Jenkins, speaking to Huron Federation of Agriculture members in Belgrave Thursday night on the subject of tax equalization factors, told his audience "somebody Iorganized a horse race before there were any horses." He said the big change is that factors for rural municipalities have decreased to a greater extent than they have in urban municipalities across the county. This means "costs to rural taxpayers will increase much more rapidly than to urban municipalities," the assessment com- missioner said. He told the audience he doesn't know how these factors will be used in assessing 1980 taxes and said "anything you hear or read is strictly sup- position at this time." He said a "wait and see" attitude is called for. Mason Bailey, an audience member, told Mr. Jenkins, "I don't think the public cares about all this rigamarole other than how much money we're going to 1)4y." Mr. Jenkins said, "You don't know and I don't know that our taxes are going to go up." The matter is now in the hands of the provincial government and a decision from the legislature is expected early this fall. Then municipalities will have between that time and November 1 to appeal the equlization factors. Mr. Jenkins said there isn't, .any way to find out more information until the provincial govern- ment makes their' decision. Another federation member .asked the assessment com- missioner if the basis for calculating the educational tax isn't wrong. The man said "houses, not land, send children to school" and asked whether, "we should be taking that view of it municipally?" Mr. Jenkins did assure the audience equalization factors would be Notes of Kippen By Rena Caldwell Messers Steve and Murray McGregor holidayed at Grand Bend over the holiday weekend. Bean harvesting is in progress. Mr. and. Mrs. Cameron Joyce, Inkster Mich. and Mrs. Margaret Hut- chison, St. Thomas, visited with Mr. and Mrs. W.L. Mellis recently. Tom Munroe and son Ian, who spent the past month in B.C. have returned home. Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Hayman, London, (Mrs. Hayman was formerly Blanche Watson) 'visited old friends in the Kippen area. W.J.F. Bell has returned from Victoria Hospital, London. A number from Kippen area attended the Blyth production '`The Don- nellys''. Kippen East W.I. will le1111•11111.11Mr VINO CHANGE IN NAME INDEPENDENT SHIPPER United Co -Operatives' of Ontario Livestock Department Toronto Ship your livestock with FRANK VOOGEL Dashwood Monday is shipping day from Varna Stockyard prom/lowly Rey:Scotchmer Call Dr shWocdd 238.2701 or ilaytteld $0.2634 Ity 7:30 ani. Monday for pr1rnpt wide* meet at the home of Mrs, Harry Caldwell on Sept. 19 at 8:30 p.m. The guest speaker will be Robert Raeburn, Hensall. Mrs. Al Hoggarth will give the motto and Mrs. Alex McGregor is in charge of lunch. Mr. and Mrs. Ken McLellan have returned from a business trip to Prince George, B.C. John Deere Oil -Less Air Compressors These gasoline -engine and electric -motor compressors combine portability with high performance:end low maintenance. The same de- sign features that keep the oil out of the air eliminate the need for lubrication and increase compressor life. If you need a compressor we've got one right for you. 'embus. ■■Iril 41 01' $`3.424 Ettete r 2 5 t,�.. ; 55. calculated on valid farmer -to -farmer sales of land across the county. He pointed out the price of farmland has in- creased drastically since 1971 when the provincial government put a freeze on assessment. Mr. Jenkins told the federation members, "inflation in values- in urban municipalities has not been as great as in- flation in rural municipalities." He said while land prices have gone up , for farmland, they haven't increased as. much in towns like Clinton and Goderich. Mr, Jenkins concluded by saying the change in the equalization factor wi11-eventually affect ail taxpayers. Under the presentcost sharing system in effect, the towns and villages in the county pay a greater share of county expenses. However, township residents : claim urban populations gain much greater benefit from county services such as sewers and water systems and should pay for those services. Many members of the audience still seemed perplexed at how the equalization factors will affect their taxes and township mill rate in the coming year at the conclusion of the meeting. In reviewing his past year as a memberof the Ontario Federation of Agriculture board of directors, Merle Gunby QUAUTY WHEAT FROM FUNK'S told- federation members he believed the most •significant activity was the food industry inquiry initiated by Peter Han- ' nam. He said • he feels the food inquiry has. pointed out the need for the Ontario Federation of Agriculture and marketingboards to improve their marketing.; activities and pointedout the practise of discounts and allowances in the. retail food industry to consumers. He said other significant steps had been the amendment to the Petty Trespass Act and the institution of the Farm -Pride Index, which _ shows the consumer where his food dollar is going. He said the OFA's greatest failure was "we failed to get the gover- nment to take agriculture seri'otisly." Among examples' of this he said they had failed to get the government to take action and pass "decent farm machinery legislation", had failed to stop imports 'of agricultural products and that GAAT trade negotiations in Tokyo proved disappointing from an agricultural point of view. arketiu.g B. Y ALICE CarIBB° Bruce ‘Shillinglaw, a Londesboro farmer who's a member of the provisional corn marketing committee trying to organize an acceptable grain corn marketing, told federation members there likely. won't be a vote on, the proposed - board for at least a year .and,a half. M. Shillinglaw . • was speaking .at the regional meeting • for Huron County Federation of Agriculture members in the north of the county, held at East Wawanosh School, Belgrave, Thursday night. Mr. Shillinglaw said the volunteer committee studying the corn marketing proposal has had "quite a growing pain problem" which had included losing a number of members and changing the original concepts of the board. Mr. Shillinglaw said the committee now suggests fashioning the corn board after the soybean marketing board. This means the • corn board would be a non -agency type of board, which will deal only with the grain corn being resold by the farmer, rather than with corn soldin farmer -to - farmer deals or used on the grower's own farm. Mr. Shillinglaw said the proposed cost for the board handling the grain corn would be 20 cents per metric tonne. The corn grower said there is • currently 1.7 million - acres of grain corn grown in the province of Ontario, but a large percentage of this is either fed to livestock on the growers' farms or is in storage at elevators. He said it would be too great a problem for the proposed marketing board to try and control all the corn in storage. Mr. Shillinglaw said the board has been -proposed because "we need a spokesman for corn growers in Ontario." -He warned corn growers in the audience; that ' the price of seed corn will be going up 25 per cent next year, since the Seed Corn Growers Association voted to raise their prices. Mr. Shillinglaw said the corn marketingi board could deal with seed corn companies. Also, it could negotiate advance payments and assist in administering them. Presently corn growers can't obtain advance payments for their crop. Mr. Shillinglaw said the stabilization plan currently in effect has been developed tby the government," . with no input from growers. He said a corn marketing board could also negotiate these payments on the growers' behalf and "could be a watchdog to keep • handling and storage rates within reason." • He told audience members a marketing board could also try and get a share Of- the rc) \ Premium iur payments paid. for good quality corn, by large firms such as Kelloggs. Right now, fir. Shillinglaw said, the elevator owner, rather than the grower, is getting these Rayments,A which may amount to as much as an extra 50 cents per bushel. He said the proposed board would also have a WATTS line for growers ▪ whicl would supply daily updated . reports on • current corn prices. Tim -speaker said tie board should also in- vestigate export op- portunities for the .grain corn grown in Ontario. He said once you get beyond what the industry can use, this tends to depress the prices and "while this may be good for the livestock producers, it isn't for the - corn growers." When asked it there wasn't "a good deal of opposition" to the ft The next decade may be the .most chaHengiflgf all for Canadian Farmers marketing b4aard proposal across the county, Mr, Shillinglaw agreed there was, saying "that's natural' any place - where white beans have been grown or marketed." 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