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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News Record, 1981-04-30, Page 12PAGE 12—CLINTON NEWS -RECORD, THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 1981 Farming future looks dim by Alice Gibb Ron White, vice-president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) predicted last week that the farming industry will face an economic crisis for some tune yet. Mr. White, a Middlesex County dairy farmer, speak- ing peaking at the Joint annual meeting of the Tuckersmith, Stanley and Goderich Township federations in Holmesville recently, told farmers, "I • don't think it's going to get any better for some time." The dairy fanner said while young farmers are struggling to survive in the industry, the stories that really tug at the heart are those about farmers who are .ioairg thein farms after M _ lisoft in business. Mr. White said for many of these fanners, "the only thing they can do is get out", ad- ding after they sell their farm, some "won't even have a decent retirement fund" although "the best part of their lives was spent in productive agriculture." Mr. White said the last few months have been "troubled times in agriculture," since many traditional products are in trouble in the marketplace. He said one of his neighbours is losing $25,000 a month in his large hog operation, and another friend last week posted a "for sale" Sign on his farm. Mr. White said right now, there's little opportunity for expansion in farming. He said he met with Ontario's agriculture minister Lorne Henderson last week, and other members of the federation will also be visiting the minister to bring the problems facing farmers to his and to the public's at- tentioNt. Mrte said he's :also corned about rep toi:be releasedd by�the Economic: Council of Canada *Olt are erlt ical of the marketing Board approach to selling farm products. Mr. White said, "We -need an agricultural:policy in On- tario annd.t<we..ripartic wriit fir Canada and getting it. He farmers aboutseveral farms he visited recently in Bruce and Wellington Counties,. where farmers are faced with liquidation. Mr. White said the great percentage of farm operations today are overburdened by interest rates. Farmers can't meet interest obligations let alone the capital expenses of their operations, he said. "Agriculture in general," he said, "is very hard press- ed." Admitting there are some real problems with marketing systems and that farmers must know how to sell their products, Mr. White was critical of both provincial and federal government economic policies in the farm sector. Mr. White said the OFA ex- ecutive, meeting this week, will be proposing both some band aid and long-term solu- tions to the problems facing the agriculture industry in Ontari Stan Young; the banquet's speaker and chairman of ex- tension services, the Univer- sity of Guelph, presented a more optimistic outlook for farmers, if they take advan- tage of opportunities available in agriculture. Dr. Young, cautioning farmers to keep up the pressure on the minister of agriculture regarding in- terest rates, said what con- cerns him is how interest rates for farmers vary from province to province and' how they are subsidized in Many -provinces, like Saskat- chewan, but not in Ontario. Study Marketing In discussing opportunities which farmers should in- vestigate, Dr. Young advis- ed farmers to study marketing situations and how they might replace at least some of Ontario's im- ported foodwith products grown here. He said farmers _she L ..aware._of the .changing domestic market, an increased , population which requires an increase in food production and the special needs of ethnic groups. Dr. Young pointed to growing demands for 'specialty meats like goat, lamb and rabbit in the ethnic market. The educator said farmers must also be conscious of the export market and its needs. He said about four countries including. Canada -are now in competition for much of the ,. world's export markets. Dr. OFA wants federal aid The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) called recently for a federal and provincial interest rate assistance program for Ontario's financially pressed farmers. Beef and hog producers are hardest hit. They face low commodity prices on top of increased costs and high interest rates. Farm bankruptcies in Ontario for the first quarter of 1981 show a 77. percent increase over the same period last year. The 100 farmers at the CF'A's Board of Directors' meeting in Toronto set a short-term rescue program as their highest priority. It would include an in- dependent agency to review foreclosures and forced liquidations, as well as government assistance to provide low cost refinancing and forgiveness of some debt for those most in need. The OFA also wants a long-term program in- cluding re -introducing the provincial Junior Farmer Establishment Loan, and more money for the federal Farm Credit Corporation, as well as a review of its len- ding criteria. The'OFA also wants to reduce interest rates by making interest on money loaned to farmers tax exempt, and wants the Small Business Development Bond program broadened so more farmers can use it. The directors also called for an improved provincial interest . subsidy program. This would provide a refund on the difference between 12 percent and the prime bank rate plus one percent, and would apply to bank and farm supply loans. The program would cover loans up to $250,000 for individual farmers` and $500,000 for partnerships. Payments would be made quarterly. Young said Canadian genetic research has gone all around the world, _pointing to poultry and dairy genetic base exports. Pointing out what a boon the white bean industry has been to Huron County, Dr. Young advised farmers to consider exporting other crops, like alfalfa for exam- ple, which has a market in both Japan and Europe. He told farmers there's also the possibility of in- creasing rapeseed or canola exports, and advised this crop be considered for Huron County. Get the story across Another opportunity farmers must not ignore, ac- cording to Dr. Young, is communicating their message. Pie warned that the population of Canada is no longer farm -oriented and that kind of population will be making demands on the government to look after their own needs. He said farmers must communicate with these people and "every one of you has to become part ,,n and parcel of that com- munication." He said urban people must understand farm practices, and policies that affect land prices. He told farmers "you have to get that story across to them." He said this won't be done through the mass media, it might be done through schools, but must mainly be done by farmers, the people "that are directly involved." He said farmers must fight against political activists who want to outlaw technology the farm in- dustry already has, pointing to recent campaigns against chemicals like DDT and 2,4 „Be __.also.... warned -..-tile - welfare of animals will be considered more seriously in the next decade and "all kinds a of people are not prepared to accept that the way we handle animals to- day is the most humane (way)." He asked the farmers how many of. them "have com- municated with the 50 people you feed" and recomniended inviting groups from city service clubs and churches to tour their farms. "Invite those people to understand (farming) on a personal basis," he advised. Dr. Young also suggested a number of merchandising opportunities open to farmers. Dr. Young said since fresh meat consump- tion is declining, farmers should look at the processed meat market. He said if the chicken operation has changed tQ meet the needs of fast food outlets, why couldn't other commodities do the same. The speaker ad- vised farmers to sell the ur- ban people what they want. "Why not colour milk blue, call it "sky" and .sell it like pop?" he asked jokingly. Dr. Young said farmers must create the demand for pro- ducts and capitalize on the demand that already exists. For example, if natural food addicts want alfalfa, Dr. Young said why not, market it to them as "hay burgers?" He also advised farmers to look for opportunities in the area of production. He said in 1960, people laughed at the' predictions of 100 bushels° per acre of corn, while in 1980, many farmers know they can do better than that. Dr. Young said farmers can improve the intensity of their enterprise by changing crops. Consider growing more horticultural crops,. like peanuts, asparagus or vegetables, he suggested. Dr. Young also pointed out atrazine is used in the West for canola weed control, and asked why farmers couldn't take advantage of Universi- ty of Guelph research on the crop and grow, more rapeseed here. In concluding, Dr. Young said the availability of water in Ontario is one of the ad- vantages Ontario farmers have in competing with pro- ducts from California, Western Canada and Israel. He said that availability should give this province's farmers excellent com- petitive ability in breaking into the export market. Following Dr. Young's speech, OFA fieldman Bill Crawford reported that Huron County now has 2.180 federation members, the highest number in the organization's . history. Huron County also has the most members of any county . in the Ontario organization.. - Huron County federation president Gerry Fortune told members the OFA will be meeting with represen- tatives of the National Farmers' Union and Chris- tian Farmers to discuss ways to combat high interest rates facing farmers. The annual meeting and banquet, held in Goderich Township Hal); wasattended by 250 federation members from three townships. This is the first time the townships have held a joint annual meeting. ASPARAGUS CUT TO ORDER SPRING GARDEN FARM CALL i P.M. -10 P.M. 229-6795 FARMERS IN HURON COUNTY "THINKING OF REAL ESTATE. THINK STEVE BUCHAP AN'° SPECIALIZING IN THE SALE OF FARMS FOR • 25 THE SQUARE GOOERICH CALL 524-4700 EVENINGS 524-9017 ofFlcE What are these people watching? They're watching the beginning of one of the classes at the annual Clinton Kinsmen Canoe Race last Sunday at Auburn. Rhea Hamilton of The Blyth Standard takes a picture, while two members of the Floss family of Brucefield eye the paddlers. (James Fitzgerald photo) 1 all says ories The refusal of Lorne Henderson, minister of . agriculture and food, to par- ticipate in an emergency debate on the financial crisis facing Ontario's farming community, clearly shows that the Ontario Government has a total lack of concern regarding this most serious problem, says Liberal Agriculture critic Jack Rid- dell.- • "To simply state that high interest rates are a federal responsibility ignores the factthat Ontario is one of the few Provinces in the country not to have instituted an ex- tensive and well used set of low interest programs for its farmers," he said. The facts of fanning life are extremely chilling. In 1980, farm bankruptcies in- creased 91 per cent over the previous year and, for the first three months of this year, bankruptcies increas- ed 77 per cent over the same period last year, Mr. Riddell said. Furthermore, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture estithates that for every farm bankruptcy recorded in Ontario, there are at least 10 other farmers Who decide to get off the land while they Riddell re -appointed to caucus post The re -appointment of Jack Riddell as Agriculture Critic for the Ontario Liberal Caucus was announced at Queen's Park April 21 by Op- position Leader Stuart Smith. Riddell was recently elected to a fourth con- secutive term as MPP for the riding of Huron - Middlesex. In making the appoint- ment, Smith called Riddell, "one of the most effective members in our Caucus, and a stinging debater in the Legislature. He's also one of the most knowledgeable peo- ple in Ontario in the field of agriculture and food." A farmer by trade, Riddell has served es the Liberal's Agriculture spokesman since 1977. Partly through his hard work and pressure, the government agreed to set up a Royal Commission Inquiry into Food Prices in "That Commission became a whitewash, unfor- tunately," says Riddell. "There are still some very Don't Be Caught Short! OPEN GAILY S TO 5 SAT. 8 TO 12 Only Available at Hensall Location Sylvia Forbes, daughter of Murray and Marlene Forbes, has graduated from a two year course in Early Childhood Education from Lambton College, Sarnia. She will be seeking employ- ment In Alberta. 1364393 161-3002 4824823 bad practices of discounting going on in the food industry and our farmers are the real victims. "We'll just have . to put more pressure on the government to realize that when you hurt the farmers, you hurt consumers too." Riddell's appointment became effective on the first day of the new Legislature and will continue until fur- ther notice. upK EEP SERVICE FARM AND HOME REPAIRS *PAINTING *CARPENTRY *IMPROVEMENTS Before your small repairs b.com. big oras.,. PHONE: 482-9365 CLINTON ONT. on't care still have some equity left in the business. "As farmers are leaving the Llland in frustration or are forced off by bankruptcy, all too often that land is being sold to foreign investors who have no intention within the foreseeable future of corning to this country to fartn the land or to developers wle; will seek other ways than ` farming of making a profit off the land. This can only have a negative effect on the provincial economy, con- sidering that the farm conn - moody not only provides us with food for domestic con- sumptlon but also provides employment for thousands of people," Mr. Riddell said. "I firmly believe that this Government must introduce an immediate emergency in- terest program to prevent further farm bankruptcies. The farming industry in On- tario needs assistance now and if the minister of agriculture is not prepared to accept the responsibility for initiating such a pro- gram, I will have no othefik choice than to call for ha. resignation," said Mr. Rid- dell. Ship your livestock with FRANK VOOGEL DASHWOOD Shipper To United Cooperatives Of Ontario Livestock Department, Toronto Monday Is shipping day from Varna Stockyards CALL DASHWOOD . 23E-2707 OR BAYFIELD 565-2636 by 7:30 A.M. For Prompt Service Also Western Stockers & Feeders Available For quackgrass control - Nothing works like Roundup Before you till quackgrass this spring, let it grow until it's at the 3 to 4 leaf stage. Then, apply Roundup®. You really can get ready to control quackgrass by letting it grow undisturbed this spring. Don't touch it or till it, until it's actively growing and most weeds are at 3 to 4 leaf stage (20 cm in height). Then, apply Roundup® herbicide"by Monsanto. Tillage may break up and spread live rhizomes throughout your field and all plants may not re -grow to the proper stage in time for treatment with Roundup. Roundup, however, controls emerged quackgrass above and below ground, when used properly. Roundup is so effective, that many farmers, using it as the keystone of their quackgrass control programs, have been able to achieve manageable control for up to 3 years after one application. And since Roundup has no residual soil activity, you can till and plant wheat, oats, barley, corn or soybeans only 5 days after treatment, without risk of crop injury. In those infested fields you plowed last fall, quackgrass may not be ready for Roundup before planting. If so, we recommend you wait to apply Roundup as a spot treatment in the crop - or after harvest, when quackgrass has regrown to the proper stage. See your dealer soon about Roundup. If you want to control quackgrass—nothing works like Roundup. 7- r ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW THE LABEL FOR ROUNDUP Roundup* Is a registered trademark of Monsanto Company Monsanto Canada Inc, Winnipeg. Montreal. TorontctRegina. Saskatoon. Calgary RCN 1 81 ei Monsanto Company 1981 Nothing works like Roundup.