Clinton News-Record, 1981-12-02, Page 12PAGE 12--CLINTON NEWS -RECORD, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2 ,1 1
agriculture Task Force
lists 20 recommendations
The Ontario Federation of
Agriculture's Emergency
Task Force on Agriculture
report, released last week
has sharply criticized both
levels of government and
banks for the current
"emergency" situation in
Ontario farming.
Task Force chairman
Everett Biggs presented the
report to a responsive
audience at the Federation's
45th annual convention in
Toronto, November 23 to 26.
Biggs said the report was
compiled in a scant eight
weeks, adding that he did not
realize the number of sub-
missions and presentations
that would be made.
In ten public hearings, the
Task Force accepted about
226 briefs and presentations
from farm organizations,
marketing boards, in-
dividuals, agri-business,
government and the banks.,
Biggs criticized the
defensive attitude of
government and banks when
estimating the number of
farmers facing financial
difficulties. He said there
was a lack of accurate in-
formation being provided by
bankers and government.
The Task Force charged
that banks encouraged over
borrowing and gave poor
advice to farmers.
Of government, Biggs said
there is a "lack of clear
objective and policy - it's just
notthere".
A chart indicated $122
million should supply loan
subsidies to Ontario farmers
to reduce loans with 18
percent interest to . 12 per-
cent. "These millions are
being found for other ac-
tivities, like energy," Biggs
commented. He suggested
politicians drinking a glass
of oil for breakfast.
While addressing the
difficultiesof farmers in
general, the task force said
the red meat industry was
particularly hard hit.
"Without immediate action
by government, part of the
red meat industry will very
quickly be lost to Ontario,"
the report states.
Stressing the short time of
the task force's preparation,
Biggs said there was little
time for research. The
report was based on "The
current situation principally
as seen through the eyes of
public hearings and within
the very limited time frame
of eight weeks."
The report was accepted
by the " OFA and the
executive was authorized to
organize seminars with
government and businesses
to lobby for the im-
plementation of the
recommendations.
Biggs, reading from the
Task Force report,' outlined
the group's 20 recom-
mendations which addressed
the problems of the Ontario
farmers and suggested
policies for overcoming the
difficulties.
The recommendations, in
summary, areas follows:
Recommendations relating
to general policies and
programs:
1. The 1981 Agriculture
Canada discussion paper
"challenge for growth - and
agri-food strategy for
Canada" appears to provide
an opportunity to develop
short and long term
agriculture pdlicies ... it is
critical if the industry is to
feel it has a sense of direc-
tion and be able to meet the
future needs of consumers.
Such policies must be based
on a clear understanding and
acceptance by the two levels
of government and by the
public that the production of
food and the economic health
of the industry is as im-
portant as energy supplies.
2. The province of Ontario
DRYSDALE
MAJOR
APPLIANCE
CENTRE LTD.
SALES
WITH
SERVICE
The Plate To
Buy Appliances
4EW AND USED
Her scall 262.2728
Closed Mondays
should review subsidy and
farm assistance programs
available in other provinces,
particularly Quebec ... to
insure Ontario farmers are
not disadvantaged through
parochial policies of other
provinces.
3. While supply
management has been ac-
cepted for several com-
modities there are divided
opinions as to its application
to the red meat industry.
Any changers requested by
the industry should be
pursued.
4. Ontario should establish
a food land corporation to
purchase farm lands, par-
ticularly forced or
bankruptcy sales. The
specific purpose would be to
lease the farm to a farm
operator with preference
given to the original owner.
Financing could be a federal
provincial , policy, but the
urgency of the current
situation may merit
unilateral action by Ontario.
5. The federal income tax
credit of seven percent
should be extended to used
farm machinery to en-
courage the purchase of used
machinery.
6. The resources of the
economic branch of the
Ontario ministry of
agriculture and food must be
strengthened with increased
emphasis on marketing
research, financial
management and agri-
business. The branch should
also provide more support
services for the provincial
extension system while
providing - more input into
long term planning.
7. The ministry should give
greater emphasis to
financial management and
marketing in their farm
management programs. The
programs should be closely
scrutinized to determine
_those activities which are not
suited to the agriculture
challenges of the 1980s.
8. Federal and provincial
governments are urged to
resolve a seeming impasse
in income stabilization
policy, as this program may
well be the most significant
component ,of a long term
policy. Consideration should
be given to developing a
method of establishing
support levels based upon
current costs rather than the
present method of using five
year average prices and
changes in cash crops.
Recommendations relating
to financing and credit:
9. An immediate
moratorium should be im-
posed on lending institutions
to stop any action which
would force a farmer into
bankruptcy or voluntary
liquidation of his assets. The
interest could be guaranteed
by the federal government
for the period of the
moratorium which should
not be less than s ix months.
During this period an In-
tensive review should be
made of the financial con-
ditions of the farmer. Sub-
sidies should be paid in order
to result in an effective in-
terest rate of 12 percent.
10. The farm credit cor-
poration should immediately
receive an infusion of suf-
ficient capital to allow it to
move immediately to assist
farmers. Lowered interest'
rates of 12 percent should be
available for consolidation of
debts and refinancing but not
for capital expansion.
11. The FCC should be
allowed to go to the private
sector for funds which could
be obtained through the sale
of agri-bonds. These would
carry an interest rate of 12
percent and interest earned
would be tax deductible as
an attraction for investors.
12. Farmers should be
allowed to borrow directly
from a private investor at a
12 percent interest rate, with
the earned interest being tax
deductible for the lender and
the funds invested exempt
from capital gains tax. This
policy should also embrace
farmers who sell their f arms
and choose to invest such
funds with farmers.
13. Small business
development bonds should
be expanded to encompass
non -incorporated farm
operations. This policy
should give greater em-
phasis and assistance for the
consolidation of debts. It
should also be made
available for the purchase of
used farm equipment.
14. Ontario should
reconsider its position on
long term credit for young
and starting farmers.
Recommendations relating
to information, training and
marketing:
15. Grade labelling on
imported produce should
clearly indicate it is not
produced in Canada.
16. A strong, well-financed
overall farm organization is
a critical need for the
present and the future. The
OFA could consider joining
with the National Farmers
Union and the Christian
Farmers Federation to
present a stronger front.
17. Presentations indicated
inadequate market in-
formation for certain
commodities. Ontario could
consider making "seed
money" available to the
OFA to allow the OFA to step
in the gaps where inadequate
market information exists.
Turn to page 13 •
Huron County delegates from the East Central Region to the 1981 OFA Convention were
(left to right) John Van Beers, Doug Garniss, John Nesbit, and Ralph Deweerd.
news farm news
Prevent stable injuries
A popular area of interest
in dairy housing, and this
may be of greater interest to
the free stall operation, is the
use of the "Scabbier," to
help roughen slippery
concrete.
Hundreds of dollars are
lost every year by dairymen.
who have been faced with the
problem of slipppery con-
crete flooring . causing
permanent injury to milking
cows and heifers.. One
alternative is to roughen the
surface using a wheel -
mounted device called a
scabbier, which has a series.
of air -driven hammers or
bits with hardened steel
points. U.S. reports indicate
heat detection has been
easier because cows are
more sure on their feet and
less afraid of falling.
The "Scabbier" is
distributed in Canada by:
Allan Fyfe Equipment, 261
Bowes Road, Thornhill
(Highway 7 near Keele)
Phone: 416-669-1313, and
sells for $2,878 complete
(five head L5 unit). The
distributor was aware of the
following rental outlets
which have the "Scabbier"
available: Newmarket
Rentals, 180 Davis Drive,
Newmarket, Ontario (895-
2345) - Charges $60 per day
plus $40 per day for com-
pressor (if desired): Will
demonstrate for groups
anywhere if the interest
would make it worth their
while (five head unit) .
Ray Gordon Ltd., 21
Milvam Drive, Weston,
Ontario. (one mile west of
Highway 400 north of Finch)
(742-3190) - Charges $75 per
day plus $40 per day for the
compressor. There is an
additional charge of $105 for
sharpening the bits each
>- MORE " WATERBEDS t
a
a
>-
r
WHY PAY MORE* WATERBEDS * WHY PAY MORE
JUST
) ARRIVED!
O
2
Tiffany Cane
Waterbed
Cash
*Cheque
Vise
WSW'
Cad
FFURNffURE
Open Daly 10 9 Saturdays tit 6
Yz MILE EAST OF McDONALD'S
LTRATFORD 273'30601
time the machine is returned
( seven head unit) .
Retizel Rentals, 85
Bridgeport East, Waterloo,
Ontario. (885.5000) - Charges
$45 per day plus $30 per day
for the compressor. The
person renting must supply
his own bits, which they have
for sale for $250 per set (five
head unit); also available
through other Reitzel outlets
(London); all rental charges
are for a 24-hour period.
-Dennis Martin,
Assoc. Ag. Rep.
Drainage Law
In a previous article, I
discussed the law pertaining
to surface and subsurface
water. If someone has
collected water by any
means and is dumping it on
your land, (not in a natural
watercourse) there are a few
ways to deal with it.
(1) If the water is coming
from a small watershed i.e.
50 acres or less, you might
consider an agreement
drain. You and your neigh-
bour would share the cost of
the outlet and future
maintenance. An agreement
should be drawn up and filed
in the registry office. Your
local agricultural engineer
may help with the
agreement.
(2) If there are three or
more properties involved or
if the watershed is large i.e.
over 50 acres, a municipal
drain should be considered.
This type of outlet is paid for
Turn topage 13•
Farm wives worth
$682 a weep
Guest speaker Gisele
Ireland told the Nov. 17 an-
nual meeting of the McKillop
Federation of Agriculture at
St. Coluo'iban Hall that at go-
ing rates, she figures a farm
wife is worth about $682 a
week. They have to be very
versatile, she said, . "and
know a lot of little things
about a lot of things."
Mrs. Ireland, farm
magazine columnist and ac-
tivist who with husband
Brian runs a hog operation
near Teeswater gave a
humorous talk on the trials
and tribulations of being a
farm wife, although with
high interest rates and the
country's economic slump
she noted "it's getting
harder and harder to find
funny things to write about."
"Romance and farmers -
they just don't go together,"
Mrs. Ireland said, however
most farmers get' married
young because "things get
lonely in the barn". And once
a farm wedding takes place
it tends to last. Farmers
have a lower divorce rate,
she noted, perhaps they
can't afford a divorce or
don't have the time.
In a less humorous vein,
Mrs. Ireland said the objec-
tive of farm wives' groups
that are springing up is to in-
tegrate with men's groups to
give all farmers more
political clout. Women make
a lot of noise, she observed,
and are a lot meaner than
men. When women want it,
she said, they want it right
now.
Mrs. Ireland said simple
division shows only a max-
imum of 250 farmers can be
helped by the $45-millioh in-
fusion into the Farm Credit
Corp. announced in the re-
cent federal budget. She also
took a swing at low interest
small business development
bonds which were extended
to farmers for the first time
in the federal budget. "We
got another rip off," she ,
said, the interest rate ap-
pears to be higher than we
assumed. Instead of half of
the prime rate plus two per
cent which was the old rate,
it appears the new rate is
half of prime, plus two, plus
another six per cent.
Secretary -treasurer Marie
Hicknell, who resigned at the
meeting because of other
commitments, reported the
McKillop federation has a
balance on hand of $625.82.
Christa Eckert accepted the
nomination as Mrs.
Hicknell's replacement.
The remainder of the ex-
ecutive was returned: presi-
dent Ken Scott, first vice-
president Kevin Kale, and
second vice-president Bill
Murray.
John Nesbitt, a guest
representing the Huron
Federation of Agriculture on
which he is a director, spoke
from the floor on his concern
of foreign ownership of
farmland becoming an issue
in the Myth area.
Because of the presence of
the press he was reluctant to
identify the individual or in-
dividuals involved, but said
4,000 acres have been pur-
chased by foreign investors,
who won't farm it, but rather
use it strictly as an invest-
ment.
Mr. Nesbitt said he doesn't -
think this land will ever be.
broken up into small parcels
again, and he urged anybody
concerned with the prospect
to contact area MPP Jack
Riddell.
Chained
Lightning...
Stop in today for a
demonstration on the new
line of John Deere Chain
Saws. Choose from sever
models - 30 to 78cc.12 to
27 -inch spocket-nose
guidebar. Each has a
chisel or semichisel chain,
automatic oiler, and
counterbalanced
crankshaft. Convenietly
located handles and
controls. Throttle/trigger
interlock provides added
safety. Get professional
quality and dependability
in the new line of John
Deere Saws
Put warmth
where you
want it ...
with a
John Deere
Space heater
Two models are
available to heat
machine sheds.
workships, cabins...
anywhere 115 -volt
current is available.
All burn kerosene or
No. 1 or No. 2 fuel
oil. Fuel saving
thermostat is
standard on 150,000
BTU model, optional
on the 90,000 BTU
model.
:
OPTONICA
Tuner, �Amplifier
ad Cassette Deck
OPTONICA ST. -4402C FM/AM STERE(` QUARTZ SYNTHESIZER TUNER
Ouerts PLL Synthesiser Tuner
Ouadrature Detector '
FM Muting Circuitry
Auto Tuning System
10 -Station 2 -Band Prosettable Memory
rvovrve
MIcroprocessor-Contrplled Soft -Push Swit-
ches
Air Chock Calibrator
Digital Frequency Display
Signal Strength Meter
1.41
HI -Wend Switch OUR PRICE
Last Memory
LEDDFunction Indicators
Memory Sack -Up System 47
OPTONICA SM -4301C INTEGRATED STEREO AMPLIFIER
OUTSTANDING FEATURES AND PERFORMANCE
Toroidal Power Transformer with Stable DC
Flow.
1 -Stage Direct Coupled Equaliser with Deal
Power Supply.
NF Tone Amp
2 -Way Tope Dubbing Switch
Thermal Fuse Protection for the Power Tran.
dormer
•
Switchable Subsonic and High Filters
Eliminate Noise, Especially From Warped or
Worn Discs
Tape Monitoring for Roth Tape Inputs
Audio Muting Switch
41 -Position Oaten/ Volume Control
Loudness and Speaker Selector Switches
Power & Y.H.D. - 40 watts minimum RMS per
channel Into 0 ohms from 2011: to MN: with
no more than 0.R2 % T.H.O.
995
OUR PRICE
$51695
•
0 - C
41.
OPTONICA RT -6203C STEREO CASSETTE TAPE DECK WITH
AUTO. PROGRAM SEARCH SYSTEM & METAL TAPE COMPATIBILITY
• MIcroprocessor Full Logic Solenoid Transport Control
*Slim -Lined Design
. APES (Auto Program Search System)
=Automatic Spacing Pause Control
.Output Volume Control
..Timer Recording Standby Function
•full Auto Stop at End of Tape
*Soft -Eject Cassette Holder with Detachable Cover
-LED Indicators for Recording, Playback: Pause and
Dolby Noise Reduction System
TO COMPLETE YOUR SYSTEM
WE HAVE SPEAKERS BY
E.S.P.
TDK
CASSETTE TAPE
SAC -90 C gni
M.S.L. •9.40... J 4r
DC -90 $1 25
MISL. *5.80—•
.Metal Tape Compatibility with 4 -position Tope Selector
•2 -Motor Drive System
"Dolby Nolte Redaction end MPR Filter Switches
•Opfo Peak Level Display Meters OUR PRICE
• Line/MIc Input Selector
.Mechanical Section
Wow and Flutter • 0.0SS% VIRUS
.Audio Section
Frequency response: Metal Position 20-14,000 H.
• S/N Ratio (CRO2 gyps tapes)
Dolby HR an . 07 db. at over S k H:
$54995
TSTAL••e• $1 ,546,e5
Pete's 4th
Anniversary
Sale Price -
SAVE
•247•
Now'til Doc. 24 1„249
PETERS
413 VICTORIA ST.
CLINTON
4t12-7041
Keep batteries .
powered up
with a John Deere
Charger
You can keep batteries,
at peak charge or boost- •
start engines with a John
Deere Charger Choose
from four models All
have a safety thermal
cutoff switch, heavy -
gauge steel case. color -
coded terminal grips,
easy -to -read ammeter,
and •detailed operating
instructions on the case .
All John Deere Chargers
are UL and CSA
approved
A GOOD
SELECTION
OF HEAVY DUTY
BATTERIES FOR
TRACTORS,
COMBINES/
LAWN & GARDEN
& SNOWMOBILES.
71. I I I I 1411
r
.0 IOU101
..-r
JOHN
DEERE
TOYS
John Deere Action Toys
make playtime more fun.
And, they're built to last.
Come in and look over
our full line soon.
Blyth 533-4244
!bow 235-1115