HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1985-12-11, Page 27Page 4A-CLINTON NEWS -RECORD, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1985
Convention tackles issues head -ori
Free trade, fair pricing, corporate mega -
farms, GATT negotiations, mandatory
check -off financing - there was a lot on the
front burner at the Ontario Federation of
Agriculture's 49th annual convention.
Held Nov. 25-27 in Toronto, the annual
meeting of the province's largest farm lob-
by group headlined major speakers on ma-
jor topics.
Free Trade
Hon. Donald S. Macdonald, chairman of
the royal commission on Canada's
economy, faced the ire of farmers as he
defended his attacks on farm marketing
boards.
"Daniel went into the lion's den; Donald
went into the farmers' pen. We heard his
side of the story, and we're not buying,"
said Harry Pelissero, OFA president.
Marketing boards are considered vital
stabilizing mechanisms in Canadian
agriculture by many commodity groups.
Macdonald also received a barage of
questions from farmers on his stand on free
trade for agriculture. The OFA has con-
sistently lobbied against the inclusion of
agriculture in free trade negotiations with
the Americans.
GATT and Agriculture
The history and implications of GATT
(General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade)
for agriculture were covered in a paper
presented by Mike Gifford of Agriculture
Canada.
From agriculture's perspective, GATT
has a mixed track record. Some tariffs on
agricultural products have been reduced
through GATT. On the other hand, GATT
has proved largely ineffective in dealing
with non -tariff measpres such as export sub-
sidies. As well, GATT rules covering
agriculture have become full of exceptions
and deviations.
Canada's interest in GATT is obvious. Ex-
ports are close to 50 per cent of farm cash
receipts. Our trade interests fall under three
categories:
* improve and secure access to export
markets
* bring subsidies under more effective inter-
national discipline, and
* re-establish contractual balance of rights
and obligations.
What we are prepared to pay will be a
politically and economically sensitive issue.
It is up to the agricultural industry to make
its views known, Gifford stated.
Mandatory Check -off
Ontario's farmers fear the United States The OFA convention adopted the recom-
would demand the dismantling of vital mendations of a,cornmittee which examined
Canadian farm support programs. Mac- mandatory, refundable check -off. Delegates
donald agreed that if the United States approved a proposal that:
refuses to put their own farm support * OFA should work with the provincial
policies on the table for discussion, then government to develop a legislative
Canada should not have to either. framework within which general farm
organizations would be able to finance
Fair Pricing
Everett , Biggs, former Ontario deputy
minister for agriculture and food and chair-
man of the 1981 Emergency Task Force on
Agriculture, was also a major speaker at
the farmers' meeting.
"It is fair to expect farmers to compete
with other farmers, but it is not fair to ex-
pect them to compete with foreign
treasuries," Biggs said. He pointed out that
the European Economic Community ' has
persistently encouraged over -production of
agricultural commodities, paying out over
$24 billion in production subsidies in 1984
alone.
"Excessive levels of support in the EEC"
combined with "many developing nations'
use (of ).. cheap agricultural exports to
generate foreign exchange" has led to dum-
ping of products on world markets and
resulted in extremely depressed prices to
Canadian producers," Biggs reported.
Biggs noted the strengths and weaknesses
of alternative solutions to the fair pricing
problem. Provincial subsidy programs, he
said, "are extremely dangerous and have
resulted in competition between provinces
and unrealistic growth in production in cer-
tain areas." Two -price systems "have
worked successfully. (but) the export loss
can be extremely high." In the Canadian ex-
perience, "supply management works (and
such) products have tended to have greater
price stability than some other agricultural
products."
Agriculture's Future
A panel discussion moderated by OF'A
past -president Peter Hannam dealt with the
future direction of Canadian agriculture.
Dr. Kenneth Farrell, policy director for
the Brookings Institute in Washington D.C.,
emphasized that technology, the external
economic environment, and public sector
farm policies would be the chief forces af-
fecting farm businesses.
Currently available technology, Farrell
claimed, would lead to continued productivi-
ty improvements and to rapid change in the
production capabilities of various countries. •
Commodity and food product trade would
become increasingly international, and
would diminish the ability of domestic' in,
dustry to insulate itself from world trends.
The spill-over effect of other countries'
agricultural policies would continue to de-
stabilize
o-stabilize commodity markets and farm in-
comes through to the year 2000, Farrell con-
cluded.
Dr. David Douglas, director for the School
for Rural Planning and Development in
Guelph, argued that while the family farm
would continue to be the dominant form of
farm ownership, it would be a very different
family operation from the one currently
known.
The family farm of the future Douglas
stated, will be more capital -int sive, more
specialized in its production t a point in
time, but more flexible as to production
alternatives over time. Financial manage-
ment, coupled with market-driven produc-
tion planning, will become the key to suc-
cess. Farmers, he said, will explore other
sources of income apart from receipts from.
sale of arm produce. The role and percep-
tion of part-time farming will change great-
ly.
West Wawanosh
Mutual Insurance
Company
Dungannon, Ont. NO M 1 RO
529-7961
FARM RESIDENTIAL AUTO
AGENTS:
Frank Foran
Lyons 6 Mulhern
Donald MacKay
Kenneth B. MacLean
John Nixon
Donald R. Simpson
Delmar Sproul
R.R. 2, Lucknow 376-3624
46 West St., Goderlch 324-2664
R.R. 3, Ripley 395-3362
R.R. 2 Paisley 366.7537
R.R. 3, Brussels 167-9417
R.R. 3, Goderlch 329.7367
R.R.3. Auburn -399-7273
FOR A QUOTATION ON YOUR FARM,
HOME, COTTAGE OR AUTOMOBILE
INSURANCE CONTACT THE AGENT
IN YOUR AREA
DIRECTORS:
Eldon Bradley
John Bryce
Glen Coultas
Gerald Kerr
Gordon A. Stewart
Donald McKenele
Luchnow
R.R. 3, Paisley
R.R. 3, Brussels
P.O. Box 62, Blyth
R.R. 2, Ripley
163 Elgin Aye. Wast,
521-2214
352.5621
81174124
523-0973
303-5935
524.76!9
Goderlch
CLAIMS SHOULD BE REPORTED
PROMPTLY TO THE DIRECTOR
IN YOUR AREA
themselves
• OFA should apply for the mandatory,
refundable type check -off legislation once it
is in place, and
* an implementation committee be
established to proceed on these proposals.
All farmers share in the benefits
generated by an effective farm lobby
organization; however, only a portion of the
farm community voluntarily provides finan-
cial support to these lobbying efforts. In
1969, it was proposed that all farmers con-
tribute to a central fund through some kind
of levy, and that the fund support the opera-
tions of generally -directed farm organiza-
tions.
The 1984 OFA convention set up a commit-
tee chaired by Jack Wilkinson, second vice-
president of the OFA, to look at the prac-
ticality of a mandatory check -off arrange-
ment. After a year-long review, the commit-
tee recommended that the provincial
government be asked to develop legislation
which would give a farm organization ac-
cess to a check -off to finance its activities.
Developing the legislation would require
defining a general farm organization, speci-
fying the criteria that would guide the
check -off and refund process, and identify-
ing where the check -off would ideally apply.
The committee felt strongly that OFA
could still maintain membership fees, con-
trol the size of its organization, and allow
counties to retain their existing grant and
levy system with a check -off in place. Pur-
suit of the committee proposal would assure
additional funds and not threaten existing
arrangements.
Students at the Clinton and District Christian School won three troilhies for their efforts
in the recent Pro -Life walk-a-thon. For the second consecutive year, enough students
turned out to win the trophy awarded to the school with the most participation. Coralie
Dykstra, 5, (front left) was also the youngest participant and Kevin and Trevor
Schilthuris were the first to finish. Poster contest winners were: (second row, left to
right) Dan Verhoef, finishing third; Anita Bruinsma, finishing second; Sara DeJonge
finishing first. Clarence Bos, a teacher at the Clinton and District Christian School (back
left) accepted the trophy for the most participation, on behalf of the school. Presenting
the trophies to the winners was Laurie Erb, President of the Goderich and District Pro-
file. The Town of Clinton also won a trophy for having the best turnout. (Anne Narejko
photo)
PRICES IN
EFFECT WED.
DEC. 11
UNTIL
CLOSING SAT.
DEC. 14/85
2.18/kg
LIMIT 2 PER FAMILY
ALL SIZES
UTILITY GRADE
YOUNG TENDER
TURKEYS
DELI -FOR
CHRISTMAS ENTERTAINING
SCHNEIDERS BLUE RIBBON
OR ALL BEEF
BOLOGNA
SCHNEIDERS JUMBO
SUMMER
SAUSAGE
SCHNEIDERS
MEDIUM
ROAST BEEF
MAPLE LEAF
POLISH
SAUSAGE COOL
BURNS SLICED
FRESH TENDER
COOKED HAM
Z&W OUTSIDE RoUN0_
CORNED BEEF OR
PASTRAMI
SLICED
SLICED
SLICED
5.05 ,kg
2.29
10.56,5,
4.79.
13.87 /kg
6.29 Ib.
3695 /kg
1.79
5.05 /kg
2.29
9.46 /hg
4.79.
DEEP BASTED
TURKEY
,.o
8411WIBlitt
TENDER
DELICIOUS
BUTTERBALL
'A' TURKEYS
OR MIRACLE BASTE TURKEYS
PORK SHOULDERS
SMOKED
PICNICS
3 FOREQUARTERS WITH WHOLE BACK 8 NECK
3 HINDQUARTERS WITH WHOLE BACK.
3 GIBLET PACKS
"COUNTRY CUT"
CHICKENSHPIEC
FREES
TENDER YOUNG
6A' GRADE
TURKEYS
2.62/kg
.191.
FRESH!
CHICKEN
LEGS
WITH BACK ATTACHED
2.84/kg1 1129
Ib.
LOW PRICES EVERYDAY AT ZEHRS
LEAN GROUND BEEF 1.99 Ib. 4,39/kg
MEDIUM GROUND BEEF .1.791b.3.95/kg
REGULAR GROUND BEEF 1.59 1b. 3.51/.g
FROZEN YOUNG 4.39 k9
'A' GRADE
CORNISH HENS 1.99 1b
FROZEN2.
'A' GRADE
9
YOUNG DUCKS 1.291b.
FROZEN 6 VARIETIES
'A' GRADE 3.95/kg SCHNEIDERS
BRETHREN GEESE 1.79 Ib. BOLOGNA
SCHNEIDERS 6 VARIETIES SCHNEIDERS.
ROUND SLICED 175 9 PKG, TWO VARIETIES
500 g
2.38
300 g
LUNCH MEATS 1.59 SMOKIES 2.18
WE RESERVE ,THE RIGHT TO LIMIT OUANTITIES TO
REASONABLE WEEKLY FAMILY REOUIREMENTS.
RIB EYE
STEAKS
6.291:87 /kg
Ib.
HANDY, QUICK, MEAL
VALU PLUS
WIENERS
98C
FRESH! YOUNG! MEATY
CHICKEN PORK SIDE
BREASTS SPARERIBS
NOT• FROZEN
4.39/kgs 99
Ib.
3.95/kg 11
79..
3 VARIETIES
SCHNEIDERS
500 g
MINI -SIZZLERS 2.39
SCHNEIDERS
PORK. SAUSAGE
450 g
PKG.
500 9
MEAT ROLL 1.29
MAPLE LEAF REG. OR ENGLISH MAPLE LEAF 250 e
SLICED 175 9 9 VARIETIES
BACK BACON 2.79 DELI CHUBS 1.69
BUDDIG 7 VARIETIES NO NAME MOCK CHICKEN
THIN SLICED 71 g OR MAC & CHEESE 375 9
SMOKED MEATS 79 BAKED LOAVES 1.49
- 71
CAN.' N0.
s U.S.A. v..
PROD- "f
JUMBO
CAv��FLOW
QW ER
EACH •
PROD. OF U.S.A.
BRAZIL NUTS
PROD. OF U.S.A
FILBERTS
PROD. OF U.S.A.
PECANS
PROD. OF U.S.A.
ALMONDS
DOLE or
CHIQUITA BANANAS
3.51 /kg
1.591b.
3.51 /kg
1.59.
4.17/kg
1.89lb.
2.84/kg
1.291b.
99'/kg
45C lb
PROD. OF U.S.A. 1.96/kg
BRUSSEL SPROUTS 89` Ib
PROD. OF U.S.A. CAN. NO. 1 EXTRA LGE. 3.28/kg
TOMATOES,RIPENED 1.49..
PROD. OF ONT. 227 g PhD
BUTTERNUT SQUASH 89C
PROD. OF ISRAEL
SHARON FRUIT ES 69C
PROD,. OF ONT. CAN. N0. 1
PARSNIPS
21.13 BAG
1.79
PRODUCT OF TURKEY
STRING
FIGS 12 02. PKG
99`
NOT AVAILABLE IN ALL STORES
SUNSHINE
MIX 2.99..
6 59/kg
TURKISH
SULTANA RAISINS 99t
2,18/kg
BROKEN
OH HENRY BARS 2.491b.
5 49/kg
BLANCHED
PEANUTS 992.
2 18/kg
PRO0. OF CAN.
ONTARIO
MUSHROOMS
12 oz. PKG.
PROD. OF SPAIN
2.18/kg
CLEMENTINE
ORANGES �ae
From the
INSIDER'S REPORT
JAPANESE a 28/kg
PEARS 1.491b.
COMICE PEARS 2 18/kg 99C Ib.
PROD. OF SPAIN CAN. NO. 1 4,39/kg
VINE RIPE TOMATOES 1.99 lb.
PRESIDENT'S CHOICE
APPLE CIDER 3 LITRE 2.99
REGULAR SIZE
AMARYLLIS BULBS EA 4.99
PLANT DEPT.
POINSETTIA
6" POTTED 3.99
POINSETTIA &
WHITE MUM POT 7.99
POINSETTIA &
MIXED PAN POT 6.99
ZEHRS GIFT CERTIFICATES
make an ideal gift for family
friends or staff. Details 'at the store.
A