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Home My WebLink AboutClinton 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