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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1981-05-06, Page 28PAGE 10A--GODER/CH SIGNALISTAR, WEDNESDAY, MAY 6,1, Vir7•1 1 userow / by The lid is going to blow in rural Canada. When it blows, it will not only bit the roof but go right thoughheceiling. Potato finmers in Prince Edward Island are being warned that last year's high prices for a record crop was a fluke - They are being told to cut back on production and save what they made last year for a le.srm year ahead. s - . Quebec hog farmers and broiler chicken prOdueers are be - mg tedd that the fair prices (fair?) they got last year are go- ing to bottom out this year. Ontario farmers, especially beef and hog producers, are suffering record -high bankruptcies. They are crying for relief to senior governments to stop high interest rates. A group in southwestern Ontario is calling for the resignation of Agminister Lorne Henderson.- , Western farmers are watching their land blow away in siloing dust storms reminiscent of the Ditty Thirties. They, have also been warned of impending droughts that could sae thPir crops wither tonotithig. The concern is spreading to almost every aspect of agriculture across Canada. To make matters worse in P.E.I., concern is growing that the giant K.C. Inning -owned congleine.rate will be given per- mission to acquire 9,000 acres of land at Kensington - Cavendish to grow more potatoes to feed its processing plant. The fears, of course, are valid since independent farmers feel Irving interests would use the extra land ILE a leverage against the little man. . The Kensington -Cavendish operation, to be fair, has been a losing operation for former owners. The Irving ,people are trying to make it profitable and much money has been spent to improve the product. Improvements mean more than 300 inks toe the Lsland mid that cam* he frightened away, But the unmistakable signs of a rural uprising are there for everyone to see. - Farmers are unhappy. Beef farmers have been in„deep Lows ,ve apivet,ated by Bob NAM, Id Rd Eimaa Oni N3B 2C 7 1 trouble for more than half a decade. They have steadfastly refused to organize a marketing board preferring to remain staunch free enterprisers. One cannot help but admire their tenacity, but the writing is on the wall. Farm bankruptcies in Ontario alone increased by 91 per- cent last year and this year doesn't seem to be much better. In, other businesses, bankruptcies increased by only -I8 per- cent. Foreclosures are also increasing and the federation of agriculture estimates foreclosures are 10 times higher than bankruptcies. I have related two or three horror stories here recently about farmers being unable to get enough money to put in their crops this year. Some younger farmers are paying huge interest debts Even the usually non-farm oriented Globe and Mail carried 'a story recently about Brian Ireland from TeesvrAter, a hard-working, respected farmer, who is paying $1,000 a week in interest charges; Of Don Morrison of Lucknow who paid $30,000 last year in debt charges; of Glen Smith, a 24-yeaieold fanner from Troy who can't sell out because the bank beat him to it by demanding $170,000 in 24 haus. When he couldn't pay, trucks were sent to take away his hogs and leave his land frozen so that he can't even put in a cop. Is it any wonder so many are selling out to foreign buyers who are willing to pay top dollar for Canadian farm land? Is it any wonder that conglomerates such as K. C. Irving with all ,kinds of backing can contemplate buying 9,000 acres of There are plenty of reneops why farmers are crying the blues. When you are forced to pay $750 for replacement cat- tle, feed thein all winter and then sell them for ;735, you are going to get very sancreyitylvarl . That's why it easy to predicttliat the lid is going to blow in rural Canada. Farmers are angry and bewildered and who can blame them? Transmission lines effect land value Hydro conducts study of farms An. independent .StUdYIII- volvingmore.thani,000.farm properties in. Ontario* in- dicates that Ontario Hydro's transmission lines . have Variable effects on the market value of agricultural land& The 18-inonth • study, recently completed by the consulting firm of Woods Gordon and Company, was commissioned - by Ontario Hydro with the knowledge of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture. ee The. study t; involved a detailed statistical analysis of 1,099 farm properties to determine factors affecting property value and the likelihood of results occurr- ing by chance. As well, detailed farm pro- perty appraisals were made on some 30 properties af- fected by transmission lines together with 125 similar protierties not affected by a line. • - The study examined six high-voltage lines: one 500,000 volt line built ten years ago; and five 230,000 - volt line segments built between 1941 and 1974 and located in various agricultural areas of Southern Ontario. The Woods Gordon study did not address the immediate im- pact that transmission line construction may have on agricultural land values or use. Wide variations were found in the effect of electric transmission lines on specific rural property values. The finding clearly indicates the need to con- tinue to appraise individual properties and confirms pre- sent Ontario Hydro policy in this area. Analysis showed factors such as date of sale, proximi- ty to towns, villages and highways, soil quality, pro- perty size and the extent of farm improvement play a more important role in ex- plaining the differences in selling values than do transmission lines alone. The study also showed that transmission lines are more likely to lower the selling price of properties in areas Where Iltral glide develop/ ment or land speculation is occurring. Transmission lines to not appear to affect values of land devoted strict- ly to agriculture. Results were- in:Demisted for the 500,000 volt line. While t the statistical model predicted property values could appreciate in value, the aPPreisal analysisfound, on the contrary, that values depreciated by 12 percent to 2,8_,percent with an, average 0120 percent phe:111)Pratial„ did indicate a 12 *intent ap- preciation. In general, the Woods Gor- don findings contrast with a report entitled "The Socio - DUELER. ling Drive Silo Unioeders Big Jim Silo llniooders Volume Belt Peoders Convey-n-Feod Cattle . Feeders Single Chain Censor:Ns chmen•rs Oswalt Enslimixers FARMAT1C- Wender Hammer Mills B lender Railer falls B lender Mills for Ground Ni-fAolsture Corn Augers Leg Elevators ACORN - Cable lions Cleaners Hydraulk Manure PPmPo WESTEEL-ROSCO Groin Sins - 1,350 to 230.000 bu. Bulk Feed Tanks ACME - Fon -Jet Ventilation Systems ASTON - Ventilation Systems ▪ L - Complete. Nog Confine - meat Systems SLIMERY-SUNGER Liquid Manure Spreadews CLAY; Ports and Service for Cloy Equipment AERO-FLUSI4 - Liquid Manure Pumps, Aerators, Separators WE HANDLE EVERYTHING -ALMOST LOWRY FARM SYSTEMS, RR 1, Kincardine. Ont. Phone 395-521111 WATER WELL DRILLING "10 YEARS EXPERIENCF" • FARM 6 SUBURBAN 6 INDUSTRIAL • MUNICIPAL • • FREE ESTIMATES *GUARANTEED WELLS * FAST MODERN EQUIPMENT • 4 ROTARY 1. PERCUSSION DRILLS "OUR EXPERIENCE ASSURES LOWER COST WATER WELLS" DAVIDSON WELL DRILLING LIMITED- • • 4 Rotary and Percussion Drills PHONE 3-51-19.11 WINGHANI Collect Calk Aoreptoal -ONTARIO'S FINEST WATER WELLS SINCE Ma" Economic Impacts of ee- tric Transmission Cor- ridors" prepared in 1977 by the University of Waterloo and released by the Royal Commission on Electric Power Planning in 1978. , This study concluded that values of all properties af- fected by a transmission line were reduced, with the lar_sest effect on small pro- perties and a .decreasing ef- fect for huger properties. Ontario Hydro, with the , • • - • ; knowledge of the OFA,.ques tioned the technical support tin the University of Waterloo study and in 1979, decided to obtain a more extensive and complete assessment of the economic impact of transmission lines on farm property values. This study indicated the need to continue to appraise the impact of transmission lines on individual proper- ties. Riddell says g rife teitegime Henderson, minister of agriculture and food, to par- ticipate in an emergency debate.on the financial C11.512 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 fact that 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 vernment lacks farm concern farmers," lie said. The facts of farming life are extremely chilling. In 1980, farm bankruptcies 18 - 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 estimates that for every farm bankruptcy recorded in Ontario, there are at least 10 other farmers who decide to get off the land while they still have some equity left in the business. "As formers are leaving the land 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 earning to this country to farm the land or to developers who will seek other ways than farming of maidng a profit off the-limd. This -can- only have a negative effect on the provincial eeenomy, con- sidering that the farm cone mueity not only provides us with food for domestic con- sumption but also provides employment for thousands of people," Mr. Riddell said. "I firmly believe that this Kids to name kids The Ontario Dairy Goat Society has made a very unusual gift to the world's most famous couple. The Organization's wedding pre- sent to Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer is four Purebred, Registered Doe kids, representing the Alpine, Nubian, Saanen and Toggenburg breeds. The does have been born and riased on O.D.G.S. members' farms across the province. The Ontario Dairy Goat Society, representing 800 members, hopes that the children of Ontario will par- ticipate in their "NAME THE ROYAL FAMILY OF DAIRY GOATS" Contest, to assist in finding suitable and unusual names for the four Dairy Does. depot opens In response to the dramatic increase in wool production during 1980, the Canadian Co-operative Wool Growers has taken steps to ensure that wool continues to be handled as efficiently as possible. To this effect a depot for weeed -collection has been established in the Walton area where growers may br- ing their wool clips rather than to Toronto as. has been the practise, in past years. The depot will also serve as a location where growrs may pick up wool sacks and paper fleece twine. A. limited line of sheep supplies will also be available such as sheep wormers and powders for ked control. The depot isiocated at the farm of Gavin and Marg Wright, RR4 Walton and growers should phone before arriving. Phone number is (519) 527-1638. In order to accommodate the bulk of the growers in the area, the depot will be open weekday evenings and Saturdays from May 1 to tuber 30. It is hoped that growers in Western Ontario will fully use this depot to ensure fre- quent truckloads leaving the depot. For more information please contact Manager, On- tario Field Operations, Canadian Co-operative Wool Groviers Limited, P. 0. Box 9, Carleton Place, Ont. K7C 3P3. Does your herbicide give you maximum application, cropping artd tank MiX ovtions ? Lasso® herbicide does! Lasso is the smart choice fora lot of reasons. Lasso is a herbicide decision that 's really a weed management system offering excellent grass controlpnd crop safety... while giving you a choice of management options. You can choose different tank mixes for different crops. There's a wide range to choose from for broadspectrum control. And, in most cases, you can also choose your method of application... shallow incorporation or surface application. All of this means the Lasso management system lets you plan your workload around such variables as time, labour, fuel, equipment... even the weather. In short, Lasso helps you obtain maximum yields... to help you manage for maximum profit year after year. Now that's smart management! Monsanto Lasso the Smart Choice When you ch. - Lasso:. you buy yourself a whole weed management system. ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW THE LABEL DIRECTIONS FOR LASSO Ixisso • is a registered trademark of Monsanto conpany Nifonsanto Canada inc . regmfered user Monsanto Company 1981 Monsanto C anada Inc Wtnnipeg. Montreal. Toronto. Regina, Saskatoon Calgary. Vancouver Any child between the ages of 6 and 16, who is a resident of Ontario, may enter by sending their name, address, telephone number and birthdate along with their suggested name to: The Ontario Dairy Goat Society, ORTON, Ontario LON 1NO not later than Oc- tober 1, 1981. Although the winners will be chosen on the basis of the name alone, it would be appreciated if the children would write a paragraph or short story to indicate what a Dairy Goat means to them. Prize winners will be con- tacted by December 31, 1981 after all entries have been judged in order to distribute prizes and have their photographs takAo_ Government must entroduce an immediate emergency in-- terest program to prevent further farm bankruptcies. The farmingindustry 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 other choice than to call for his resignation," said Mr. Rid- dell. SHEL MULTIPURPOSE TRACTOR FLUID: DONAX TD $ 20 • (20 litre pall) Replaces fluids for common reservoirs for Tran- smissions, Differentials, Hydraulics, Front Drives and Wet Brakes. ALLIS 821, 90003088-89-90-91 CASE TFD, 143, 817445-6 DEERE HY-GUARD, J146 FORD INTERNATIONAL HYTRAN MASSEY M1127, M1129 OLIVER- TYPE 55 WHITE VERSATILE M2C 84A, M2C41A, M2C53A-8 'UNIVERSAL TYPE 303 EDWARD\ FUELS ANGLESEA ST., GODERICH/524-8386 Y. 4 TEESWATER/392-6100 Shed h every farm should reap the many benefits of Daymond S ub -surface D rainage DAYM ONO Lake Huron Farm Drainage R.R. 1 Dungannon, Ontario (519) 5 6-7510