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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1982-12-08, Page 25DNF FOOT IN THE FURROW by Bob Trotter Two teenagers pranced into the restaurant. They were young, fresh -faced, clean-cut kids, normal in appearance with the uniform of the young: jeans and jackets. Seated at a table was an older man with his leg in a cast. His crutches were on the floor under the table with about a foot protruding in the aisle. One of the teenagers tripped over the crutches. "Ya dumb farmer!" said his friend. "Watch where you're going." A typical scene? Yes, unfortunately, it was too typical because it happens literally hundreds of times a day in various forms. It typifies the prevalent attitude towards farmers and agriculture in this nation. 1t you are dumb, you are a farmer. You may be other things, too, but you are a farmer, a rube from the boondocks who hasn't enough brains to do anything else. "If brains were dynamite," said the youth, "you wouldn't have enough to blow your nose." In most other countries of the world, farmers are treated with great respect. Senior governments provide all kinds of grants, loans subsidies and legislation to keep farmers farming. These older civilizations have a deep-rooted fear of . losing farmers. They know what a famine is. They know how important agriculture is to the welfare of an entire nation ,\ They do not hesitate to grant farmers the respect, even the devotion, that is necessary to keep them producing food. In this country, the opposite is true. Farmers get less and less in the way of government help. The federal government, for instance, spends less than two percent of its whopping budget on agriculture. Ever since the days of Sir John A. and Sir Wilfrid, a cheap food policy has been promulgated by governments. Canadians spend less of their disposable income.dollar on food than any other nation in the world with the possible exception of the United States. Farmers here have out - produced every other sector of the economy. In fact, when Canada's industrial workers are falling behind in production, farmers continue to improve. Without agriculture, 43 jobs off every hundred would disappear. But still, fanners get less for -their efforts than their city brothers and sisters. And it ain't improving with age. The farmer who grew the wheat gets less for the wheat in a loaf off bread than the person who makes the wrapper for the loaf. You pay $1.29 for a can of apple juice. The farmer who grew the apples - nursed and nurtured them through an entire growing season; nursed the trees for five years; picked and sorted the fruit - gets 17 cents from that can of juice. The firm thatmade the can gets more than the farmer. A bag of white beans sells for $1.15. The farmer who grew the beans gets 37 cents. But, here is the clincher. Here is what angers the farmer. Three years ago, farmers got 26 cents for those beans which sold for 61 cents. The gap between the price the farmer gets and the price you pay for those beans gets wider and wider, even when farm production costs are going up, up and away. "We are vying for more respect from the government and the public. We are determined to convince them of our true worth, of our need and our right to a bigger slice of the economic pie." So said Ralph Barrie last month at the Ontario Federation of Agriculture's annual meeting. It will be a long, hard struggle to gain that respect but it is sorely needed. Declare war on rats in barn According to Andy Bunn, 'Swine Specialist, O.M.A.F., this is a good time of the year to declare war on these un- wanted guests. There are a number. of commercial baits available from your farm supply centre. The placement of bait is probably the most im- portant factor m rat control. ,Rats have regular travel routes between shelter, food and water. They prefer pro- tected routes, ,usually along walls, under floors or though thick grass or litter. Baits placed in rat travelways and shelters are far more likely to be found and sampled than those exposed in the open or in the middle of rooms. Baits should be plac- ed under cover whenever possible. A board can be leaned against a wall to cover a runway. A perma- nent bait . station can be made from an inverted. box with a three inch to four inch We in each end at the floor level. Keep bait away from children, pets and other livestock. Keep grain and mixed feed away from rats if possible. Stan Paquette, Assoc. Ag. Rep. Maximum reproductive performance in dairy cattle is achieved when a balanced ration is fed to meet the animals' nutrient requirements for growth, maintenance, lactation and gestation: The reproductive system pas a low priority for available nutrients- and is usually the first system to be affected by malnutrition. Many dairymen have expressed concern for poor calving intervals' along with getting cows rebred and checked safe in calf. Poor fertility has been • a major reason why many,cows are culled at an earage. A review of the effects of nutrition on reproduction in dairy cattle indicates that a majority of the nutritionally related reproductive problems can be prevented by the following procedures: 1. Balance ration for energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals based on results of laboratory analysis and feed to meet nutrient requirements. 2. Give high priority to the feeding program used before puberty, before 1 and after breeding and before and after calving to maximize fertility. 3. Practice challenge feeding to meetnutrient requirements during peak lactation. 4. Feed 20 percent and 10 percent above maintenance during first and second lactation respectively for growth. 5. Teamwork between dairyman, nutritionist and veterinarian are essential for high fertility, production and profits. OnIy Left 19 8 Z DEMONSTRATORS If you're wanting that GREAT BUY . on that new car, hurry in and take a look at these '82 demonstrators. CAR NO. 1 ACADIAN 5 DOOR HATCHBACK White, blue trim, charcoal accent stripes. floor mats. automatic transmission, this is deluxe model that comes with radio, heavy duty battery, reclining seats, rear defogger, side moulding, rally wheels, etc. 5,000 Km. Serial No. 509065. List '7354." Sale Price 6 5 0 0 CAR. NO. 2 PONTIAC 6000 2 door, silver with blue trim, 2.5 Litre 4 cylinder.. automatic, power steering, power brakes, floor mats, rear defogger, sport mirrors, white walls, wheel discs, side mouldings, radio, driven by our mother lust 1.700 Km: Serial No. 500915. List '10965'." Sale Price 9000 CAR. NO. 3 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX BROUGHAM 2 door, white. doeskin trim. white landau top. Power door locks, tinted plass, power trunk, floor mats, side mouldings, rear defogger. air conditioning, sport mirrors, accent stripe, cruise control, 4.4 Litre Vi, tilt wheel, locking wire wheel covers, white walls, FM radio, bumper guards, 7,400 Km. Serial No. 645563. List '14,347." Sala Price 2 c 00 CAR. NO. 4 BUICK 4 door, stripe, remote mouldings, 4.000 List '11,367."0 REGAL dark redwood, redwood trim, sandstone accent 3.0 Litre 6 cylinder. floor mats, rear defogger. mirror, radio, white walls, wheel discs, side automatic, power .steering, power brakes, Km. Stone shields. Serial No. 214765. Sole Price 0 0 , _See our display of new 1983 models In the O SUNG AST MALL Starting Today McGEE PONTIAC-BUICK CADILLAC, GMC TRUCKS HAMILTON STREET, GODERICH, 5248391 Ask Hydro to study low growth Ontario Hydro has been asked to change the mandate of Working Groups now stu- dying alternatives for a new 500 Iry Transmission Line in southwestern Ontario. The Provincial Board of the Christian • Farmers Federation of Ontario (CFF') has asked Hydro to study a low growth scenario instead of medium growth. Ontario Hydro's own load forecasters have just an- nounced a 2.1 percent per year growth forecast to the year 2000. This is down from 3.4 percent forecast made in February of this year. "Our representatives on the Working Groups will have an enormous frustra- tft n if they are asked to keep on working on a medium growth scenario", said Elbert van Donkersgoed, Research and Policy Direc- tor of the CFFO. "Hydro's own forecasters are now ob- viously committed to a low growth scenario. The work- ing Group mandate must be changed." The Working Groups are looking for one Transmission line right-of-way from the Bruce : +I.ticlear Power Development Plant to the Barrie area and two lines from the Milton -Hamilton area to London. A low growth scenario would require only one line from the Milton -Hamilton area to London. , Be safe Poorly maintained equip. ment causes' farm accidents. Fall is a good time to check and „ maintain your farm equipment. Along with routine maintenance, check to see thatallguards and shields are in place. Make sure that the machine is pro- perly adjusted and check all critical areas for wear. Get ahead, start on next year's crop this fall. Check your equipment and make sure it's safe and ready to go for spring planting. "DO IT OUR WAY - IT WON'T HURT." This. has been a message from the Farm Safety Association. GODERICH SIGNAL-SSTAR, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1982 -PAGE 23 07 KINGSTON ST. HOURS: Mon. -Wed. 11 am -11 pm Thurs. 11 am -12 midnight Fri. and Sat. 11 am -1 em Sun. 11 om.10 pm Large Pizza With Pepperoni and Mushrooms (no substitutes!) 1 per Ct ane per Customer Z ONE DAY ONLYI THURS., DEC. 16 PRICE! 1983 "THANK YOU" tv SUBS 1/2 PRICE DEC. 1301445 and 16 "Goderich and Area for making our first two years of business so successful" NORTH SIDE SHOPPERS SQUARE GODERICH FOR VINGS GREATGIFTS OUR REGULAR PRICES Here's just a sampling of our great selection: •TNE THIRD HERMAN TREASURY by Jim Unger •THE STORY OF THE ROYAL FAMILY - Foreword by The Earl Of Lichfield •GRITS by Christina McColl - Newman` •SNOOPY LITTLE , BOOKS Miniature classics *NOTEBOOK SERIES Cook's, Woman's 1 & 2, Friendship, Audubon and Cat •GUILTS, & OTHER BEDCOVERING IN THE CANADIAN TRADITION by Ruth & Blake McKend'ry. Regular '39.95. Now '14.95 *HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA: 1982-83 SEASON by George Gross •CHRISTMAS COOKIE BOOK by Joan Walsh Anglund '•MY VERY OWN COOKBOOK - Attractive blank cookbook in binder format ' •FIELD GUIDE TO THE BIRDS by Roger Tory Peterson *WOK COOKERY by Cecil Dyer Your old Wintario tickets are redeemable on selected Canadian books Thth'3 FOR FISHER -PRICE TOYS .000 CANNA /A landscape Fbrtrait CLAY SET $15.99 SAVE '2.00 PULL -ALONG PLANE $788 SAVE '2.11 (Except those games already specially reduced) SAVE EVEN MORE ON SELECTED GAMES SPECIAL 13.99 SPECIAL 14.99 SPECIAL 16.99. SPECIAL -, 16.49 SPECIAL 16.99 ich`g'INvri Story' nan The Establishment Man 0445 ACTIVITY CENTRE $19." SAVE '3.00 n COOP SURVIVE! COLOUR WITH YARN SET �nchtk3 FOR Name in pipes •Exclusive maple filter for the smoothest. driest smoke. *Many shapes to choose from., From *22.50 and up RECEIVE FREE ONE PACKAGE OF FILTERS AND CLEANERS WITH BRIGHAM PIPE PURCHASE Luxury in Leather 111. Choose from our large selection of... •MEN'S BILLFOLDS *MEN'S PASSCASES 'LADIES' PURSES •CHEQUEMATES •KEYCASES Our selection includes dolls from s v =yam SPECIALS IN EFFECT TILL WEDNESDAY, DEC. 15. OR WHILE QUANTITIES LAST NORTH SIDE SHOPPERS SQUARE GODERICH 4