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The Goderich Signal-Star, 1976-12-16, Page 34.L. • • 77: , • ••• 4 C. • . PAGE 12A—OODE RICH SIGNAL -STAR, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1976 "2' "".' • Huron F of A names Alictn Wolper president Four people were elected directors and delegates reported on resolutions discussed at the recent Ontario convention when the Huron Federation of Agriculture met in Clinton Thursday night. Two McKillop men, Mery Smith and Gordon Blanchard, „Obi the HFA executive ,as directors, along with 'Merle Gtmby of Ashfield and Gerry Fortune of Turnberry. New president Allan•Walper, first • vice president Maurice. Bean - and second, vice president. Bev- Brown„were elected at the Federation's annual - meeting in- November. A push to the federal government for -stricter tariffs to protect Canada's agricultural products and a plan to set up land use policies at the, county federation level were two of the main issues at the con- vention, several delegates told the 30 members at the meeting. ' Jake • Van Wonderen of Varna who was a convention delegate sail provincial agricultural minister William .Nemitnari had been seeking meetings on tariffs with the federal ministry of trade and commerce- but that two4 scheduled meetings had been cancelled. He said Mr. Newman appeared sym- pathetic and asked for the Federation's support in getting. federal authorities to ' meet with him. "Of course•yoU always get a favourable reaction from politicians when something is not their responsibility,' Mr. Van Wonderen said. • Provincial treasurer. Darcy McKeough told convention delegates that the federal tariffs were outdated because they were . tied to specific amounts, not percentages. Federation members should write to their MP's urging that federal provincial tariff negotiations get star- ted, Mr. Van Wonderen said: "Otherwise we are going to have to get more militant and make tariffs a political is s ue , " Better tariff protection will help save -jobs and help the food processing industry, , as well as the farmer, he said. The federal government. is negotiating. 'tariffs . in- ternationally on behalf of Canada right now, Bev Brown pointed out.and said lots of letters froln farmers would make sure that agriculture gets its say • before it's all settled. • • The . coverage of the con- vention gave the impression bne -loot ftp the arrow yod.. Letters are appreciated by Bob Trotter, Eldale Rd Elmira, Ont N38 2C7 ••• that the Ontario Federation of Agriculture is backing off its strong stand on the preser- vation of farm land, some members said and Merle Gunby .asked what the con- vention's stand on the issue actually was. The OFA will reduce their demand for a provincial land use plan and set up ,land use committees •at the , lacal federation level, HFA president Wolper said. The OFA has artivays stressed that farmers must be corn- pensated jf their land has a lower value because it's frozen in agriculture and that message hasn't gotten across too well, Maurice Bean. said. "I think it's a- better policy because we can affect the local secondary plans," the vice peesident said. The convention detided that tariff changes Should be • They get accused of being cry babies. • They get slammed for being one of the most subsidized industries in Canada. In recent years, farmers have learned 'to complain in places where the complaints are heard. Thus,. the agri- cultural. sector of this province has been lambasted by • every two-bit politician and armchair legi§lator. in the country. But if anyone in this- province has cause • to protest the treatment he is getting, it is the farmer. •• . People laughed at Walter Miller a few. years ago when he was president. of the old Ontario Farmers Union. His biggest sthreat seemed as. hollow as a shout down a rain barrel. when he talked. of -farmer S) withholding produce until they got a fair "deal in the market place. I -aly/ay's admired Walter for his daring threats. •• It is most unfortunate that this articulate man has had to take a. back seat since the Ontario Farmers Union •be- came- a part of the National Farmers Union. Roy Atkin- son has been president for too long in my humble. opinion. • He has become jaded and useless to Ontario farmers. It is obvious to most farm observers- that .the farmers union has lost its credibility in Ontario inrecent years. .. - Only -a handful of people know exactly how many. mem- bers the national.union has in Ontario today because the NFU- has never felt it necessary to .revear membership, even in the days when, they May, have had as many, as 20,000 Ontario members in good standing.. I hope recent estimates of membership are not true, I . heard one farm writer say recently that he doubted if the NFU has any more than 4,000 members in this province today. . Be ' that as it may, farmers have good. reason to cry these days. Organized labor has' had pay increases of • • less than 10 per cent by the anti-inflation board. The con- sumer .price index • has risen by approximately 6.8 per cent since the controls were implemented. Elementary mathematics indicates that most -iyorkets are •slightly ahead of the cost of living index. • R.; But farmers are not. • Net farm income is expected to drop- by about 25 per cent this year. Although. gress• income may increase, the net figure is the important one. • Dairy -farmers have had to cut back production by at least 20- per cent and this cutback eomes when production costs continue to rise. Beef farmers are still reeling from an unprecedented three years of low prices. The expected increase in beef ' prices predicted for last -summer just simply did • not materialize. Beef farmers are quite likely to, suffer net losses this year. Grain farmers, too, 'are in for a tough year. Wheat • prices, for instance; are down at least $1 a bushel. Barley, oats and -corn prices are in the same category. Cornlarrn- ers watched helplessly last month while prices dropped almost a dollar a bushel in four or five weeks. Hog farmers are in a mess, too. After a couple of years . of amazingly high prices, the hog market slumped con- tinuously since the summer months to a -low' as this is written of around $52 a hundredweight compared to $77 a year ago. • Chicken farmers are under pressure from low-priced imports from the United States. Net incomes for turkey and egg producers are down and fruit .and vegetable farm- ers are still recovering from a disastrous spring. Cherey growers were almost wiped out • in May. Even grape grower& with a bumper crop this. year are battling for reasonable prices simply because they were too success- ful. They have had to:accept government aid in marketing their .crops. Pea crops, sweet corn crops, cucumber and tomato crops were all down in production and/or acreage this year so those farmers will have less net income. In short, farmers have every reason to complain. They •.haye spent the entire growing season producing the abun- danc.e of food that keeps the food price index going down and u ion wages rising faster than the cost of living • • • Horses on parade Attention • Farmers A -TOR SALE BALED STRAW. V type snow blower. •Phone 482- 3340.-52,53 ,FOR SALE Produce your •own electric power with a PTO driven Alternator-Oenerator. • • AH sizes available 'now, CALL COLLECT I-519-634-8424 PIGAMINT SYSTEMS PrreassURG, oNT, The Colborne Township float featured this team of Belgians owned by Arnold Young and took third place in the general . group, (staff photo) •- ieiKUVB E R our Meeting System YOU 7'14E. RUNABOUT? SEE. US-7HE cAuse WE'LL FIGURE OUT • • DA -VE HAYLOW ELECTRICAL Serving Industrial, Commercial, Residential Needs 5 2 4 663 8 . . • • . ••••••••••••••••1••••Po. 0."="...1•11 • George Turton LIFE, AUTO, FIRE AND ALL OTHER LINES INSURANCE319 HURON ROAD GODER ICH S24.7411 . • , • . • 00, ..*-•!••• • "•1,..10.*`• • •yo the number one priority and &though- she, said the OFA is not backing off the land preservation -issue, Miss Brown cited former OFA president Gordon Hill's point that there's nq sense preserving farm land • if farmers can't afford to farm it. A local land preservation policy is fine in rural counties like Huronbut may not be enough in areas like Niagara -which face' terrific urban pressures, • Gerry Fortune .commented. If • the Federation develops a.county land use policy, they should. make sure that farmers at- tend the local secondary plan meetings and support it, her • husband Doug said. Merle • Gunby urged the Federation ta develop a policy right away because the secondary plan •for his township, Ashiield, • is proceeding right now. The province's Farm Income .Stabilization Plan will probably • peas the legislature, Bev Brown reported, but the Federation would like it run along in- surance principles. rt should be a farmer's "unem- ployment insurance program, some protection against labouring for •nothing," Miss Brownsaid. The OFA wants the bill to cover all commodities, -have federal, provincial and farmer contributions and to clearly state that farm groups must be consulted on its provisions. • ' Other resolutions which got support from the 600 delegates, 20 of Aim from Huron at the OFA, convention • includes stricter trespassing laws witkiriarsher penalties for infringement; a request * that Bell Canada provide a uniform farm rate for one and two party lines, regardless of the farmhouse's distance from a central exchapge;- parity for farmers' and meal residents' Hydra rates; and setting up of an 'OFA com- • mittee to study the need for regulations to control soil erosion. Members, at the Huron meeting supported •-a 'resolution that will be con- sidered at the next OFA directors' meeting that • comniittee reports be rnailed to delegates before each annual convention so that they have_ time to study them. Members also agreed _that any Individual Service Member who wants to should be able to subscribe to -the minute.s of provincial directors' meetings by paying the cost of the service. There was no discussion on the proposed property_tax law changes that would have the province pay taxes on farm land, when several cabinet ministers were at a Con- vention breakfast session but Bee Brown saki she managed Seaforth man wins • gate sign competition Brian Falconer' of RR 4 Seaforth was the 1976 winner of the Huron County 4-H gate sign competition. A member of the Kippfield 4-11 Calf Chlb, Mr. Falconer received the Hallrice Farmers Trophy. from Blyth at the annual 4-11 awards night held in Clinton last month. During the summer pic- tures- were taken of the 19 different entries in this competition and at the 4-11 Club' leaders meeting in October the photos were judged by all leaders in the county. Organizers say that all competitors are to be congratulated • for their en- thusiasm to participate and on the excellent condition of the gate signs. More club members, they say, should take an interest in this • competition which will be offered during the 4.41 program for 1977. to Outtoinhole Mr. McKeough. She told him that Huron farmers were against the measure and he assured her that the tax reform proposals • would be quite different when they : come • into the legislature. . Mr. Walperread, short excerps from tWo letters from Mr: McKeough, written at about the same time; one saying that land is. not a limitless resource and the other commenting on the Myth that farm . land is disappearing in Ontario. Members decided to send a letter to-CKNX expressing disappoinment in what Mrs. Fortune called their "bloody horxible" coverage of- the December 6 election in rural areas. At the same time, Bev Brown suggested, the station should be congratulated for good, coverage of the OFA Convention. CLAY — • Silo Unloaders Feeders Cleaners Stabling Leg Elevators LiquidManure Equipment Hog Equipment a BUTLER — Silo Unloaders Feeders • -Conveyors FARMATIC Milis Augers, etc. ACORN— Cleaners Heated Waterers ZERO — • Bulk Tanks Pipeline & Parlour • Equipment • WESTEEL-ROSCO • Granaries , B.& - Hog Panelling LOWRY FARM SYSTEMS RR 1, Kincardine, Ontario PhOne 395-5286' Ducharme Excavating -Dashwood 236-4230 • TRUCKING - BACKHOE & DOZER SERVICE' t3iti-DLE R I C H. NICK DOWHANIUK.,.54.10401 WATER WELL .DRILLING "'6 YEARS EXPERIENCE". • FARM • SUBURBAN • INDUSTRIAL • MUNICIPAL 4 tkv 1.4r4 ri.1?, fi; qiii'11111"- tieli • FREE ESTIMATES • .4 P' • GUARANTEED WELLS , 44 Or • FAST MODERN EQUIPMENT tgl • 4 ROTARY & PERCUSSION DRILLS Eli ri 1.1 ' A loli "OUR EXPERIENCE ASSURES .• _ - j 4:401 LOWER COST WATER WELLS" i .._-, -771: ;., DAVIDSON4 Rotary and Percussion Drills . i i tit • LAI . PHONE 357-1960 WELL DRILLING LIMITED. WING -HAM ••Collect Calls Accepted , "ONTARIO'S FINEST WATER WELLS SINCE 1900" Wake u Cana • tliere's no free lunch Once upon a time there was a •Little Red Rooster who scratched about and uncovered some grains of. wheat. He called his barnyard neighbours and said: "If we work together and plant,this wheat, we will have some fine bread to eat. Who will help igne plant the wheat?" • "Not'," said the Cow. "Not l'," said the Duck. "Nott," said the Goose. "Then I said_the Little Red -- Rooster and hedid. After the wheat started growing, the ground turned dry and there was . no'rain in sight. "Who will help me water the wheat?" said the Little Red Rooster. "Not 1," said.the Cow. "I'd lose my workman's compensation," said the Pig. "Equal rights," said the Goose. ."Then I will," Said the bffittle Red Rooster and he did. The wheat grew tall and ripened . into golden grain. "Who will -help me reap the wheat?" asked the Little Red Rooster. • "I'm waiting fora guaranteed annual wage," said the Cow. "Not I," said the Duck. "Out of.my classification," said the Pig. "Not I," said the Goose. "Then I will," said the Little Red Roosterand he did. When it came time to grind the flour, "Not I," said the Cow. "I'd lose my unernploy... ment insurance," said the Duck. When it carne time to bake the bread. "That's overtime for me," said the Cow. "I'm a dropout and never learned how," -said the Duck.'"I'd lose my welfare benefits," said the Pig. "If I'm the only One helping, that's discrimination," said the Goose. "Then. I will," said the Little Red Rooster and he did. He baked five ' loaves of fine,bread and held them up for his neighbours to see. '1 -want some," said the Cow: -'"I want some," said the Duck. '1 want some," said the Pig. "I demand my share," said the Goose. . • "No," said theLittle Red Rooster. "I can rest for awhile and eat five loaves myself." "Excess profits," cried the Cow. "Capitalist leech," screamed the Duck. "Company fink," grunted the Pig. "Equal rights," screamed the Goose. And they hurriedly painted picket signs and marched around,the Little Red Rooster, sInging, "We shall overcome." And they did. For when - the Farmer came to in- veSti gate the corn - motion, he said, "You must not be greedy, Little Red Rooster. Look at the oppressed COTv. Look at the disadvantaged Duck -..Look at the underprivileged Pig Look at the less fortunate Goose. You are guilty of • making second-class citizens of , them., ' . • "But -but -but I earned the bread," protested the Little Red Rooster. -"Exactly," the wise Farmer said. . "That is the wonderful free enterprise system; anybody in -the barnyard can earn as much as he wants. You should be happy to haveal I this freedom. In other barnyards, you would have to give all your loaves to tlieFarmer. Hereyou give four loaves to your suffering neighbours." And they lived happily ever after. Including the Little Red Rooster, who smiled and crowed, "I am grateful, I • am grateful." But his neighbours wondered why he never baked any more bread. FREE 2 -COLOUR POSTER • If you also believe in the free enter- prise system help us spread the word by sending in for a free 2 -colour poster of this adver- tisement for posting in your office or place of business. Qualatities • can be provided for companies • or associations who can make effective use of them. - Write:Canadian Federation of Independent Business, P.O. . 'Box 35, Don Mills, Ontario • M3C 2R6. CANADIAN FEDERATION OF INDEPENDENT' BUSINESS A nonprofit organization of over 35,000 independent business owners dedicated to the preservation of free competitive enterprise.' t