The Goderich Signal-Star, 1979-01-18, Page 29n.,
15
°
Farmers in this country are getting shafted by the two
senior levels of government.
That's the way it appears as this is being written.
The judge who was appointed to chair Ontario's royal
commission to investigate problems in the food industry has
resigned. Judge James Ross of Thunder Bay submitted his
resignation in early January because of serious illness.
The resignation could delay the hearings for weeks. They
were supposed to start last fall. I'm of the opinion the agri-
cultural .c_ommunit_y. will- come-out.iooking-.like...r-uses.whn
the hearings are over. The big food conglomerates don't
want the hearing.
In addition, the federal government's recent guidelines
for the National Farm Products Marketing Council, the
body which supervises marketing agencies in Canada. have
a lot of farmers angry.
These guidelines indicate the federal government's agri-
cultural policies are moving away from producers to con-
sumers. Which, if you're a politician, is understandable.
Only about five per cent of the population is engaged in
farming so the farm vote carries little clout. •
Some feel the guidelines will not be followed to the letter.
notably Peter Hannam, president of the 23,000 -member On-
tario Federation of Agriculture. Hannam says they are
"just mutterings and blubberings" by the federal govern-
ment to pacify consumers.
Elbert Van Donkersgoed, executive secretary of the
Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario, suggests the gui-
delines spell the end of support for Liberals in rural Canada,
The guidelines—too lengthy.,to enumerate here—place a
definite Zink between commodity and quota prices. Quota
values have nothing to do with prices, mai"rita''ins Jim
Chalmers of Bamberg, chairman of the Ontario Chicken
Producers Marketing Board.
"That's wrong. That's crazy," he said.
Both Van Donkersgoed and Chalmers are against the ap-
pointment of two non -farmers as directors of the new na-
tional chicken agency.
Van Donkersgoed• one of the most articulate -men in ag.ri-'
culture today, maintains marketing boards were set up to
Letters are appreaa)ed by Bob Trotter Eldale Rd Elmua Oni N38 2C7
allow farmers to run their own affairs.
He's right, too.
Letting back to Ontario's food probe, by the time you read
this another chairman may be,appointed. It's too bad the
probe has been delayed. Remember back in June of last
year when a committee of the legislature recommended the
probe?
At that time. questionable practices were uncovered
which needed further investigation, Committee members
learned about discounts given h_y.huyers. about suppliers of
food products being too frightened to give out much infor-
mation fearing reprisals by the buyers.
And who are the buyers''
About five or six major food chains in Ontario who control
about 90 per cent of the food chain. Such conglomerates as
George Weston Ltd., Argus Corporation and Steinbergs con-
trol the shipping, the canning, the processing, the wholesal-
ing. the retailing, the packaging and everything else that
goes into getting food from the farm gate to the table.-
Committee members who voted.in.favor of the royal com-
mission learned that the arranging of discounts is an un-
equal battle between the strong --the. supermarkets—chains
and the weaker food processors which may have the effect
of gouging.
Before resigning, Judge Ross said food suppliers afraid to
testify about supermarket rebate prices would be able to
give information in secret.'Some suppliers,of food indicaFed
they could be -wiped out if the supermarket chains decided to
retaliate.
Now those statements smack of goon -squad tactics to me.
The goon squads don't have clubs or guns, mind you. The
chains are too sophisticated for that. .
They just hit you in the pocketbook. They refuse to buy
from you if you don't play the game by their rules.
I would love to be a mouse under the tables when evidence
is given in that royal commission,
That is, if the darned hearings ever get under way
I don't care if it does become the longest and costliest
commission in the history of the province as predicated by
Bill Newman, Ontario's' agriculture minister.
So be it: The buying public has the right to 'know.
Don Pullen predicts good year
Farmers off to good start
The year 1979 should be
a good one for farmers in
Huron County according
to Agricultural
representative Don
Pullen.
Pullen said in an in-
terview Iasi week, "our
farmers shouldget off to
a good start this spring.
Because of excellent late
fall weather all fall
' plowing and other work
was completed. If it
wasn't "`'ii should have
been."
The ag -rep -continued,
"Spring seeding should
start on time because the
land is prepared` and
weed control should also
get off to a good start."
Pullen added, "There is
a bit of physcology
connected with getting
the, fall work completed
which a lot of people don't
think about. When work is
done on time it creates
better family relations
dufing the winter and
also gives farm families
time to get their records
Up to date."
The farm outcome for
1978 was much better
than was anticipated at
one time according to
Pullen. Some farmers
were depressed when
corn plantings were late
but killing frosts didn't
arrive until November`.
Due to'wetweather and
late hiarvesting,of some of
the white beans, winter
wheat' planting was
reduced to about 75
percent of a normal year.
In 1977 that figure was cut
to about 40 percent
because of the disastrous
bean crop when some
fields were never har-
vested.
Pullen lists the
International Plowing
Match as the highlight of
1978. About this he said,
"You know it's amazing.
We had nine inches of
rain from early Sep-
tember to the first week
of October but only a
small amount fell during
the match."
He attributed the
success not only -to the
good weather but the
great community par-
ticipation.
Due .to- late planting
Pullen said same of the
winter wheat is `pretty
short."
He suggested the
number of acres of white
beans for this year could
be rced saying,
"some ave been caught
twooyears in a row with
harvesting problems."
Sod crops are, being
used more often in Huron
in rotation. Seeding of
clover in the sprifig and
plowing in the fall im-
proves soil structure and
yields. ° .
Pullen said much more
farm building took place,
in 1978., These additions
--
NOTICE
TO OWNERS OF DOGS & CATS
FREE RABIES CLINICS
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10th
GORRIE COMMUNITY HALL 3:00- 7:00 P.M.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 12th
WINGHAM TOWN SHED 2:00 - 8:00 P.M.
MONDAY, JANUARY 15th
DUNGANNON AGRICULTURAL HALL 3 - 7 P.M.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 17th
IILYTH COMMUNITY CENTRE 2 - 8 P.M.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 19th
BRUSSELS FIRE HALL 2 - 8 P.M.
MONDAY, JANUARY 22nd
,.-.. _.,ETHELFIRE .NALL,3-7.PAC
.
included. implement
sheds, grain storage
buildings and additions to
broiler barns.
Beef_cattle prices were
higher than ever in 1978
but Pullen cautioned, "at
the same time
replacement costs went
away up so farmers were
not much •better off."
He continued, "There is
a risk situation in beef
like never before when
farmers could be caught
with the _ high_ ,cost of
replacement stock."
Huron continues to lead
afl of Ontario in barley,
white beans, silage corn
and cattle marketing.
The county also has the
largest, sow'inv entory.
It was the first time in
many years that all debt
commitments were met
for an International
Plowing Match, Pullen
said, "There is no
question it was the most
successful match ever
held. Attendance of
215,000 and the number of
caterers and exhibitors at
600 were the highest
ever."
L
DAVE HALLOW
ELECTRICAL,.
Serving
Industrial, Commercial,
Residential Needs
524-6Q38
T833 handles the stress
T833, a new hybrid from Trojan came through in the Goderich
area. ' Look at the results of fileT.S.T. plot on the farm of
Donald Bean, R.R. 5, Goderich
PLANTING DATE: May 19, 1978" HARVEST DATE: October 27/78
SOIL TYPE: Clay Loam ROW WIDTH: 32"
HERBICIDE: Atrazine INSECTICIDE: —
FERTILIZER: N- 97 P20 - 85 1(20 - 11
VAPIETY
' BROKEN STALKS
%
HARVEST MOISTURE
YIELD at 15.5%
T833
2
23.8
122.8
TXS94
2
29.4
117.0
TX90
' 1
24.8
115.3
PLOT
AVERAGE
2
24.3. '
109.2
For complete details about
this,and;other tests and what
the results could mean to
you, contact your local
Trojan dealer,
TROJAN
as
THE GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, TilURSDAY, JANUARY 18, 1979—PAGE 11A
Pipes freeziii.g?
Hem's some tips
Many farms are
plagued with the
g of
undergroundrepeated pipesfreezin," says
Ross Irwin, of the School
of Engineering, Ontario
Agricultural College.
Most problems occur in
unheated buildings,
crawl spaces under
buildings, and exterior
walls subject to drafts,
but pipes under
driveways and sidewalks,
where snow is scraped
off, may also freeze.
The best solution is
prevention, Pipes should
be laid below the frost
line. The depth of the
frost line varies depen-
ding on your area. The
pipes should be laid in a
straight line, on a,
uniform slope, between
buildings.
Insulation will also help
prevent reezing. Pipes in
unhe x 'e areas should be
insula '' • to slow down
heat loss.
"In very cold weather,
allow a bit of water to run
through the pipe," ad-
'°vised Mr. Irwin. "Even
with insulation, the water
will freeze if it is left
standing long enough. If
you plan to leave the heat
off ina building, drain the
piping system for
protection."
Once the .soil .or the pipe
is frozen, it won't thaw
naturally until spring.
However, there are
methods of thawing the
pipe without causing
damage.
"Metal `water pipe can
be thawed using a welder
or pipe thawer,:' says
,Irwin. '"However, most
farm welder's are limited
to 180 amps, and are too,
small for thawing metal
pipes."
Pumps can be thawed
successfully using hard
glass heat bulbs, or
radiant heaters,
suspended about" 45 cm
above the frozen pump.
Pump houses should • be
insulated and the heat
bulb should be operated
by a thermostat.
"A shining heat lamp is
also good for thawing
short distances of metal
pipe," says Irwin, "but it
is ineffective for plastic
pipe because plastic pipe
doesn't conduct ,heat.
Some farmers have found
that heating cables will
thaw plastic pipes, but
don't .let"the temperature
of the heating cable
become too hot or it will
affect the pipe.". .
Plastic pipe with
electric heating cables
installed in the centre of
'the pipe is now available
commercially. A similar
homemade system can be
constructed using fine
copper wire and a fusing
six -volt transformer.
Ott
stive
caf' up
Pioneer
Seed
Corn
in the
Goderich & Clinton area
Call '
Ray Brown
529-7260 or
524-8114
FARMERS
AND -
HOBBY FARMERS
Ask for a' Package
Quotation on
FARMOWNERS:
For the dwelling
FL:
ForOATERS• Ilements;.
Livestock 8. Equmpipment
EARNINGS:
For loss^of profits
LIABILITY:
Farm & Personal
J.J. (Jim) MULHERN
GENERAL INSURANCE
46 WEST ST.. GODERICH
524-7878
CLAY —
Silo Unloaders
Feeders
Cleaners
Stabling
Leg Elevators
Liquid Manure
Equipment
Hog Equipment
pUTLER —
Silo Unioaders
Feeders
Conveyor*
FARMATIC —
Mllis
Augers; etc.
ACORN —
Cleaners
Heated Waterers
WESTEEL-ROSCO
Granaries
B & L - Hog Panelling
LOWRY FARM SYSTEMS
RR 1, Klncardine..Ont.
Phone 395-5286
Notice
of
Annual Meeting
The Annual Meeting of the Huron County Wheat
Producers will be held in the Agricultural Board
Room in Clinton on:
Thurs., February 8th
at 1:30 p.m.
Russel Rodgers, chairman of the board will be the
guest speaker.
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Collect Calls Accepted
"ONTARIO'S FINEST WATER WELLS SINCE 1900"
Our Annual January
FLOOR
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4;\224-
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