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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1989-04-11, Page 3dairy producer who went out business this month due t bankruptcy. His problem is no unlike other dairy farmers or, i fact, beef farmers who suffer simi lar financial problems -- grea financial burdens due to rapid expansion of their business. The golden '70s saw many farm- ers expand from 30 -cow dairy herds to upwards of 200. We also saw these same farmers increasing land holdings, more buildings, plus huge investments in large machin- ery. Does this sound familiar to beef producers who have also expand- ed? What the Ontario Milk Market- ing Board does is guarantee a farmer a set price for his product, and also determines the amount of milk a farmer can produce. Howev- er, the milk marketing board cannot control a farmer's spending. It usually isn't the price of our product that keeps us poor, but of our greed to have more, to be big- ger, better and more efficient. The same happened in the 1950s in the egg business. Farmers, with a few hundred hens were making money. Then, some farmers thought they should be making more money and increased their flocks to several thousand birds. Within a few months, nobody was making money. This also happened in the broiler and turkey industry, The result eras that quotas were introduced aftr some farmers com- plained loud and long. This has resulted in a large percentage of the poultry farming business being in the hands of multi -national compa- nies. We are now feeling the same thing happen, in the beef industry. In the 1960s and '70s, some farmers of increased their cattle herds from,. o say, 250 head to several hundred, t and often to more than 1,000. n In that same time period, farmers - could do one of two things get t their debt under control as inflation was rising, or expand. Inflation allowed expansion on paper only. Farmers borrowed against equity. This resulted in high land prices because farmers wanted more. My answer to the beef vote is "NO". Here is my reason. When the Ontario Milk Marketing Board was forced on us, we were given a small quota, the same amount of quota which we have today. It was enough at the start, but in order to get enough quota for my operation today, I would have to purchase $100,000 worth of it. The borrowing cost would be greater than if I put the same amount of money in the bank. One of the needs for addi- tional quota is the cutbacks we have experienced over the years. Instead of buying quota, we feed the extra milk to calves, and we raise our own replacement heifers. We are doing well at our opera- tion. The free enterprise system lets me sell veal calves wherever I can get the best price. However, under a supply management system, I would have to take whatever a beef commission would dictate. The Beef Producers for Change have said they can't market their own_ cattle for a profit. Should I take the chance they can through a beef marketing commission and supply management when I'm already making a profit? No, it's a chance I'm not willing to take. Sincerely Reint Wassink RR2, Harriston THURSDAY 8:00 pm, 8 BILLY GRAHAM'S NEWEST BOOK, "ANSWERS TO LIFE'S PROBLEMS," NOW AVAILABLE IN ITL BOOKSTORES mmaama CONSTRUCTION UNDERWAY — Construction on the Hanna Memorial Bridge at the north end of town has commenced. Origi- nally scheduled for last year, the project was put over until 1989. Recycling in rural meas not funded by government GORRIE—Of the Town of Lis- towel and the Townships of Elma, Howick and Wallace, Howick's council is the only one that went ahead and ordered blue boxes and bins for its dumpsite before grant money from the ministry had been received. A recent letter from the Ontario Multi -Material Recycling Incorpo- rated organization has now informed Howick grams for the blue boat program in the rural areas Kerrs to supply, crush, haul gravel in E. Wawanosh Joe Kerr Ltd. of Wingham has been awarded the contract to sup- ply, crush and haul 'A° gravel to roads in the north end of East Wawanosh Township this year. The Kerr bid was the lowest of several received at the April regular meeting of counciL The contract price is for 25,000 Imperial tons of 'A° gravel at $2.82 per cubic yard. The total price is $70,500. Property tax due dates set in East Wawanosh of the township will depend on the results of a pilot study. That study is designed to deter- mine if blue boxes provided to rural residents for transporting recyclables to a depot is beneficial to the program. The original material sent out by the Ministry of the Environment and OMMRI specified "grants for household bins are solely for appropriately designed curbside collection systems where the use of bins is necessary to improve effi- ciency" The study is being undertaken in Grey County. The township ordered, and has received 1,200 blue boxes and 40 bins. Most of the bins have been distributed to various locations throughout the township such as the dump, schools and the nursing home. R. A. Flemington, engineer and president of OMMRI informed council in his letter dated Feb. 28: "OMMRI is prepared, subject to availability' of funds, to commit one-third funding for 40 can carts (bins) and 726 blue boxes to service class 1 households (in the villages that have regular garbage pick- up) This means the township will have to pay for its 30 per cent share of the program, as well as the full cost of the blue boxes that have not been approved. At a price of approximately $9.18 er box the total will come to pproximately $ 4,341.84. Mr. Flemington's letter also indi- ted to council OMMRI funding is nditional upon the following, ulti-material curbside collection softdrink containers, an on-going vertising and a promotional cam- aign in a format suggested by the ecycling Advisory Committee, gular reports of p performance to Due dates for 1989 East aP Wawanosh property taxes were set a at the April regular meeting of ca council. Taxes will be due June 15 and co Nov. 1. The budget will be dis- ofm cussed at a special meeting later ad this month as mill rates have not yet been set. PR re Shirley G amiss resigns from hospital board Morris Township Council has accepted with regret the resignation of Shirley Garniss, township repre- sentative on the Wingham and Dis- trict Hospital Board of Governors. Mrs. Garniss has served on the board for several years and her res- ignation is effective as of June. Council will advertise in the newspaper for a replacement for tss GaTnf's oxii thehospital board. I I 1 1 :,•I I 1 1 .; e r OMMRI, receipt by OMMRI of invoices, absolvation and indemni- fication of OMMRI and its directors of any liability that may occur and most importantly that all equip- ment u'-ment funded by OMMRI must be purchased and owned by the municipality. Despite the extra cost to the township incurred by council's decision to purchase blue boxes for the rural areas, council members believe the resence of the blue Free enterprise s is still'best, writer says Mdvanceertraes, Apri111,1989 - Page 3A m Dear Editor: After attending two beef produc- er information meetings, in Harris - ton and Walkerton, concerning establishing a beef marketing com- mission and supply management, I am more convinced than ever that the free enterprise system is still the best. We must say "no" to a beef mar- keting commission, and "no" to supply management. I was told by the Beef Producers for /Change how well other com- modities, which are regulated under quota systems, are doing. However, their information is mis- leading as I have experience work- ing under a quota system, the Ontario Milk Marketing Board. I could have done just as well, finan- cially, without milk quota. At present, there are dairy pro- ducers suffering financial hardship today, even though we are regulat- ed by quotas and a marketing board. In fact, there are just as many, if not more, dairy, producers facing bankruptcy as there ikould have been under a free enterprise system. An example is a neighboring Town invites Canada Post to sit and chat Wingham Town Council has decided to see just what Canada Post has in mind when the corpora- tion says it's "very interested" in arranging a meeting. At its regular April session, coun- cil directed Clerk -Treasurer Byron Adams to invite Canada Post repre- sentatives to a future meeting. In a letter to council, Tom Dalby, manager of media and community affairs for Canada Post's Huron division, said the corporation wants to speak to council "regarding postal service in Canada and, in particular, your town and area." The corporation, the letter contin- ues, "is committed to the goal of providing reliable, accessible, and affordable postal service to all Canadians, and we would like to meet with your council to discuss how these goals are being achieved." Councillors switch posts Wingham Town Council has approved a change in manpower on two of its standing committees. At its regular April meeting, council approved a change that sees Reeve Bruce Machan move to the property committee where he will be chairman. Councillor Ward Robertson, for- merly property committee chair- man, takes Mr. Machan's place on the recreation committee. ':?`�f`.:ra'a �`=`fir?•: ±�`��%±�.>�t.`�:>..:'`�`' �'�` `�>:'. RECREATION NEWS • .:t`P•`Crl iii?C ::'Z�`fti7''\i::� '`t{•'Y ^ .�J• •ah{::4:i'r,:i: By Leslie Marxheimer Mary Ann Kissner will be offer- ing a water -color class beginning Monday, April 17, for 10 weeks. People with varied levels of experience, for example, beginners p to more experienced painters, are boxes will help the program greatly invited to attend. as it serves as a constant, reminder For more information, please call 00 ` r+��y1,`{ne to i4CW.f '+�i' Ik+ t'� > a ,at,�,1AJf �4V"(1o�.Ahn kfssn.er .at .3574 90 or, 4t � `le V• l. r e (1 (1 ,° 1 t ! 5 1 P / 6 I3016Ol%ersal ' VVV 6i90is° p'PI, 1 . / 1 1 �e'°r. 0.1 .f11l 1 P t 1 / 0 !. ' 7.1 4:1 j 11 0 0 t11°. 11 19P PaI o n ° 1,�1�1 Pe .4 e1 Pm5a X11 84 of D. ra1� 11¢,¢. .. .. �a1>E 8111e Iii {i e n. e n o a. c.. q. p pry o a e e. 0 b b a e a e 0 1 e e e a,.. •.•. e t. a e e a o e. e.. e, .. . 4