HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Citizens News, 1976-06-02, Page 17OFA vice -.president writes
Plight of
By RALPH BARRIE
Second Vice -President of the
Ontario Federation of Agriculture
Much has been said and
written in the past weeks about
the plight of the milk producer,
and more .particularly the plight
of the industrial milk producer.
To One who has been involved
with milk groups and policy
development for some 17 years,
it is frustrating to see the present
mess taking shape, crystallizing
itself in the present dairy policy.
To dairy farmers who have
watched the evolution of the
industry, from four milk groups
to a marketing board responsible
for all the buying, selling and
policy making of the industry,
it is a bitter disappointment
to witness and to suffer from the
penalties inherent in the current
policy.
FORMULA PRICING
Many of us breathed a sigh of
relief at the creation of a formula
pricing system for industrial
milk in 1975.
It seemed that finally after
all the years, our needs were to
be met with a formula that would
adjust the price to reflect the
costs of rising inputs and over-
head.
News from
Huronview
The Goderich Township Wo-
men's Institute volunteers were
at the Home on Monday to assist
with the afternoon's activities.
Mrs. Molly Cox and Norman
Speir provided the old tyme
music with Mrs. Henderson
accompanying at the piano for
the' sing -a -long and vocal solos
by Wayne Lester and Morgan
Dalton.
Mrs. Marie Flynn arranged -a
program for "Family Night"
and accompanied the orchestra
Frank Forrest, Harold Black,
Hugh Hodges and Norman Speir.
There were dance numbers by
Debbie Flynn.;. • piano solos by
Patrick Murray and, Jacqui
Taylor; a vocal duet by Mrs. Elsie
Henderson ' and Nelson Lear;
mouth organ selections by Lorne
Lawson. .sour couples from the
Clinton Old Tyme Dance Club
danced the french minuet; the
rye waltz; the patti cake polka
and the waltz country. Bob
Glen did the calling _ for a
square dance and forming the
set were Dorothy and Elmer
Townsend, Helen and Bill Pep-
per, Willa and Bob Taylor and
May and Walter Pepper. Mrs.
McGratton thanked all those
taking part in the program on
behalf of the residents.
The Clinton Legion- are cele-
brating their fiftieth anniversary
this year and following the pro-
gram on Tuesday evening Mr.
Tom Herman, one of the charter
members, received a badge of
honour for fifty years of service
by the president, Mr. Russell
Phillips. Mr. George Campbell,
past president ' of the Legion,
presented 'a new wheel chair to
the Home and it was received on
behalf of the . residents and staff
by Mr. Chester Archibald,
Administrator.
The I.O.D.E. of Clinton are
raising funds to purchase a new
ambulift for the Home. One of
the projects was a raffle and the
draw was made on Wednesday by
Mrs. McCreath assisted by the
Regent of the Chapter, Mrs. Jean
Adams and Mrs. Madelon Yeats
of the nursing staff. Winners in
the draw were Mrs. Darlene
Morgan and Mrs. Mary Gibbins.
The Ethel and Molesworth
Women's Institute were hosts for
the May birthday party. Mr.
Peter Dekher delighted the
audience with several vocal solos.
Mr. Norman Burns played a
number of old tyme favourites on
the violin accompanied by Cecil
Bateman. _Mrs. Doris Jacklin
was emcee for the program and
the twenty-one celebrants re-
ceived gifts from the institute.
Miss Marion Gray thanked the
ladies on behalf of the residents.
Citizens News, June.2, 1976 -Page 17
milk producer frustrating
It was exhilerating to be told
by both the federal and provincial
governments. and by the dairy
organizations that there was a
broad market for our products.
We were given incentives to
pull the plug and produce,
produce, produce.
OVERPRODUCTION
What happened is simple.
Overproduction! Dairy farmers
all across the country, encourag-
ed by their milk boards and
government produced as much
as possible. This, along with a
superb fodder crop and rock -
bottom beef prices, resulted in
an incredible amount of milk.
No one argues that such a
surplus must not occur again,
least of all the dairy farmer.
However, we bitterly protest
paying the total cost. We know
we have overproduced; We know
we must cut back. But we must
have time and assistance to make
this adjustment,
QUOTAS
As p.mounced at the beginn-
ing' r. 1975, milk quotas have
bee', established for 1976 and
th,;reafter based on the 1975
+ roduction. Because of the
overproduction, this means that
every •dairy farmer has a quota
which is a certain percentage
less than his '75 production.
In Ontario the quotas are establis-
hed as 85 percent of '75 produc-
tion.
Cows cannot be turned on and
off so this means dairy farmers
will either have to sell their cows
in a depressed market or ship
their surplus milk, for which
they will be virtually not paid,
because of the present penalties.
It's not much of a prospect either
way!
LONG RANGE EFFECTS
Many of us will be poorer
financially than we expected
and than we can afford, but I'm
afraid the long range effects
will be much more severe than
that.
Some of us will just say to
hell with it and cash in, particul-
arly if we are in the range of
high land prices.
Others facing the phasing out
of cans are not likely to invest
in bulk tanks and new milk
AIIMENISMINIIilte
AMP
houses, and will either quit farm-
ing or switch to other types of
farming.
But the greatest danger . I
think, is that it will be a long time
before farmers will favourably
react to incentive programs.
A BETTER WAY
Surely, 'with,modern' tech-
nology, we can kep better track
of production and consumption
patterns? Surely we don't have
to wait for shortages or surpluses
to take action? Surely there's
a way for the decision -makers
to consult and negotiate with
producers rather than waiting
till we have problems and .then,
ordering cutbacks or incentive
programs.
There's got to be a better way.
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