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Zurich Citizens News, 1975-04-10, Page 4PAGE 4 Forget the pitchfork! Perhaps no technology in this country has undergone such profound change in the past 25 years as the agricultural industry. Long gone are the days when a farmer with passable land and a strong back could be reasonably assured of a comfortable living as long as he was prepared to work. The successful farmer today has to be a heavy investor, a well-informed technician and a shrewd gambler. Perhaps he occasionally swings a pitchfork, but his office calculator is a more. important tool. Within recent weeks we have attended two seminars on agricultural subjects and the greatest single impression was made by the young farmers who attended those gatherings to add to their store of vital knowledge. The first meeting was devoted to the production of profitable corn crops and after the highly -qualified seed company employees had given a series of talks, backed by proven statistics, the panel discussion brought forth questions from the floor. It was evident from the start that the farmers who were seeking information were no mere country yokels. Their queries were as detailed and probing as the answers were scientific. At a second gathering held at the University of Guelph we sat through an afternoon devoted to talks and demonstrations on an entirely different subject --deworming of cattle by injection. New drugs and new technology have permitted the introduction of a system of ridding animals of parasites which will save tremendous amounts of time for cattle owners with larger herds. The,average farriily gives little thought to the problems and costs faced by the basic producer of the food on the dinner table. The consumer's attitude is neither careless nor unsymp- athetic. His position is exactly the same as that of the farmer who knows next to nothing about the production problems of the company which manufactures his automobile or his local newspaper. Suffice it to say that a whole generation of younger farmers (any many of the older ones) are engaged in an industry which requires intelligence, hard work and investment know-how. It was encouraging to us to see firsthand just how eagerly they are applying themselves to the task of providing good food at the best possible prices... at a time when their own costs of production are escalating so rapidly. (Wingham Advance Times) GB councillor resigns Grand Bend councillor Doug Kincaid announced last Tues- day night that he was resigning from his position on April 30 due to pressure of business. Kincaid was successful in the December 2 election last fall and assumed his council seat on January 6 of this year, It was his first try in municipal politics in Grand Bend and he finished second in the election with 347 votes only six behind the leader Harold Green. The retiring councillor is district manager for Ralston Purina Feeds and added duties recently of placing new dealers in Western Ontario has increased his work burden. Kincaid told council, "It would not be fair to the other councillors and to the village itself if I didn't carry my fair share. I like Grand Bend and will continue to live here." "I enjoyed my few months on council. The new council is a good team. They are sincere, dedicated and are putting forth an ambitious program which is within reach. They all have the interest of the village at heart, " he added. Commenting on the resignat- ion. Reeve Bob Sharen said, "I hade to lose Doug. He was doing a good job." On a matter of a replacement, Sharen said, "While it's a council decision I would expect we will fill the vacancy by appointment. Under the Munic- ipal Act we could call an elec- tion but that would prove too costly. " Filling vacancies on council is nothing new for Grand Bend. In 1973, John Teevins, Doug Martin and Tom Webster were appointed due to resignations by Walter Cruinplin and Ted Flint and the vacancy left when Bob Sharen moved up to take the reeve's position from resigning John Payne. The 1973 appointments were made at large despite pleas from Ian Coles that defeated candidates should be named to fill the vacancy. Coles finished fourth for three posts in the 1972 election. The defeated candidate in the 1974 election was Murray Des Jardins who was a council member in 1973 when the other appointments were made. ZURICH Citizens NEWS PRINTED BY SOUTH HURON PUBLISHERS LEVIITED, ZURICH HERB. T,URKHEIM, Publisher Second Class Mail Registration Number 1385A��f*!` ®1AC•nadi Memberan Weekly. Newspapers. Association; WAH A): Ontario Weekly Newspapers Association Vi ttti" Subscription Rates; $5.00 per year in advance in Canada; $6,00 in United States and Foreign; single copies 150 ZURICH CITIZENS NEWS THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 1975 Jottings by Jack from Queens Park Last week in the Legislature the Minister of Agriculture announced that the Milk Com- mission of Ontariavill hold a public inquiry into certain aspects of the Milk Industry, in view of the several price in- creases in recent months. Milk prices have increased by about 400/0 over the past year - more than twice as quickly as other foods. In Toronto a year ago a quart of homogenized milk averaged 37¢, today it is about 56¢. The Ministry of Agriculture indicated that consumers in Ontario have a right to know how certain elements in the chain of milk production and sale affect the final price paid for a quart of milk. These factors include the cost of production, processing and mar- keting fluid milk products, trade practices, price spreads, management policies and methods of financing. The public 'inquiry will begin as soot: as the necessary arrange- ments can be made. At the end of March the Milk Commission, an agency of the Ministry of Agriculture, which was set up in 1965, den- ied an appeal by m ilk pr ocess- ors against another milk price increase set for April 1. Loss of the appeal means that farmers will get an extra $1.16 per hundredweight for whole milk, for a total of $12.01 per hundred weight. The Milk Commission upheld the farmer's case for an increase, to meet increased costs, as put before the Com- mission by the Ontario Milk Marketing Board, which rep- resents the milk producers. The increase means farmers who receive about 25¢ a quart of milk sold in Ontario last April will receive about 32¢ a quart in future. Some of the price increases are due to removal of a 5¢ a quart federal government sub- sidy which was introduced in 1973 to cushion effects on the consumer of earlier increases in prices to milk producers. However, increased production costs have contributed tremen- dously to the higher prices. Milk production in Canada in pfsawmarowillissesexisilmmasimmlail Independent Shipper to United Co-operative • of Ontario Livestock Dept Toronto Ship Your Livestock with Roy Scotchmer Monday Is Shipping Day Fromn Varna Stockyard CALL HAYFIELD 565-2636 By 7:30 a.m. Monday For Prompt Service No Charges on Pick-up 1973 was 16.9 billion pounds, which was 4.6' o less than the 1972 production of 17.7 billion pounds. Ontario produced only 4.25 billion pounds of milk last year, compared with 5 billion pounds 10 years ago. In 1973 Ontario milk production declin- ed 5.8% from that of 1972, and in the first 6 months of 1974 the province's production was down 2.6%. Many small operat- ions have gone out of business, and large milk producing oper- ations have taken up the slack in milk production. In fact, we now have in Ontario 2910 fewer milk producers than five years ago, producing 810 less milk. Some 17, 000 Ontario dairy far�- mers out of a total of 34, 000 have gone out of operation since 1964. One challenge facing the milk industry --in fact the agriculture industry generally -- is ensuring that consumers understand the problems involv- ed. Since the end of World War II the people of Canada have enjoyed a higher standard of living-- one of the highest in the world --and until recently incomes have risen faster that (continued on page 6) Banghart, 'Kelly, 'Doig and Co. Chartered Accountants 268 Main St., Exeter ARTHUR W. READ Resident Partner Bus. 235-0120, Res. 238-8075 Business and Professional Directory OPTOMETRISTS J. E. 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