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Zurich Citizens News, 1975-08-14, Page 2Page 2 - Zurich Citizens News, August 14, 1975 During 1974, realized net farm income in Ontaio incr- eased by 11 per cent as a result of increases in cash receipts. During 1975 net farm income in Ontario is expect- ed to drop by 8.5 per cent, the chief culprit being input costs. Farmers in 1975 can expect to pay more for nearly every major farm input. There are innumerable new high costs which farmers must pay. The bulk price for ammonium nitrate in Febru- ary 1973 was $69 a ton. February 1975 it was $174. an increase of $105 a ton or 152%. A common nitrogen fertilizer, diomonium phos- phate climbed from $108 a ton in February 1973 to $240 a ton February 1975, an in- crease of $132 a ton or 122 per cent. In 1970, the price of corn was $1.25 a bushel. Today the price is $3.00, up 140 per cent. In 1970, soybean meal cost $95. a ton, today it is $130 a ton, an increase of 30% . In the spring of 1972, baler twine cost $5.89 a bale. By the fall of 1974, the price had jump- ed to $29.95, an increase of over 400%. Surely, it is time that the government in Ontario put an end to the boom and bust cycle which has characterized the Agricult- ural community in the past and bring some order and stability to this vital sector. Initiatives must now be taken to protect the farmers from rising production costs. The very survival of a viable farm- ing and agricultural industry in Ontario is at stake, for Ontario is slowly losing its place as the dominant agric- ultural province in Canada. In the future, food prod- uction must be at its optimum so that we will be able to feed ourselves. However, the present situation indicates that farmers are increasinly leaving the land and our prime agricultural` land is being encroached upon at an alarming pace by urbanization. The requir- ed optimum food production will not be forthcoming unless more stability is est - WHITING'S Warehouse Furniture and Appliances Unlimited MAIN ST. EXETER The Place For .. . * Captain's Beds * Bunk Beds * Bedroom Suites * Box Springs * Mattresses WE ACCEPT TRADES ablished in the agricultural sector and unless society shares the farmers' risks. About 227,000 acres of farmland are being taken out of production each year in Ontario. The Provincial Government has no land use policy that will preserve prime agricultural land. The Toronto Centred Region -- the area within a 90 mile arc drawn around Toronto --cont- ains 11 per cent of Ontario's best class 1 and 2 soils. Yet according to present develop- ment plans, at least one third of that land is going to be taken over by housing and other development. A recent provincial task force report called the Central Ontario Lakeshore Urban Complex report has concluded that unless something is done now a growing population and with a declining land base, Ontario may have to import 60% of its food req- uirements by the year 2000. The Throne Speech back in March 1975 encouraged many farmers to believe that programs would be be devel-• oped by the Government to ensure that farmers at least got back their production costs. They were promised some type of provincial in- come support plan. However, the April provincial budget which allocated $20 million to farmers for income protect- ion and the more recently announced beef -calf stabil- ization plan dashed any hopes for an effective income prot- ection plan. If the $20 million were allocated for corn grow- ers in this province, it would provide protection of only 20cents per bushel while curent production cost est- imates are in the $2.50 per bushel range. The recent additional increase in the cost of oil of $2.50 a barrel at the wellhead will cost Ontario farmers close to $20 million more annually. Moreover, the recently proposed increase in Ontario Hydro rae of roughly 25 per cent which the Provincial government has failed to low- er substantially, would add an increase of $10 million to Ontario farmers' power bills, Earlier this year, the Min- ister of Agriculture had said that there would be a plan for income protection in this province before the seed goes into the ground. The seed is now ready to by harvested but, the provincial govern- ment has not seen fit to launch any such plan for income protection. The Ontario Federation of Agriculture has proposed a scheme to the provincial government which would cover the full cost of prod-` ction for each farm commod- ity. This Ontario Farm Income Protection Act, as it is called, would establish a fund to be contributed to by both prod- ucers and the provincial gov- ernment on a 1 to 2 basis respectively, and would comp- ensate farmers in the nature of insurance when income costs fall below production costs. Entry into the plan would be voluntary by com- modity group and by indiv- idual farmers. Payments into the fund and from it will be based on the number of vows registered in the program by each producer. This plan is based on the British Columbia farm income assurance plan to protect farmers from soaring input costs. The B.C. plan sets up a fund into which government and producers pay premiums with the government's contribution twice that of the producers. The plan guaran- tees that farmers will re- ceive annually 90 per cent return on their total product- ion costs. British Columbia, with only 14 per cent of Ontario's farm production has allocated $27 million for income assurance in 1975. The Ontario farming industry has six times the volume of British Columbia. On June 27, 2975, the Prov- incial Government announced a voluntary beef -calf income stabilization program which is to form the first part of the farm income stabilization thrust as announced in the budget speech. An income stabilization fund was created whereby all beef -calf prod- ucers in Ontario would make annual contributijons. The plan is voluntary for prod- ucers and covers a period of 5 years. When the weighted average price for calves selling in Ontario falls below the guaranteed price of 500 per pound as established for 1975, a payment for the diff- erence would be made from the fund to participating farmers. However, figures from the Ontario Federat- ion of Agriculture indicate that the cost of production runs from 700 to 740 Queensway °°' highlights The Home welcomes Mrs. Clarence Heywood formerly of R.R.1, Hensall. "Birthday Greetings" to Danny Sullivan who cele- brates his birthday, August 16. Weekly visitors, Leslie Mitchell, Crediton with his mother, Mrs. Louise Mitch- ell; Miss Mary Goodwin with her father Mr. W.O. Goodwin. Milton Lavery, Wilbert Dilling and Roy Parlmer with their wives. Sharon Doxtator, Kathy Bell and Mrs. Rochus Faber with their mothers. Mrs. Roy McDonald and Mrs. Hugo Schenk visited their husbands. E. Sararus were Shirley and Debbie Damant, Hamilton Sandy Tozer.Mr. and Mrs. Ian Reid, Mississauga, bride and groom, who is a grand- son of Mrs. Sararus, Roy and Clara McDonald, Doris Bonth- ron, London; Mr. and Mrs. Earl Sararus, Weston. Mrs. Gladys Chittick and Mrs. Mabel Parkinson, Lond- on visited Mrs. Squire. Mrs. Mabel Kirk and Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Ford, Exeter, visited Mrs. M. Ford and Mrs. Louise Mit- chell. Mrs. Bev Skinner, Exeter, visited Ruby Miners, Mr. and Mrs. Ed Reid and Mr. and Mrs. W.E. Park- er, Bayfield visited with Clara Featherston. Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Dilling, Sarnia with Mrs. Wilbert Dilling. Clarence and Ann Smillie visited Mrs. Ada Smillie, Bill, Donna and Jim Perry, Exeter, visited Ernest Perry. Group four of Hensall Unit- ed Church were in charge of the crafts on Monday. Mrs. James McAllister conducted bingo games and several musical selections were played on the piano. Rev. Van Essen accompan- ied by his wife conducted the church service on Tues- day. Zurich About people a pound which would put the provincial payment below the cost of production. • Last fall, when the price for calves on the Toronto marked averaged 35.5¢ per pound and the farmers were operating at a substant- ial loss, the only action taken by the Provincial Government was a loan program that did nothing towards assuring our Ontario beef industry of a more stable future. Most producers refuse to apply for the loans and sink farth- er into debt. Only 28 farmers applied and 10 of the applic- ations were rejected by the Government. With the beef -calf program consisting of the first of the government' s promised income assistance programs, we can only conclude that a truly effective farm income assurance plan, that inc- ludes the whole cost of production will not come to pass. 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 Mr. and Mrs. Bob Kirk and family holidayed at Golden Lake last week. Mr. and Mrs. Ross Fisher hosted a picnic • for about fifty members of the Oesch family on Sunday. OPTOMETRISTS J. E. Longstaff OPTOMETRIST SEAFORTH MEDICAL CENTRE 527-1240 Tuesday, Tuursday, Friday, Sat- urday a.m., Thursday evening CLINTON OFFICE 10 Isssc Strait 402.7010 Monday and Wednesday Call either office for appointment. Norman Martin OPTOMETRIST Office Hours: 9-12 A,M, — 1:30-0 P.M. Closed all day Saturday Phone 2352433 Exeter INSURANCES Robert F. Westlake Insurance npecielhdompM General Iearrassco" Phone 236.4391 — Zorlsh 001.0.1. VIII•111.1 Guaranteed Trust Certificates 1 Yr 71/2% 2YR 8% 3-4 YR....91/4% 5 YR 9 7/8% J. W. UABF ZURICH PHONE 236.4346 AUCT10MEERS PURCY WRIGHT LICENSED AUCTIONEER Kippsn, Ont. Auction Sale Service that is most efficient and courteous. CAU. THE WRIGHT AUCTIONEER Telephone Hensall (S19)262-5515 Hugh Tom FILSON and ROBSON AUCTIONEERS 20 years' experience of complete sale service Provincially licensed. Conduct sales of any kind, any place. To insure success of your sale, or appraisal Phos Collect 6-0 6664967 NORM WHITING LICENSED AUCTIONEIR A APPRAISER Prompt, Courteous, Efficient ANY TYPE, ANY SLZE, ANYWHERE We give complete sale service. PROFIT BY EXPERIENCE Phan Collect 23S-114 EXIT■R GERALD L. MERNER Chartered Accountant BUS: 20 Sanders E. — EXETER — 235-0281 RES: 10 Green Acres GRAND BEND — 238-8070