The Huron Expositor, 1977-03-03, Page 12`..•.t! •
The Ontario Federation- of
Agriculture executive moved into
Huron County this yveek to hear
di rectlY from local •farmers what
the Federation should be tieing
for them. ;
• At a televised presk conference
in Wingham Monday, Peter
Hannam,GF A president, said that
it was important for the executive
to keep in close touch with the
grass roots. The .press conference
kicked off the executive's three •
day visit to Huron in which they
met with local farmers _., and
members of the County
Federattiff- executives from
Huron, Perth, Bruce and Grey.
Mr. Hannam told reporters the
Federation was very concerned
about the tariff • negotiations'
between Canada and the United
States... The agreements, which
are only negotiated every ten .
years, are unfair at present
according - to the . OFA. A
Federation farm survey points out
that to export coca hi the U.S.
costs 25 cents a bushel, but only
costs 8 cents a bushel to import• it
from the U.S.
•
There is no public awareness of
the inequities in agriculture
tariffs, Mr; Hannam said, "We
are going to create the pressure
• 'so they are aware."
Ralph Barrie, 1st' vice-
president of the OFA, said .
farmers would have. to go on the
.• offensive over. the issue of a
national food policy. Many •
consumer groups 'have criticized
the government for not having a
national , food' policy when. 'the
governMent does have
"adequate" one, 'he said.
Director Grace Stalker said
Ontario has the "best food
system in the world." She. said
through the ' marketing board
system the consumer is .supplied
with. a steaidy source of food at a
reasonable price.
The executive refused to
commit itself on the issue of
whether or not an agency market-
- nge
board
n d u str.
should be set up for the '
beef
"We will 15-6 glad to aid the beef
people in any -way 'we can," 2nd
vice Bill Wolfe' said. • .
Mr. Hannam said the 'Federa-
tion was looking into mandatory
• :.%-"j
• . • • -4. • ' •
S
membership in a farm organizif,
tion by all tamers. Np said any
farm organization makes a contri-
bution to ail farmers;
"h is. sad only a portion
farmers have to pay. for 'it,"
m.andatory,:nr,emherShip
'have
s
e tofa. crOmnetrriblte °arl ft elierr6to5vsZd O.„
farm organization of his eliolee,
• The press conference 'will .be.
televised on CKNX's 'Farm Focus
show Sunday.
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•
12, ,THE HURON EXPOSITOR, MARCH 3, 1977
A special meeting of Hullett
council was held in the
Londesboro Community Hall
Friday tq consider several
drainage reports. All members of
council were present.
Engineer. Henry Uderstadt and
affected owners, Harry Webster,
Leonard Archambault, Joe
Verwey and Carmen Gross
discussed the Verwey drain and•
agreed to have the' portion
through property of Leonard
Archambault left open instead of
tiled: -
Owners Ed: Szusz, Jack
Tamblyn and John Pollard. were
-present to consider the Tamblyn
drain. While everyone seemed
satisfied with, the report, there
was some discussion as to
Whether there -should be another
catch-basin installed. . It was
Hullett Council
Reviews drainage
OFA PRESIDENT ON THE ROAD — The executive, of the Ontario Federation of
Agriculture met in Wingham this week and visited area farmers as part of a plan to
get information from the grass roots. Here OFA director Bill Benson, left, and OFA
president Peter Hannam. talk to Wingham area farmer Ed Moffat; iaCkson Duncan,
who took .the Federation executives on a farm tout and local farmer Mac Willits.
(Expositor .Photo) Head Office: 56 weber Street, Kitchener; 15191 744-6535
Branch Office : 504 Tenth Street , Hanover 15191:364-3121
WE BUY EXISTING MORTGAGES• FOR INSTANT CASH
-At the - regular meeting of
council On kb. 4 Ralph Buffiriga
discussed temporary , revised
' route's necessitated iby .road
conditions "en 'account of the
heavy .snow.
'B. Shillinglaw, D. Etuchanan,
and W." Reid were present to
request information on possible
closing of S:R, 20-21, Con. 10,
and to discuss with council their
views on using it as a landing
- strip for crop-dusting aircraft.
•Council' decided that it would be
better not to- cloke "the road
permanently.
Motions adopted by council
included: -
-7•-• That we coatinue the Grant of
three dollar's per patient' to
Seaforth Community Hospital. .
— That Clerk Clare Vincent ask
the Bank of Commerce to send a
anothef catch-basin. The report
was adopted with revision .count.
'set for March 16.
Considering the report on the .
Kellaud Drainage. Woilts were
Orville Kelland,"Robert Peel and
Edwin Wood. There 'was. :some
discussion on the crossing., of.
Highway #4 for overflow- water
and Mt. Uderstadt• explained that'
this was the natural flow but' that
the volume 'should be less with
the new drain installed:
preset* seemed sa• tiSfied„ with .
the report which was provision-
ally adopted and the Couit of
Revision set for March 16.
resume for their banking services '
and to ask the Bank :of: Montreal
to review their services._
— That we appoint Hugh Flynn,
to the H.C.F.S.A. as our tn'ember
for 1977, and Joe Gibson_ as a
second delegate.
— That we appoint B.M,Ross
and • Associates. for bridge
appraisal as required by M.T.C.
— That we send Joe Gibson to
Ale Maitland Conservation Flood
Plain meeting in Wingham.
Following lengthy- discussion
regarding wages 'for the road
department employees . the
"following policy was set: Time
and one half for any hours worked
over fortyfrirebOtifi in one week.
Double time is tp be paid for a'ny
statuatory holidays worked in
addition to the holiday being paid
itself.
e foot in t
urrow° bY
ttr,
,Letters are appreciated by Bob Trotter, Wale Rd . Elmira Orit"N3B 2C7 ..
H
, ..,
ave •you read the•big foofaraw in the morning daily papet Again,- farm Organizations have- coine off looking pretty , . .
Out of Tranna about how the. Ontario Farm Products Market-. lily-White when their .motives and their decisions have been
ing Board is' making earth-shattering decisions and not tell-
. ing anybody?' - • • . . .
Ross Henderson, writing in the Globe and Mail, maintains
that the Ontario boatd makes decisions critical to,farmers.
processors and dealers withOut announcing it rulings or the
reasoning_ behind. those decisions to the public. '
Reporter Henderson has a goad point_ - . ,.
The Ontario Farm Products Marketing. Board does Make
some important decisions- and many .of, them have an effect
on ,almost every consumer 'yet the board sees no reason to
enlighten the pUbliFas to why those decisions Were made.
This corner has been harping on:the same questionS for
years. I believe farmers and farm organizations,..shouid be
• Open and above board in everything they do. Consumers have
a perfect, right to know why these decisions are made and.
• what prompted.theM. , . • • • • . . .
mairs•pintit:"Sciinetimes board meetings are called on short
In the past., -farm organizations have come off looking , .• notice to deal with urgent problems. such as .the marketing,
•_. pretty damned good when investigations into their opera-' of "Niagara fruit . which might spoil If quick action is not lions have been carried out. Farmers have nothing to fear taken.
and neither should the Ontario-board. .._ ,--..-. ,•-. . • .• ,
An appointed board in the field of agriculture .which is The-analysis in the Globe' ot some response. too. Ontario's called on to make decisions in a hutry should not.be stymied Minister of Agriculture and Food VVilliam"Newman promii- ' by protocol and red tape. But I suggest that such cases hap- -, ed that the actions of the bqard will be open to wider "--- but; Pen so rarely that any board. would be excused when quick not complete — public scrutiny. Mr. Newman told the Globe ;
in a subsequent article that he had.notrealized the implica-
...lions of the secrecy practiced by-the board. -
From now on. Mr. Newman said, the board will be told to
post notices of appeals it will hear and to. ublish orders it'
Makes.- .
• ":1 don't *now yrhars news to you," Mr. Newman told the
Globe. "Were not trying to hide anything.: - .
' Ana that's the kind of candor needed in agricultural circles
----thege-days.. Mr. Newman recognized the problem when it
was brought to his attention -and made 'an immediate deci-
sititi to do something about it. Too many times. agricultural
decision's are made which could have a bearing on all sec-
tors of. the economy but nobody hears enough about them.
‘lle 4-k1
New and Beautiful
At a special • ineeting on
February 15 following.a tour
of several township garnet -
council agreed to ask B. M.Rois
Associates to prepare- plans. for
deCided to make no changes at ' the erection -of 'a public -works
this time but check after: garage,-subject to the approval
installatiOn on the need for • the M.T.C.
Landing strip for crop
dusfing aircraft requested
, .
questioned. Certainly, the consumers association has had to
retire to lick its wounds on a couple of occasions when mar-
keting boards and quota systems have been questioned.
Marketing boards have not woqieVery round against the- -
consumers association and (hat's the way it shouldbe. ' • -
• I'm a little perturbed, though. that Mr. Newman rejected
the idea of requiring the board to open its regular, buSiness
meetings to the•publie or the press. He maintains the, board
often has access to intimate financial affairs of ,tarmers.
processors-and dealers which-are simply not .for the general
public to Kruse. If some of these intimate details were re-
vealed. they could cause hardship to individuals and lot
companies. „ •
- Tbe idea of asking the board to give advance notice of all
meetings was also rejeCeeditid I-cart-readily see Mr. New-_
rulings are heeded if that board was unable to inform every
one through the proper channels.'
I have a solution to the problem. though-and I can give it
without charge. ,
What•the farnri products marketing board needs is an '6c-
perienced journalist who is familiar with farmers and.farm
problems to act as a•thedia relations officer for the board. At
the salaries being paid td.thedhairman,— tivto $10,000 a year •
in the advertisement — surely. the board can afford a-good •.
PR marr with plenty of experience and pay him, or het say., •
$36.000 a year.
I happen to know just the-right person for the job.
Ile writes a weekly farm column ...,
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