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The Lucknow Sentinel, 1982-07-07, Page 5Lieknow Umbel, Wednesday" July 71; 190—Page 4 Farm assistance program disci groin page'; For exam0e, when this session began in \ March it was obvious that the program had not gotten off the ground in its first two months. In the words of OFA President talph Barrie: "...it is so tied up in red tape RN not helping the people who need R". The government recognized the relative Ineffect- iveness of OFAAP • and broadened its eligibility rules. The results to date indicate that by . dropping the required value of production from $25,000 to 512,000 only 32 more • farmers qualified. And byraising the accept- able level of equity in the farm from 50% to •60%, only 203 more farmers have qualified. In other words, despite the Minister's contention that OFAAP has "gained wide- spread assistance", in fact, it has not. In its original form, it has assisted $83 farmers.6, The March 'enriching' of the program has • added 235 more, for a total of only 1,118 of the more than 80,000 farmers in . this province, • "I leave you to conclude as to whether this number represents an adequate proportion of those who are facing serious financial • difficulties. 1 venture the prediction that there are more farmers in the VVinghani •Area • counties alone who are in. need of assistance. If yea were a car dealer, Frank Anglican bishop dies •*. • By May Boils • Miller would have responded a long tiMe ago," remarked MacDonald. But there is another major criticism of OFAAP.. Its $60 million assistance so much trumpetted by. the Tory Government, is not likely to be achieved• , For example, . the program offers three options. The first is a six-month deferral of interest. Only 29 farmers have sought that option, for a total of $267,768 in loans. This is likely to make little, if any, claim on the much -publicized $60 million available, The second option provides for a• subsidy of up to 5 points on interest rates. Here the total of loans approved. is $226,291,384. A 5% interest subsidy represents an • $11.3 million claim on the $60 million. The third option provides for a. -.govern- ment guarantee on new lines of credit Here the total in the first six months • was $21,872,637. Given the stringency with which banks are making loan* these days, it is highly improbable that more than 10% of these guarantees will have to be 'picked up by the government That will lay claim to no more than $2 million of the $60 Million. To sum up on OFAAP, government assistance in the first six months (apart from administrative costs) is in the range of $13 - S14 million, a far cry from the $60 million ointi headlines, • So for OFAAP, the centre piece of Tory agricultural policies, there is a growing likelihood' that by year's end no More than half the much -publicized $60 million In assistance will have been made available to farmers. As with most agricultural policies of the Davis government, much is promised but leis is delivered, said MacDonald. The other major elements of policy are equally inadequate or questionable, Mac- Donald explained. . For example, the Provincial Treasurer sweetened government offerings to farmers by a' $5 million Farmstead Improvement Program. In this a grant of up to $2,000 is available if the farmer can match it from his ' own savings ,for improvements on buildings and line fences. • For those farmers facing survival and in • greatest need, • this • is a cosmetic gesture, which does nothing to get at the basic problems of agriculture, MacDonald obser- ved. • . . • • On the important tile drainage program the Government boasts that it will be making $36 million available this year as compared• with $26 million last year, ignoring the fact that of that $26 million figure, only $8 million WPC. nOW It1M1M/. :The reMaining S18 million was recycled Money from repaid loans. The government's attitude toward ag* culture is summed up in the overall budget, set this year at $284 million, approximately . one per cent of its $22 billion total expenditure, This is less than was spent on agriculture last year, he added. , In fact, as usual, this year's budget will be, significantly less than that of Quebec despite the fact that Ontario has twice as many farmers as Quebec. Myth festival 9pens.•• 'from ppge 1 Gerard Lejeune, owner of the local co-op • store and Janet Amos (author of the play and Festival artistic director) as Felice Lachance, a floosie pursued by ;Gabriel Deveau, As, seems to be the unique tradition at the Blyth Festival, the actors appear in the aisles once in a while, really getting the audience involved. A few toes can even be heard tapping to the fiddle music. Down North,, directed by Layne Coleman, will run throughout July in repertory with Heads You Lose. Tickets are still available for all dates but hurry ; once the word gets out about how heart warming this play really is,those tickets may be harder to -get. ' • • Wordwas received here on Saturday of the death" of the " RightReverendH. E. Apple- • yard of London; retired bish- op of Huron Diocese. He . began his ministry here, and syMpathy is extended to his wife, Muriel and theli fam- ily, Edward, David and Nan- cy. The funeral was Monday afternoon at St. Paul's 'Cath- edral, • London. Mr. and Mrs. Ken Brown and family of North Burnaby, B.C. are holidaying here with her mother, - Mrs. Bertha ' Haldenby and other mem- ber* of her family'. • , Mrs. Mary Taylor of Ayr • , and Mr*. Thelin Green of Teeswater visited, with Edna and May Boyle.' Mr and Mrs. George Bar - 'reit, Jennifer and George of Toronto visited with Mr. and • Mrs. Davi() Haldenby, Jef- fery and Julie and other relatives here. Joan Hamilton of St. Cath-. , arines visited with Mr. and Mrs, Jack Barr. Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Percy of St, Catharines visited with • Miss Winnifred Percy. Din- ner guests at the same home were Mr. and Mrs. • Bob Brooks and boys of Listowel, Mrs. Morley Bushell of • Wingham and Mrs. • John Barr of here. In the afternoon the ladies visited with Mrs. Grace Graham and Mrs. Dorothy Thompson'at Bruce - lea Haven at Walkerton. • Misses Edna and May • Boyle attended the 125th • • anniversary of St. Luke's Church at Lurgan On Sunday afternoon. and were dinner guests with Mr. and Mrs. John • Scott at Ripley on Sunday evening. Congratulations to all the students who passed their examinations and we wish all ' teachers and students a • happy holiday. WANT ADS make great reading! .By'the light ofthe'.. moon you can save on every •Item. In our giant store,sale. •Thursday & Friday Ju y 8th & 9t SPECIAL PHENTEX ELITE YARN OZ. ORR27. GR. , • • R•g. i344 • SALE PRICED i3." LESS1S% Thurs. • & .Fri. 71. SKEIN 'SPECIA 5 PACK CHOCOLATE BARS O'Haisry, Ratandrii, Giosait it Raisins & Peanuts tivgm.st , SALE PRICED '1.17 LESS1S% 99Pth Thurs. frt. • Everything in the store Including merchandise already clearance priced. On all cash or new • 'lay=away purchases except fountain 8..tobaqo products. • ( tSTRIP SUNCOAST SU,NCSKL. IIMAL .GQDRICH Niiimiumnimmiworap.