The Rural Voice, 1980-01, Page 4Letters
to the
Editor
Profits do what has to be done
In his recent column entitled "Let's not pass the buck" (Dec.
issue Rural Voice) Keith Roulston flings some well deserved
verbal brickbats at the farming industry that land close enough
to make those of us involved in the industry wince.
Indeed it is high time that we do as Keith suggests and take "a
big dose of taking the responsibility for our own actions."
Some of the specific examples given in the article, however are
poorly thought out. In the matter of foreign ownership, let us
suppose that one John Smith, on principle, refuses to sell to an
absentee purchaser for $1200 per acre; rather he sells to his
neighbour Bill Black for $800 an acre. Now, Bill Black may or
may not be sincere when he purchased the property{ however, a
few months later he sells the farm to an absentee owner for the
higher price thus reaping a substantial windfall profit! Those of
us who have been delegated as farm spokesman feel it would be
unreasonable to ask the first individual to make such a useless
sacrifice. At the same time we are promoting policies in land use
and absentee ownership of farmland, that we feel are for the
long term benefit of the agricultural industry but may be less
beneficial to some individuals in the short term.
The word "profit" has become a dirty word and perhaps
rightly so as Keith has pointed out; however, let us not forget
that without profits and maybe because of lack of them, we have
been, and will be, unable to do the things that most of us know
need to be done.
Unfortunately, farmers feel themselves in an economic vise. In
order to continue to be independent, we have fought against big
business domination in agriculture on one hand, and on the other
hand failed to unite to demand a fair return from the markets as
the unions have done.
Keep the brickbats coming Keith, but polish the inaccuracies
off them first - they would hit harder.
T
Merle Gunby,
Pres. HFA
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PG. 2 THE RURAL VOICE/JANUARY 1980
1
7
eijoice
Let us reflect lect upon the message of
the Holy Season ... "Peace on
earth, Good Will toward Men."
Howson
& Howson
Limited
Flour & Feed Millers, Complete Farm Supplies
Grain Elevators
WINGHAM, BLYTH, CARGILL