The Rural Voice, 1980-02, Page 41Since eauKiv edePtateaft "6w:ccder-vie
Award to be presented
C.F.O.S. Owen Sound in honour of Tommy Cooper
(Former agricultural representative in Grey County)
will be presenting this year's award during
Grey -Bruce week in the last part of March.
This award is presented to an individual who has
contributed the most to the agricultural community
in the past five years.
Private individuals or groups in the Grey -Bruce
area are being asked to send nominations of their
choice to C.F.O.S. Radio, Owen Sound.
Gordon says Quota a privilege, not a right
Gordon Hill couldn't have produced a
more provocative headline if he had
searched forever. This headline taken from
a recent Toronto Star was his opening to an
excellent speech made to an audience at
Farmer's Week at Hanover last week.
Gordon explained that although the
headline was misleading, at present with
quotas worth what they are, farmers are
leaving themselves wide open to this type
of trash or sensational news.
Who, as a consumer, wouldn't read
something like that and come away with a
feeling of "they deserve whatever they
get" attitude? This type of news is the last
thing farmers need when they are slowly
making inroads in educating the public
what the actual rural situation is.
BY GISELL IRELAND
Gordon feels that a quota is a privilege to
produce,not a right, and should be handled
as such. When quota values are equal in
value to the animals involved perhaps
steps should be taken to reverse things. He
feels no one is entitled to make a profit on
this privilege. There were of course
farmers in Hanover who disagreed with his
view, but it had the effect that Gordon was
striving for, it made them sit back and
think.
Gordon also stated that when the U.S.
embarked on their grain embargo to the
U.S.S.R. the Canadian bubble of
prosperity burst for the farmers. Farmers
were told to look forward to large surpluses
in grain and meat products. Again, he
seemed to gauge the audience for their
reaction. Here were farmers who were
looking for hopeful news and were in
essence told that everyone would have to
pull their own plow to succeed.
Each farmer is going to have to look for
personal resources and ability to pull
tnrough. Adversity will of course give an
"out" for those looking for one anyway but
the majority will hang in there and scratch
all the harder. The grain embargo took
everyone by surprise and was sprung
overnight; perhaps something on the plus
side for the agricultural community will
appear just as rapidly.
Generally, Gordon Hill felt that
somewhere along the line someone wi'11
have to take less.; as usual, it looks like the
farmer.
-HURON FED- CONT -
Directors Meeting
Toronto
After our meeting was opened by Ralph Barrie, our president,
Gordon Hill chairman of the membership committee.gave a brief
report on the objectives of his committee for the coming year.
With the federal election coming up the representatives of the
three major parties spoke on the policies of their parties to the
directors.
Mr. Blackburn who represented the New Democratic Party
was first. He stated that a stabilization program and marketing
boards were a major part of his party's platform. Quotas should
be distributed through boards and returned to boards not traded
or sold. Boards should have a point system in awarding those
quotas in such a. way that they promote a viable family farm
and are available to new and young farmers. Funds for
alternative forms of energy, and the environment, for example
acid rain and other pollution were a major concern of his party.
His party would reduce interest rates by 2% if elected.
Mr. Whalen was next for the Liberal party. He stated that the
previous Liberal government should be given credit for the
progress in the Dairy Industry. He criticized the former
conservative government for the way it handled the chicken
import situation with the United States. If the last budget had
not been defeated, they would have destroyed what his
government did for the Ontario wine industry. His government
was committed to a stabilization program that would (a) cover
100% cost of production. (b) farmers would contribute to it. (c)
particpation would be voluntary.
The Honorable John Wise followed up for the Conservative
Party. He said "we promised to give agriculture a prominent
spot in the policies of our government and we did." Trade and
Tariffs as negotiated in Galt were acted on. A beef import law
was established, and a limit on chicken imports was put in place.
When asked about the grain embargo, he said farmers
would be compenstated for any losses incurred. On stabilization
he would carry on the program now in effect. hilt didn't feel
farmers were too enthused about the proposal made by the
Liberal Government.
These were the major points as near as I could interpret chem.
A request was made by the people who are working on the
Corn Marketing Proposal for funds to defray some of their
travelling expenses. It was pointed out that OFA should not take
sides on whether or not such a board should be established, but
since corn growers should have the opportunity to express
themselves through a vote on the issue, it was suggested that the
executive consider defraying some of the those expenses for the
committee members and a motion was passed to that effect.
• THE RURAL VOICE/FEBRUARY 1980 PG. 39