The Rural Voice, 1982-02, Page 18KEITH ROULSTON
The "rainbow" is still far away
As one who has never been a supporter
of the "bigger is better" philosophy
whether you're talking about government,
unions or business, 1 would find it hard to
have much sympathy with the current
plight of many "big" farmers if it weren't
for the fact they were the "good" farmers,
doing what they were told to do by all the
experts.
For decades now the experts have been
telling farmers that if they would only do
this or that they would find the prosperity
they have so long sought. It has been like
the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
Unfortunately we all know that you can
never reach the end of a rainbow because,
being an optical illusion: no matter how far
you travel toward what appears to be the
end of the rainbow, the rainbow is still as
far away. It's been the same with farm
prosperity since the end of World War 11.
Oh sure, relative prosperity has come to
the farm. Farmers now have newer cars
and trucks, something virtually unheard
of in the fifties, they have dishwashers and
microwaves and colour televisions just like
anyone else. They also. in some cases at
least, pay a lot less in income tax in a year
than people with urban jobs or businesses,
something which can make town and
vilTage residents a little unsympathetic to
farmers' plight. Much of the "prosperity,'
however, has been because of debt
financing. If you're going to borrow
$90.000 to keep the farm going. why not
tack on a few thousand and make your life
materially better in the house? Why
should farmers do without forever?
Just get 200 acres; just get 300 acres.
the solution to farmers' problems for 30
years has been to get bigger. Get a bigger
combine, get a bigger tractor. build a
more efficient barn. get a bigger herd. It
all takes money. Farming hasn't been so
lucrative that many farmers can finance
this kind of expansion through their own
reserves so the banks come into it. first for
a few thousand, then tens of thousands.
now in some cases hundreds of thousands.
The government says be efficient.
Consumer groups say don't work under
marketing boards because they don't
promote efficiency. Let farms get bigger
so they'll be more efficient. Let them
specialize so they'll be more efficient like
industry. Don't these dumb farmers ever
learn? they ask.
Well for the most part they learned or
they were no longer in farming. The little
guy, the one who wanted to keep mixed
farming, who wanted to get by on 100
acres eot run out of the business and only
the farmers who wanted to get bigger -
were left. The world turns again and only
the bigger of the bigger are left and so it
goes until we have the situation today
where most farmers have hundreds of
Liz Bend Solhallan 312K
Back Fat 10 m.m. 129 days 151 index
$3525. Top selling boar 1980 Pork Congress
acres. specialize in one or two kinds of
farming. have a house filled with modern
conveniences and a tractor with stereo in
the cab but also lay awake at night
worrying how they'll ever meet their loan
payment if the price of beef drops two
cents or the rains don't come at the proper
time in July or stop at the proper time in
September. They face the stress of big
time business managers without the
rewards.
So the price does drop and the interest
rates go up and all the "good" farmers.
the guys who heeded the word about
getting bigger and more efficient and not
joining marketing boards are in trouble.
And surprise. surprise, the only ones
sitting comfortably are these inefficient
guys who somehow survived on 100 or 200
acres, diversified production and little
equipment or those other bad guys who
joined marketing boards that could set
prices.
Our society. from government to
business to consumers has got to learn
there must be some stability in farming,
there must be some rules that if you follow
them. you can survive and prosper.
As long as you have a better chance of
picking a winner and making money at the
race track than you have in producing
food, we're never going to have a very
healthy nation.
We have a good selection of boars and gilts of
Yorkshire, Duroc, Landrace, Hampshire and Hybrid
swine available for private sale.
This is our 15th year of offering progressive pork
producers Ontario's largest selection of R.O.P. and
veterinary approved stock.
Our herd is maintained as a closed minimal disease
operation
9th Production Sale
Sat., Feb. 20th
at 1 p.m.
at the farm of Warren Stein
Directions: Soutn from Tavistock on 59 to Oxford 28. Turn
right Go to second concession #11 turn right. We are the
third farm on the right
THAMES BEND FARMS LTD.
R. R.6, Woodstock, Ontario N4S TW1
519-655-2942 or 482-2704
RICHARD AND WARREN STEIN
PG. 16 THE RURAL VOICE/ FEBRUARY 1982