The Rural Voice, 1982-11, Page 27pa
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ONE MAN'S OPINION
An old story
for thanksgiving
By Adrian Vos.
Today, as I write this, it is Thanksgiving Day in Canada. It is
also the first National Food Week. We all have seen editorials in
the newspapers extolling the degree of wealth we are to be
grateful for. Foremost in line is the thankfulness for the
abundance of food we have in this
country, and rightly so. Not just the city
dwellers, but also those who produce the
food; the farmers have much to be
grateful for, especially when compared
with the poor in third world countries.
What I wonder is how sincere are those
same city dwellers in their gratitude? I
haven't seen many buses full of city
families in the country to praise farmers
for their hard work and dedication to
keep the larder filled at a reasonable
price.
Talking to non -farmers, it appears to me they really don't give
a damn where their food comes from or if the farmer goes
bankrupt producing it, no more than farmers care about city
unemployment. The mutual expression is more like, "That's too
bad. Poor devils, I really feel for them."
I believe we farmers have fallen into the trap of compassion for
the starving. Who hasn't been touched by the films of emaciated
children and the doleful eyes of their mothers. But that didn't
happen because there was no food in the world. It wasn't the
fault of the farmers of the world. There was and is plenty. But
our federal ministry urges us to produce more food while the
overproduction threatens more and more farmers with bank-
ruptcy.
Yes, by all means let's have compassion for those who need it,
but let us direct our help in a practical way. Producing more is
definitely not the answer at this time.
At this time of thanksgiving, we have all heard the good news.
The stockmarket is recovering and interest rates are dropping.
Hurray. Or is it? How much benefit do we as farmers get from
the increase in the priceof stocks and bonds? The only thing is a
possible upswing for us in one to two years, and even that is
academic. The drop in interest rates is a help to service our debts,
sure, but how much difference does it make for those who are
already on the brink of bankruptcy? Is a rate of 15% or 16% such
a great deal?
Will unemployment drop now that investors are making a
killing in the market? Don't count on it, economists warn us.
Thus there won't be more money to spend on our produce.
The sad fact is that society, through our governments is not yet
ready to acknowledge the major role agriculture plays in our
balance of payments by supporting us through an income
insurance stabilizing program. Instead Agriculture Minister
Whelan, who has his hang-up on his own version of a national
Meat Authority (whatever that will be) calls us welfare recipients
when we cash in on crop insurance or other stabilization
programs.
But, as Jonathan Swift said:" ...whoever could make two ears
of corn or two blades of grass grow upon a spot of ground where
only one grew before, would deserve better of mankind, and do
more essential service to his country than the whole race of
politicians put together."
Yes, let's be thankful, but not be blind.
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THE RURAL VOICE / NOVEMBER 1982 PG. 27