The Rural Voice, 1982-11, Page 40Grey County Federation of Agriculture
Newsletter
Grant Sweiger Award Fund now at $3500.00
Ray Robertson reported that the Grant Sweiger Award fund
has now reached $3500.00. The Award will be presented at the
Junior Farmers banquet in February.
There were 22 directors present for the September meeting in
the OMAF board room. Our new secretary Mary Harvie,
presented the financial statement.
Doug Gowanlock, in his report, said 30 new members were
signed in Grey in July, (241 were signed in the province.) Fifteen
directors and ISM's along with four fieldmen, made 163 calls.
Grey is down 70 members from last year. Doug suggested an
Orientation Clinic be held after the annual meeting to educate
new directors as to OFA activities, committee work etc. The PR
committee will set up the clinic.
The regional meeting for Grey East and North was held in
Markdale with a small attendance; 3 ISM's attended from East
Grey.
Regional Director for Grey North - Not Definite
Delegates to the OFA Convention, November 22, 23 and 24:
Roger Lamont - Sydenham Township, Carl Spencer - Derby
Township, Wayne Hilts, - Sydenham Township. Regional
Director for Grey East - Clay Schwegler, Artemesia Township.
Delegates to the convention, Oscar Tyson - Osprey Township,
Bessie Saunders - Euphrasia Township. Regional Director for
Grey South / Bill Pullen / Proton Township.Delegates to the
convention,Ted Jacobs - Normanby Township, Murray Clarke, -
r
IMPORTANT
The Directors of the Grey County Federation of Agriculture need
your opinion on the following questions. This is your opportunity
to voice your opinion on a program which will affect your tax bill
for years to come. Fill out the questionaire below and mail it as
soon as possible.
QUESTIONAIRE: PROPERTY TAXATION OF FARMS
Do you agree that $12,000.00 is a reasonable
yearly gross to qualify for the Tax Rebate
Program?
If you answered No, do you believe the
minimum qualifying gross should be
Do you agree that the Farm Price Index
should be applied to index the qualifying
yearly gross?
❑ ❑
Yes No
U 0
higher lower
❑ ❑
Yes No
Cut-out and mail to: - Grey County Federation of Agriculture,
446 - 10th Street,
Hanover, Ontario.
N4N 1P9
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PG. 40 THE RURAL VOICE / NOVEMBER 1982
Normanby Township, Michael Burke - Glenelg Township. Allan
Hershey is alternate.
The guest speaker for East and North was Jim Rollings, sales
manager for the Ontario Pork Marketing Board. For South Grey
the speaker was Harry Zwerver, the general manager of OFA.
Hydro's Southwestern Route Stage Study ; Working Groups
will begin their meetings in October r 82 continuing to October
83. Bruce Saunders will attend the Elmwood meetings and Bessie
Saunders will attend the Honeywood meetings.
The OFA directors gave their reports. Agri -Food Week was
promoted by Ralph Barrie's radio tape, by counties setting up
displays, farmers being host to urban people showing them
around the farm and answering questions, and by taking a food
basket and showing what per cent of each product came from the
farm.
A brief will soon be available on OFA achievements. The farm
tax revision is back on the agenda due to OFA pressure.
A resolution was passed that if a five day week must be for
rural mail delivery, then Saturday delivery continue and delete
Monday delivery. Grey directors agreed to support OFA and
have a resolution at our annual meeting re mail delivery.
OFA,by belt tightening has saved S200,000. Grey also has to do
some belt tightening. The Grey directors agreed to forget about
their per diems until the end of the year. Mileage and other
expenses will be paid. The directors haven't been paid for several
months.
The office at Hanover is equipped to print programs, tickets
etc. Please give the secretary one or two weeks notice if a large
amount of printing is needed. This could help defray the office
expenses.
Sullivan and Egremont townships have chosen November 5 for
their annual meetings. Egremont Township also has a meeting at
Watra Resort on November 9 with the Provincial Minister of
Agriculture - Dennis Timbrell, as guest speaker. Everyone is
welcome.
A small group of directors took the bus trip to the Essa
Demonstration centre. The demonstration was set up under the
hydro lines to show the effects of the lines on fences, water and
people.
The Property and Taxation Committee have prepared a
questionaire which follows. Please read it and answer it. Then we
will know how the members in Grey County feel about the
proposed Property Taxation.
GREY COUNTY FEDERATION OF AGRICULTURE
PROPERTY TAXATION OF FARMS
About ten years ago, the O.F.A. lobbied the Provincial
Government to amend farm taxes as they believed the farmer was
paying a higher share of municipal taxes, particularly education
taxes compared to those living in urban areas. As a result, a
rebate system was introduced which presently returns half the
total taxes paid to farmers.
This was not to be a permanent policy, however, the