The Rural Voice, 1983-01, Page 21FARM NEWS
OFA Report
After heated debate in the farm
community this past year, both pork and
beef producer organizations rejected
supply management as a method of
marketing their products, suggesting
instead the introduction of a better
stabilization scheme.
There have been stabilization programs
in effect since 1958 but usually they have
relied on a percentage of historic prices
to trigger payouts; with inflation, these
payouts have been too infrequent and too
little to be very useful to producers . As a
result, various provinces have top -loaded
the national program creating ad hoc
systems across the country advantaging
one group of producers over another.
Governments and producers across
Canada have not been able to agree on a
scheme responsive enough to protect
farmers yet not stimulate production and
cause even more problems.
In response to this situation, OFA has
developed a stabilization scheme called
"market risk insurance". The OFA pro-
posal is a tri -partite program where
producers and federal and provincial
governments share the costs.
Some of the criteria of the plan are as
follows: participation in the plan would
be voluntary; producers who withdraw
then wish to rejoin would be subject to a
penalty; support price, as well as the full
cost of production would be announced
at the beginning of the production
period; the support price would include
the input costs, including family labour,
but would include only part of the return
to management and equity. Farmers
having less than ten per cent or less
equity, would not gain protection from
further debt. This situation will have to
be dealt with in a complementary
manner. Also there would be an upper
limit of production eligible for coverage.
The OFA market risk insurance plan
provides a framework for federal provin-
cial co-operation instead of the confron-
tation that exists now and at the same
time, provides a measure of security for
the farming industry.
TRANSCRIPTS AVAILABLE
For the first time, transcripts of
Country Canada are available to the
public this year. Scripts of shows that
deal with such topics as soil erosion, the
tobacco industry, well witching, the glut
of fish in NFLD, kelp farming, Canagrex,
farm labour, sour gas, Massey Ferguson,
rail line abandonment, the expropriated
land around Mirable Airport in Montreal,
international trade and soil salinity cost
$3.50 a piece.
Cheques should be made out and sent
to CBC Transcripts, Box 500, Station A,
Toronto, Ont. M5W 1E6 with a mention
of the specific show required.
Smyth Blowers are tough and dependable snowblowers built for
Canadian winters Farmyardscarparks and driveways dont have
be big winter problems Get Into that snow with a Smyth Blower
• Heavy duty gear box with 1r/. shafts
• 65 hp power shall with shear pin on 72 ' 84 and 96 models
• 120 hp power shalt with shear pin on 96' and 108 models
• Bali or tapered roller bearings on an revolving shahs
• Strongly constructed 4 blade tan designed for powerful suction
intake and high capacity output Blows all types of snow more
than 60 feet
Choose your Smyth Blower from the specification chart or mbuire
about front mounted models at the George Smyth Welding and
'Aachine Shop Ltd
George Smyth We1di'nj
And Machine Shop Ltd
"WE BUILD THE BEST AND REPAIR THE REST"
R.R. 2, AUBURN. ONT.
NOM 1E0
TEL. 529-7212
Wishing
all of our friends
and customers
a bright New Year
from the staff at Listowel Co-op
and the staff at Be1gra‘e Co-op
UCO UNITED CO OPERATIVES OF ONTARIO
LISTOWEL BELGRAVE
291-4040 357-2711
Wik
THE RURAL VOICE, JANUARY 1983 PG. 21