The Rural Voice, 1983-08, Page 45STRIKING BACK
Farmers on the short end
by Detonator Dan
The Old Detonator has decided to
digress from the usual comments and
STRIKE BACK.
A few days ago I took the opportunity to
peruse the local rag and noticed an article
re the Farm Credit Corporation. The
amount of funds had been cut and
farmers were left on the short end of the
stick, or shovel again. The Canadian
Federation of Agriculture (C.F.A.) sug-
gested that they were angry. Stop for a
minute, fellow readers, and consider the
political clout of the C.F.A. Can the C.F.A.
wield a heavy rammer or does it continue
to bite at the Canadian Red Carrot?
Many times the various Ontario farm
organizations have approached govern-
ment, cap in hand, to try and extract a bet-
ter deal for Ontario farmers. Some times
they have been successful, but most
times the great Ontario Blue Carrot still
dangles.
Question if you will, the need for three
farm organizations in this Province of On-
tario. Three different groups each trying
to extract benefits and money from
government. How easy for Government to
keep everyone off balance. Something
similar to all the beef farmers trying to
unload their fat cattle to two or three
buyers! Can we continue to afford the lux-
ury of three organizations?
Ontario farm organizations have no
doubt contributed to the betterment of
agriculture in general and the farmer in
particular. However, I believe that the pre-
sent organizations are too fat, have too
much money in the bank and too many
people trying to be all things to all
farmers. Can we afford to pay staff to
recruit new members? Can we afford to
sell farm machinery? Should we be af-
filiated with a very influencial farm
newspaper? Must we be in competition
with other Health Insurance groups?
These questions I leave for you to answer
for yourself.
At the present time, politicians merely
pay lip service to agriculture. Bandaid pro-
grams do not work, and only tend to make
political heroes out of small time politi-
cians. Can we continue to afford the low-
key, non-political approach that farm
organizations are making to government?
It is time for change.
I believe that Ontario farmers need an
organization that is lean, hungry, and
highly political. We need an organization
that is prepared to lobby in a heavy direct
manner. If we have to buy politicans, so be
it. If we have to fill election coffers, so be
it. We, as farmers, must become a force to
be reckoned with. If you continue to sit in
the boondocks and believe that Massey
Ferguson, Dome, Chrysler, and Maislin
Transport went to Government, all at
once, cap in hand, you, fellow reader are
not living in reality. Stop and think, how
much of the money that was GIVEN to the
above firms was turned back into election
coffers.
Farmers can and must extract the same
type of business from governments. If the
agriculture industry is going to survive, we
must be prepared to present a direct, in-
fluencial, heavy-handed lobby, to govern-
ment.
I suggest a fee of One Thousand dollars
per person. One hundred going to a lob-
byest's expenses, and the balance ear-
marked for political lobbying.
It is time for change.❑
Detonator Dan [a pseudonym as you may
have guessed] is a practicing farmer in
the boondocks of Colborne Township,
Huron County.
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THE RURAL VOICE, AUGUST 1983 PG. 43