The Rural Voice, 1985-12, Page 34YEAR END CLEARANCE
Demo NH 849 bales S13,913
3 NH 489 haybines ... AT COST
New NH 353 mix mill $ 6,336
New NH 555 mix mill $ 7,869
New NH 770W
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New NH 311 baler ... less 10%
New NH 316 baler ... less 10%
New NH 782
harvester 1984 price
Special NH programs in effect
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years.
Trades needed on balers &
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Happy New Year
from
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32 THE RURAL VOICE
FARM NEWS
Project Hope provides support
"Where's the hope?" was the ques-
tion asked by more than 50 people
representing Ontario's farm and com-
munity leaders at a think tank held in
Bolton last month.
They met at a conference called
Project Hope, which was designed as
a forum to seek improvements in the
delivery of compassionate help to
farm families in financial distress.
The impetus for this two-day event
was provided in early 1984 by Elbert
van Donkersgoed of the Faith and
Agriculture Lecture Series Commit-
tee, an off -shoot of the Christian
Farmers Federation of Ontario.
By pulling together the ideas of
team members from a wide variety of
interests, the Project Hope team
created a complete picture of the
situation facing farm families in
distress. "We'll weave strands of
ideas together to make something
strong enough that you can trust your
life to it if you have to," said Jan
Sanders, seminar leader.
The group divided its approaches
into three time frames: immediate ac-
tion (one to two months), short-term
(three to six months), and long-term
(one to two years). Some of the plans
under consideration as a result of the
conference include:
• setting up an interdenominational
sub -committee of Project Hope
• encouraging people to become sym-
pathetic advisors to those in distress
• informing the clergy about farm
realities; letters are to be sent to
church groups, and a connection
made with the Ontario Agricultural
College
• launching a farmer friendship
system
• expanding the Women's Institute's
leadership training program to in-
clude peer advisor training
• establishing a Grey -Bruce pilot pro-
ject with a holistic approach to help-
ing farmers
Project Hope also stressed the need
to provide financial training for
farmers still on the farm and to iden-
tify off -farm employment for those
who must re -structure their lives.
One of the suggestions, a catalogue
of services for farm families in
distress, has already been put into ac-
tion, and the catalogue is expected to
be completed this month. It was also
suggested that local versions of the
catalogue be written.
A representative of the Ministry of
Community and Social Services en-
couraged the group to lobby the
minister of that department for ser-
vices in rural areas. Until recently,
she said, the ministry has received few
requests from rural areas, and
therefore has offered few services.
While emphasizing the importance
of "co-ordinated Tong -term policy"
and planning to hold a learning
seminar to discuss the economic
policy side of agriculture, Project
Hope members also noted the im-
mediacy of the challenge. Par-
ticipants were asked: "What will you
do tomorrow as a result of Project
Hope?"
"I will share the material with my
colleagues, and report to the Minister
of Social Services, John Sweeney,"
said one team member. "And I will
show Project Hope material to a per-
son who is writing a paper about
social services in the rural communi-
ty.
"I'll take this hope back home and
pass it on to other farmers," said one
participating farmer who has con-
quered a personal farm financial
crisis.
"Tomorrow, I'm going to see a
farm family who are in crisis, and I'll
tell them that people are starting to
understand. They don't have to strug-
gle alone," said a farm community
leader.
The conference drew participants
from the agricultural and agri-
business community, banks, the
Farm Credit Corporation, govern-
ments, churches, the Christian
Farmers Federation, the Ontario
Federation of Agriculture, farm
women's groups, the Ontario In-
stitute of Agrologists, Agriculture
Canada, and the University of
Guelph. It was held November 12 and
13.
Following are selections from first -
person accounts of the farm crisis as
experienced by farmers, consultants,
and advisors. All were participants in
Project Hope, a conference designed
to set up approaches to supporting
farmers in distress.
From Farming to Real Estate
Bill Zettel, Walkerton
My wife and I purchased our farm
from my father in 1978 and erected