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The Rural Voice, 2000-05, Page 66BRUCE Email: bruce@@ofa.on.ca website: www.ofa.on.calbruce County Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER Helter Skelter or is there a better way? 446 10th St., Hanover, Ontario N4N 1P9 519-364-3050 or 1-800-275-9551 • The Rural Voice is provided to Bruce County Farmers by the BCFA. For the individual family farm the present crisis gripping rural Ontario can be a very frustrating challenge. It seems to me that most politicians only give lip service to the family farm crisis (there are a few exceptions), and others have been heard to quietly mutter that this group of complaining incompetents should just disappear. I had the opportunity to attend the agricultural summit last December in Toronto with several Bruce County Federation of Agriculture directors. What started out as a very well organized day of opportunity organized by the Canadian Federation of Agriculture began to spin its wheels later in the day when Ontario Agriculture Minister, Ernie Hardeman, and Federal Agriculture Minister, Lyle Vanclief were unable to attend. Hardeman did find time to attend the reception later. One interesting point to come out of this day was a world overview of agriculture and how farmers in all countries face somewhat similar challenges to Canadian farmers. The informed gentleman making a presentation did acquaint participants with the fact that 14 per cent of Canadian farm income, 39 per cent of U.S. farm income, and 52 per cern of European farm income comes from government support, yet we are all expected to sell in the same market- place. Something is very wrong here! This presentation told me it is unbelievable how little support govern- ments in Canada give to agriculture. When the World Trade Organization talks in Seattle collapsed without agreements on trade subsidies or farm support it is more obvious that the United States and Europe will continue to do as they please and make their own rules. Our federal and provincial governments say that they cannot match U.S. andsEurope farm support on a per capita basis. I say hogwash, they could. Part of the problem for farmers in Canada is that this country has never had to go hungry as we have an abundance of food. Another part is that a lot of farmers and commodity organizations remain divided and -don't take a unified approach. 62 THE RURAL VOICE Anyway, you can be sure that if European farmers were faced with the cost prize squeeze that is going on in Canada, they would be barricading the cities until they got improvements. In the past we had some very strong Agriculture Ministers. William Stewart understood agriculture, knew what had to be done and rather than allow farmers to keep floundering, he took action in the milk and feather industries. Federal minister, Eugene Whelan was a strong dynamic supporter bf agriculture as was Ralph Ferguson with his work on "Compare The Share". Now we come to the present. It seems to me that there is an unwritten rule being enacted to eliminate more farmers. Sometimes I don't know what it will take to arouse farmers into action. I think that farmers through their organizations in this country have been too nice for too long. In this latest fiasco the "Whole Farm Relief Program" many farmers have had all four cheeks affected, two of them slapped, and two of them booted. Yet the leaders of many commodity groups continue to say "Yes Ernie" and "Yes Mr. Vanclief'. We do have a strong Ontario Federation of Agriculture leader in Jack Wilkinso1i who does know what is happening and what needs to be done. Bob Friesen, our Canadian Federation president is extremely intelligent, well spoken, and forthright. When Mr. Friesen says to government that it is unacceptable that it requires a second job to keep the farm running, we should all sit up and take notice and support this man. This attitude about a second income started with the Farm Credit Corporation back in the 1970s and they should have gotten the boot back then. It does concern me very much that this present Ontario government attributes so little priority to agriculture that they would make such sweeping changes to OMAFRA extension services without even first consulting the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, the largest farm organization out there. I attended the Ontario government road show on farm drainage in Wingham recently. Well, the place was packed so they got people's attention. Instead of trying to propose cuts to.farm and municipal drainage support which is vital to substantiate land production, the Honourable Ernie should shake some heads and increase government leadership and support in this area. It is deplorable that present government policies seem to favour the rich getting richer, and the beat goes on. Honourable Emie's Healthy Futures program is a case in point. Individual farmers are not eligible to apply. Yet it is meant for partnerships, corporations, associations, etc. with large applications rolling in for between $24,000 and $2 million, to soon eat up this program. Just guess where most of this money will go. If the present course continues to be followed in Ontario all that will be left will be corporate farms and the Mennonite communities. Then what happens to small town rural Ontario? But there is a solution. It is time for farmers and farm organizations to press their elected organizations, provincial and federal governments to install what could be called a "Domestic Food Policy". We all know that Canadian agriculture can and does produce food surpluses to our needs for export markets. So be it, but there is no good reason that all food produced for our domestic consumption should not be priced according to the cost of production. There are intelligent minds at work in all farm organizations and commodity boards. Also we have elected politicians such as Federal MP Dennis Mills from Scarborough and others who are our friends. They are concerned and want to help out. But most of all we as farmers should not take NO for an answer.0 — Bob Emerson Huron Township Director and Executive Member BRUCE COUNTY FEDERATION OF AGRICULTURE PLEASE NOTE— There will be NO Board of Directors' Meeting in May Next meeting will be June 26, 2000