The Rural Voice, 2002-04, Page 14QUICK -FIT
INTERCHANGEABLE
FRONT-END LOADER
ATTACHMENTS
Front Loader Pallet Fork
9 1
1
• 48" long solid forklift tines
• Sliding adjustable
• 5000 Ib. capacity
Manure Fork
• 48" - 7 tines • 60" - 8 tines,
• 72" - 9 tines • 84" - 11 tines
Single European -Style Spear
SE500
„`--
• 39" forged tine
• Easy stabbing & removal
• Optional 49" tine available
Material Bucket
P
• Wrap-around wearbar for extra
strength
• Unique formed construction for
easy filling and clean-out
HORST WELDING
R.R. 3, Listowel, Ontario N4W 3G8
(519) 291-4162 FAX (519) 291-5388
Dealer enquiries invited
10 THE RURAL VOICE
Jeffrey Carter
U.S. subsidies are not going away
Jeffrey
Carter is a
freelance
journalist
based in
Dresden,
Ontario.
By Jeffrey Carter
Expect to hear about the new U.S.
Farm Bill in the coming weeks. Both
the Senate and the House in the
United States have passed their
version of the bill.
The two proposals are to be
melded into a single piece of
legislation and President George
Bush is expected to sign it by the end
of March. The bill may even come
into effect for 2002 crop.
Both the Senate and House are
looking to maintain high subsidy
levels for grains and oilseeds and a
number of pulse crops. Given that,
downward pressure on prices will
continue and perhaps even increase.
And although the idea is to put more
money up front to avoid emergency
bailouts, emergency payments are
still not out of the question.
As the chief economist with the
National Farmers Union told me over
the phone from Washington,
"Congress does whatever it wants."
• Lyle Vanclief, Canada's
agriculture minister, is threatening
legal action. Don't expect much more
than bluster, however. Both the
Senate and House maintain that their
proposals do fall within World Trade
Organization guidelines for the U.S.
What Vanclief doesn't seem to
realize is that if you want in on the
subsidy game, you need to ante up.
It's probably a moot point
anyway. The U.S. is the biggest wolf
in the pack. Come to push and shove,
they're going to have their way.
Consider PEI potatoes. Consider
softwood lumber. Consider the
direction in which the "War
on Terrorism" is taking.
A fair number of U.S. farm
groups are celebrating, especially
when it comes to the Senate proposal.
The Senate calls for caps on subsidy
payments of $275.000 for individual
farmers and $350,000 for couples. 1t
also seeks to prohibit packers and
processors from owning livestock and
includes a program for beginning
farmers and ranchers.
The proposals. if they become
part of the final bill. may represent a
fundamental shift in U.S. policy
direction. It's an indication that U.S.
policymakers are beginning to
understand that strong family farms
in sufficient numbers are a key
component to rural Arperica.
The federal and provincial gov-
ernments in Canada should take note.
Governments in Canada also need
to reconsider their position on
domestic support for its farmers.
Subsidies are not going to disappear
in the U.S. in the foreseeable future.
In order to maintain the basis for
Canada',s second largest industry -
agriculture - Canadian farmers will
need a far great commitment from
government.
Farmers, however, had better
continue making contingency plans.
W'th the system of democracy in
Canada, minority groups, including
Canadian farmers, do not have an
effective voice — especially in
Ottawa.0
RAISE MONEY
FOR YOUR CLUB OR
ORGANIZATION
Sell subscriptions to
The Rural Voice
and earn money for your
4-H Association, Junior
Farmers group or other rural
organization. Substantial
commissions offered.
(opportunities particularly good in
Wellington, Waterloo, Oxford, Middlesex
and Lambton Counties.)
For more information
contact Keith Roulston,
Publisher 523-4311