Loading...
The Rural Voice, 2005-12, Page 65PERTH fetk County Pork Producers NEWSLETTER Russ Danbrook, President 519-356-2385 • The Rural Voice is provided to Perth County Pork Producers by the PCPPA 'Twas the Night before Christmas Any opinions expressed herein may not necessarily reflect the views of the Perth County Pork Producers' Association. 'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house not a creature was stirring not even a mouse. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care in hopes that AGRICORP AND CAIS CHEQUES soon would be there. The parents were nestled all snug in their beds while visions of "ONE VOICE" danced in their heads... If you are a cash crop farmer living in Ontario this may be the way you see this classic Christmas story. Doom and gloom is the economic forecast for corn, bean and wheat prices and it appears that Santa Martin and Santa McGuinty are not interested in topping up the stockings. If you're a beef, sheep or hog farmer in Ontario you too have felt the wrath of the Grinch through BSE, low hog prices, increased interest rates, disease and a sky rocketing Canadian dollar and energy costs. If you're in the Supply Managed Industries you too may be feeling the strain of high quota prices, avian flu, decreased production levels, increasing costs and World Trade Talks that threaten the high tariffs that protect the very foundation of these industries. The question I ask is simple. As farmers what do we need to do to get the support and respect of our peers and politicians? Personally, 1 am getting tired of farmers being treated as welfare recipients. I am tired of farmers making the news only because of poor prices or bad weather. I am tired of seeing the same footage of the same mad cow circling in the same dirty pen somewhere in Great Britain. Mostly, 1 am tired of agriculture groups fighting among themselves and politicians not listening. But then again what are our messages; "ONE 'VOICE" and "FARMERS FEED CITIES" what does this mean? Farmers are businesspeople. But when someone asks what your occupation is, what is your answer? Is your answer "I'm a self employed Businessman / woman" or is it "I'm a Farmer"? My answer is "I'm a Farmer!" and I'm proud of it! I am in the business of farming and as such I am involved in one of the few businesses in the developed world which is still mostly governed by the law of supply and demand (and government subsidies and tariffs) to determine price levels. However, farming is different than any other business on this planet. We buy inputs at retail prices, to maximize productivity, rely heavily upon nature to determine final production and sell our product wholesale based solely on world supply and demand. Our production is perishable and, we must often sell into the current market conditions. Farming is also extremely capital intensive. Economics would tell us that in order to increase price, you must limit supply to a point where it is economically advantageous to produce. The poultry, egg, turkey, tobacco and dairy portions of farming have managed to do this by using border tariffs and cost -of -production formulas to stabilize these industries. Why not do this for other farming commodities? Why not limit corn production to 100 bushels per acre? Why not limit white bean yields to 10 bags per acre or hay production to 100 bales per acre? Does John Deere build more combines than they can sell? Does G.M. continue to build more cars than they can sell? The answer to the question whether farmers can, or should limit supply, in my opinion. is a resounding NO! It is not human nature to risk starving one self for financial gain. As is evident in North America, most of us do not go hungry. Rather, many of us over indulge in caloric intake. Our cupboards and store selves are full. In other words, we as farmers do an excellent job of producing the basic ingredients for food. As well. we a� farmers manage great tracts of land and Targe numbers of animals in an environmentally responsible manner. We, as farmers. do a good job. unfortunately, the better the job we do the less our financial reward and the worse we feel. Farmers will never be able to agree to work as one voice. We are as individual as our fingerprints. However, we can agree on common goals. One goal is to feed the world. The other goal is to be rewarded for doing an excellent job. I belieNe that is what the Canadian cash crop farmer is asking when looking for a tariff on American corn. It is what the American farmer is asking when the. want a tariff on Canadian hogs. Farmers have a job to overproduce and the public has an obligation to support overproduction! It is in every person's hest interest. Peace on Earth, Goodwill to all! — Submitted by David Vandewalle o°RKP a©�� 13�t ArS • Smoked Pork Chops • Fresh Pork Chops • Stuffed Loin Chops ;',`/ • Smoked Sausage • Smoked Cheddar Sausage • Bacon Burgers 's • Teriyaki Pork Steaks • Vittorio's BBQ Sauce Available from: se Steve Hulshof (Kinkora) Walter Bosch (Monkton) `\\ Ted Keller (Mitchell) a`W • 3 tra • 348-8167 356-9000 >� 348-9836 /e 0 �rw as �a I DECEMBER 2005 61