The Rural Voice, 2006-12, Page 52News in Agriculture
Ed Danen heads Perth County Federation
Ed Danen of Shakespeare was
acclaimed as president of the Perth
County Federation of Agriculture
when the group held its annual
meeting in Mitchell, November 4.
Danen succeeds Robert Martin of
Listowel who steps down after two
years in the position.
In his acceptance speech, Danen
said farming tests farmers' ability to
adapt to change. Change can be good
at some times and challenging at
others, he said. Sometimes we want
changes, as in pressing the
government to implement safety net
programs, and other times we don't
want change including new red tape
created by governments.
First vice-president is Bernice
Kelly, RR2, Atwood and Bert
Vorstenbosch, RR2 Mitchell is
second vice-pesident.
Vorstenbosch was also acclaimed
as OFA regional director for Perth
South/West. Burnell Kipfer, RR1,
Sebringville, was acclaimed regional
director for Perth East while Andy
DeVries, RR1, Atwood, was
acclaimed regional director for Perth
North/West.
Martin said the two years of his
presidency had flown by. The last
year has been very busy with
demonstrations in support of better
government farm programs.
The meeting also approved a
resolution calling on the OFA to take
the lead in renewing the fight for a
risk management program for grains
and oilseeds farmers.
"Our farm crisis is definitely not
over," said deVries in moving the
resolution. "Bob (Martin) and I sat
down with a number of farmers (over
the issue). We still feel OFA should
be the lead to get the•risk managment
program."
The Federation had to use some of
its reserves to cover a small deficit
for the year. Secretary -treasurer
Agnes Denham explained supporting
the various demonstrations had put
the organization over its original
budget.°
Robert Emerson acclaimed to 3rd
term as Bruce Federation president
Robert Emerson of RR3, Ripley
was returned for a third term as
president of the Bruce County
Federation of Agriculture at its
annual meeting in Formosa, October
27.
Acclaimed as first vice-president
was Lorne Underwood, RR1,
Clifford while second vice-president
is Peter Jilesen, RR 1, Paisley.
Emerson said a major
disappointment of his first two years
• was the failure of the provincial and
federal governments to support
farmers the way they are in the U.S.
and Quebec. At a time when Ontario
farmers were getting $2.20 a bushel
for corn Quebec farmers were getting
$5.15, he said.
He commended Larry Miller, MP
for Bruce -Grey -Owen Sound for
always being accessible but he
warned: "But this ship (agriculture)
cannot go on five years like this.
Farm organizations are going to have
to be a lot more aggressive."
The U.S. Farm Bill is providing
cheap grain for Ontario's processors,
he said while Canadian producers,
whether they feed their own grain or
sell it, are shouldering the burden.
Emerson said he had met with
HELP FOR ONTARIO FARMERS IN CRISIS
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RR 2, Dobbinton, NOH 1LO
Provides - a free confidential service
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1-519-369-6774
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48 THE RURAL VOICE
Huron -Bruce MPP Carol Mitchell a
week earlier and asked her what
position Ontario was going to be
taking to the Novembert 14 federal -
provincial meeting of agriculture
ministers. "The song and dance we
get about bashing federal politicians
is not good enough."
"I can see that in the next year
OFA is going to become a lot more
aggressive," Emerson said.
Jilesen, meanwhile, was named
winner of the volunteer of the year
award by OFA Field Representative
Gertie Blake. Jilesen represents the
Grey -Bruce Pork Producers
Association on the Federation board,
communicating the work of each
group to the other, she said. He
attended Queen's Park 101 which
educates farm leaders on the working
of the Ontario government and takes
.part in the Grey -Bruce Agrifair and
Roots of Bruce as well as recruiting
people to take part in farm rallies.
Jilesen, who has hogs and sheep,
thanked his wife for making his
voluntary work possible by doing the
chores when he was off at meetings.
He urged those being approached
about wind leases to contact their
lawyer before they signed. "The
deals are getting better and better."
Alan Smith was acclaimed as
OFA regional director for Bruce East
while Emerson was named director
for Bruce West.O
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