The Rural Voice, 1991-09, Page 82BRUCE
County Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER
446 10th St., Hanover, Ontario N4N 1P9
519-364-3050
• The Rural Voice is provided to Bruce
County farmers by the BCFA.
WHY AREN'T FARMERS RAISING THEIR VOICES?
1902, wheat $2.14 per bushel — 1991,
wheat $2.04 per bushel.
1982, A 1 steers 90.58 cents per pound —
1991, cattle 78 cents per pound.
1981, 100 index hogs $117.20 per 100
kg. —1991, hogs $151 per 100 kg.
The list could go on. Just where have all
the farmers gone? Does no-one care? I listen
to the CUPW leaders threatening to go on
strike because Ure Federal Government
wants to maintain their wage increase at four
per cent, and does not want to provide the job
security package demanded. Farmers can't
even maintain their incoine !hey got from 10
years ago, let alone security o' tenure.
Unbelievable, but wheat farmers are
getting less than they were 89, yes, read it
again, 89 years ago, and yet, other than the
OFA, and the commodity boards, I hear very
few farmers raising their voices. Why, I even
heard one farmer exclaim he could still make
a little money growing wheat. What is hap-
pening? Why are the farmers not doing
more?
Are we at the final bend in the road? Are
the farmers of this province so weary after 10
years of stress and trauma, that they consider
defeat now inevitable?
Yes, we are all weary, but defeated —
NO WAY. There is a war out there, but it is
not one we intend to give upon. Since 1967,
when a govemment report suggested the
removal of two-thirds of our farmers from
the land, there is no doubt the governments
of this country are near to succeeding in one
of the most successful social engineering
programs ever.
BUT CAN THEY REALLY SUC-
CEED? Only if the farmers of this nation,
and now specifically Ontario, let it happen.
I can hear now, as farmers read this
column, a certain group saying, "This guy's
cra y, just another one of those Bruce
County Federation people." Well, crazy I
may well be, but out of touch with reality,
never. Look around you. I mean, take a real
hard look, and keep your mind open. Where
have all the farmers gone?
Oh yes, there are still people working the
farms, but how many are doing it full-time?
Each one of you that is working out, or has a
family member working out, whose off farm
income is contributing in any way to the
farm, ask yourselves, could you suryive
without this income?
Why am 1 and so many others con-
cerned? Because it appears too many farm -
78 THE RURAL VOICE
ers are reaching the end of their rope. The
incidence of stress breakdowns, marital
problems, financial problems, and even sui-
cides, is reaching epidemic proportions. We
are seeing the years of holding down the fort
by working at one, and two, and sometimes
more jobs as well as maintaining the farm, is
exacting a tremendous toll.
Lois Hinz, Director of Bruce Primary
Mental Health Counselling Service, noted in
an address to an NFU conference in P.E.I.,
that "Farm people are worn down, depressed
and tired. They have turned their anger
inward and so have lost their energy."
She continued, "Members of the farm
community have lost their confidence and
self-esteem, and they no longer feel valued
by society. This devaluing of farmers is
insidious and widely accepted."
But these are just poor managers and/or
the smaller farms!! WRONG. Recent fig-
ures from the Farm Debt Review Board
indicate a much higher percentage are fauns
with over $100,000 in sales, and/or OVER
$100,000 in EQUITY. No one can be ex-
cluded. More and more we are seeing those
within the supply managed commodities
having problems. Incomes are far from
keeping up with ever increasing costs.
Our federal government is doing nothing
to help, in fact they are working with policies
that do just the opposite. Become more
competitive is all we hear. My question is
competitive with whom? To enter a compe-
tition means to have a chance at winning, if
we are competing with the U.S., then they
have already won the game. Example: A
national energy policy in this country that
allows American farmers to buy the same
urea fertilizer as us at up to $60 a ton cheaper;
an interest rate some four to five basis points
higher than in the U.S.; a farm debt load in
Canada that is now out of control and is
running at a 6:1 ratio, as compared to the
U.S., when traditionally it was 10:1; a pro-
vincial govemment in Ontario that cost
Ontario farmers some millions of dollars this
spring when they failed to live up to their
responsibilities with the MSA program.
Taxes, input costs, labour, etc. etc. etc.
I don't believe the govemmentcan suc-
ceed, as I believe when the Canadian farmer
and the Canadian public wake up and realize
we are losing the greatest resource this coun-
try has — the family farmer — with the
ability to grow the forest quality food in the
world in abundance to feed all citizens, then
I believe we can stop the carnage in our rural
areas.
What you can do: Firstly, don't sit back
and think I'm OK, because you're not. Start
working together, support the farm groups,
stand up to be counted. The farm leaders of
this province are working incredibly hard for
EVERY farmer, but despite all their work
and personal sacrifices, none of it means
much without the support of the farmers of
Ontario.
Thank you to a local farmer who, after
visiting friends in Essex County, realized
just how bad things are for the farmers of that
area. Perhaps, before any of the "well-
established" farmers level criticism at others
not so fortunate, they should take a day and
visit some of the areas of the province devas-
tated by drought this year. Not only will they
be shocked, but they will also learn, many of
those in trouble were the "well-established"
farmers just a few years ago.
IN UNITY THERE IS STRENGTH.O
Tony Morris
NOTE: Each month this page will contain an
opinion on a current farm issue. We would
like to know what YOU think. If your opinion
differs from the one you have read here, or if
you support our view, call the office at 364-
3050.
BCFA
REGIONAL MEETING
October 3, 1991
8:00 p.m.
OMAF Boardroom,
Walkerton
Guest Speaker:
Bill Weaver
OFA 2nd vice president
BCFA Directors' Meeting
Monday, Sept. 23, 1991
OMAF Boardroom, Walkerton
8:00 p.m.
Members are welcome to attend