The Rural Voice, 1993-01, Page 12REPLACEMENT
CHAIN
Pintle & hook link chain
for stable cleaners.
0 O
N ` 0
Single chain conveyor chain
(in stock) $7.95/ft.
Also replacement chains
for most manure spreaders,
feeders, conveyors, etc.
LYNN LOWRY
FARM SYSTEMS LTD.
R. R. 1, Kincardine, Ont.
519-395-2615
519-395-2616
We Handle Everything (Almost)
FULL COVERAGE
PROTECTION FOR
FARM • HOME • AUTO
We specialize
in Farm
Insurance.
Call your agent
today. We will
be happy to
discuss your
insurance
needs.
Graeme Craig 887-9381
Robert McNaughton 527-1571
Don Taylor 482-9976
Banter & McEwan 524-8376
John Wise 482-3401
Exeter Ins. Brokers Ltd235-2211
Cockwell Ins. Brokers 356-2216
Est. 1876
McKILLOP
MUTUAL
INSURANCE
COMPANY
Seaforth 527-0400
1-800-463-9204
8 THE RURAL VOICE
Adrian Vos
Trouble in the pork leadership
You may be deceived if you trust
too much, but you will live in
torment if you don't trust enough.
Frank Crane
Trust men and they will be true to
you; treat them
greatly and they
will show
themselves
great.
Ralph Waldo
Emerson
I wonder
what is happen-
ing with the
pork board. As
far as I know,
and, as a past
director for a
dozen years I
know it quite
well, there was
never any secrecy from the board
towards its producer members.
This is now changing.
On December 9, I went to
Belmore to cover a meeting of
producers from the North area with
the board's restructuring
committee. I was politely, but
firmly, requested to leave. Any
discussions, Glen Agnew, the
Secretary to the Board, told me, are
confidential. The board doesn't
want their producers at large and
the general public to know of any
dissension between the local
leadership and the board. Those
present, Agnew said, would be too
inhibited to speak freely if they
knew that the producers, through
the press, were present.
Maybe so, but I believe that all
producers, not just the selected, are
entitled to hear what the critics
have to say, regardless if that
reflects unfavourably on the board
and their policies. Or do they
believe that the great unwashed
crowd is incapable of making sound
judgements and that these judge-
ments should be left to the wise
men of the board?
"I hope you don't have bad feel-
ings" about being tossed out,
Agnew said in parting. Darn right I
feel resentful on behalf of all non -
invited producers who are left in
the dark about how their animals
are or will be marketed.
In the December issue of The
Rural Voice John Van Nes wrote
that "confidence and trust is sorely
lacking in the board." When I first
read this I discounted his opinion as
an isolated one. But after my ex-
perience I am beginning to believe
that the board itself may be planting
the seeds of distrust.
All the above doesn't mean that I
agree with Van Nes. He may, or
may not, be correct in the general
sense, but if he makes such broad
accusations he should show some
courage and show which of the
directors and staff are to be distrust-
ed, and why. To do otherwise
smells of cowardice.
I happen to know the sales staff
pretty well, as I should after having
served producers on the board for a
dozen years, and I'll vouch for their
integrity and ability at any time. I
have also worked with most of the
directors still on the board and, for
the life of me, I cannot see why
they should not attempt to obtain
the highest prices for Ontario hogs.
After all, these are the prices for
their own hogs as well.
Maybe this distrust is part of the
disease that pervades all of our
society. Our federal and all
provincial governments and their
leaders are mistrusted and accused
of putting self-interest above the
common good. This seems to be
the "politically correct" attitude.
But that distrust is a problem in
itself. As Van Nes notes, we can-
not afford to keep leadership that
we distrust. I want to add that the
board cannot be effective if it dis-
trusts its members. The board must
be more open, as it was in the past,
and producers must begin to trust
the very people they elected to run
the board. Unless they do, our
country and our organizations will
be in for a rough time. And guess
who will suffer because of it.0
Adrian Vos, from Huron County has
contributed to The Rural Voice since
its inception in 1975. He is a writer
and raises exotic birds on the farm
where he raised pigs for many years.
i
1