The Rural Voice, 1997-12, Page 63GREY
County Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER
446 10th St., Hanover, Ontario N4N 1P9
519-364-3050
• The Rural Voice is provided to all Grey
County Farmers by the GCFA.
OFA membership continues to grow
By the time you read this, you will
all know that the Grey County
Federation of Agriculture held its
57th Annual Meeting and Banquet on
October 24. You will probably know
that Bob Rodger is now your new
President, Karl Chittka is First Vice -
President and Second Vice -President
is yours truly. I would like to take a
moment to congratulate President
Bob, and I look forward to working
with him during his term in office.
My congratulations also to Karl.
I would like to take this
opportunity to thank Ken Furlong,
our past president for all the hard
work that he has done on our behalf
over the past three years. It seemed
he was somewhere most nights, for
Sue invariably was the one to answer
the phone with a "No! I will get him
to call you back". Thanks Sue, and
thanks also to your children for
holding the fort, enabling Ken to be
away from home so much working
for the benefit of others. Ken it has
been a pleasure working with you.
We have now had almost four
years of Farm Business Registration,
and it is interesting to note the trend
over those years.
The refund rate in 1995 was 21.36
per cent, 19.88 per cent in 1996; and
18.54 per cent in 1997. Ontario
Federation of Agriculture
membership in 1995 was 35,303;
35,663 in 1996; and 38,032 in 1997
(to date).
This upward trend in membership
is very encouraging to all those hard
working volunteers up and down the
concession roads throughout Ontario.
A recent news release issued by
the OFA stated that President, Tony
Morris took a message to the House
of Commons Standing Committee on
Finance in Ottawa on October 30,
1997.
In the submission, the OFA called
on the federal government to:
60 THE RURAL VOICE
• Increase the funding to agri-food
research in Ontario with sufficient
funds to undertake projects which
meet the needs of specific farming
regions.
• Maintain as a minimum the
$500,000 Lifetime Capital Gains
Exemption.
• Increase the annual RRSP
contribution limits to $14,500 for
1998-1999 and $15,500 for the year
1999-2000.
• Maintain the three-year
accelerated Capital Cost Allowance
for pollution abatement and energy
conservation equipment.
• Re -instate the five-year block
averaging option for farm income
tax reporting.
• Implement an investment tax
credit to encourage business re-
investment and extend this tax
credit to include building
materials, machinery and
equipment.
• Maintain the ethanol excise tax
exemption.
• Maintain taxes on gasoline at
current or lower levels.
• Maintain at least $600 million in
the safety net budget and ensure
that safety net funding is
distributed equitably among all
participating provinces.
• Develop in co-operation with
provincial governments and
industry representatives, an
adequately funded, comprehensive
system of farm income safety nets
based on the "whole farm"
approach of income stabilization
which provides equitable treatment
for all Canadian farmers.
• Continue to adequately fund
environmental initiatives for the
benefit of agriculture.
• Expand matching investment
initiatives with more flexible
eligibility criteria.
• Expand the use of scientific
research and experimental
development tax credits.
"Agriculture is one of the
strongest sources of jobs in today's
economy," said Morris. "For every
$1 million in additional agricultural
output, 31 jobs are created."
If you have any thoughts on the
above issues, that you would like to
share, please call me at 986-2162 or
our office in Hanover at 364-3050 or
if long distance 1-800-275-9551.
The year is rapidly drawing to a
close, and by the time you read this,
Christmas will only be a short time
away. So have a very happy
Christmas and a good New Year.O
Submitted by Bob Brassington
OFA Regional Director, Grey East
and GCFA 2nd Vice President
GREY COUNTY FEDERATION OF
AGRICULTURE
DIRECTORS' MEETING
Thursday, December 18, 1997
1:00 p.m. **NOTE: TIME CHANGE**
OMAFRA Boardroom, Markdale
Members are welcome to attend.