The Rural Voice, 1999-12, Page 27optimistic."
During the good times of 1995-
1.997 farmers were saying that "this
time it's different". because world
population and export markets had
expanded.
"We're going
to enjoy a real
Utopia of high
prices for
years to
c o m e . "
Farmers began
paying
outrageous
prices to buy
and rent farm
land. Even at
the high com-
modity prices
the return did-
n't justify the
high land
prices, he says.
The curr-
ent crisis in Western Canada is
another example of how short-term
thinking can come back to haunt
farmers, Gaunt says. Governments in
the west, in response to calls from
farm leaders during good times,
dropped GRIP.
"I think it was very foolish of
them to drop that program. It was
short-term gain for long-term pain.
"In a sense farmers are almost
schizophrenic — they're free
enterprisers this minute but the
minute there's a dark cloud on the
horizon and they can't pay their bills
they say 'Get me out of this' to the
government."
This kind of misreading of trends
has come despite the fact farmers
have more training and education
than ever before.
"Farmers today as a group are
generally very well read and well
educated," he says pointing to the
statistic that 40 per cent of farmers
use the internet. "I find that quite
amazing."
But the sense of history and the
wisdom that perspective
brings, is lacking, he says.
The mark left by those people who
fought to give farmers more, power in
the market is obvious, he says.
"I don't care where you go in this
province or in this country, and you
drive down the country road and you
can pick every one of them out: that
guy is under supply management, the
place is neat and trim, the building
all fixed up, well-dressed. I mean you
just know. And that came with a
struggle. The younger people don't
Gaunt and Kevin Stewart appeared on The Family Farmer
when CKNX television still produced its own shows.
have the same sense of urgency about
keeping their marketing boards,
about keeping supply management."
The younger generation of
farmers doesn't seem to know the
history of the fights farm leaders had
to undertake to get marketing boards
and some clout in the market.
"We've become so enamored with
the export markets and free enterprise
and survival of the fittest that we've
tended to lose perspective on our
history — the history of marketing
boards, the history of the tights that
had to be endured with governments,
with other farmers and with
agribusiness. Those periods of the
late 1960s and early 1970s when we
were struggling with trying to even
up the clout in the market place so
that farmers wouldn't be at the
bottom of the totem pole — that
there was some leveling of the
playing field in terms of establishing
market prices for farm commddities."
Because the younger generation
has so little sense of the historic
struggles that went on they seem not
to value the marketing tools that have
been won at such high cost, he says.
"I think that's unfortunate because if
they don't (value them) we're going
to lose them and the whole cycle is
going to repeat itself again."
Just as farmers think every boom
market is "different this time", young
farmers are apt to think that the
DECEMBER 1999 23
Happy
a'--' Holidays from
.sttti:: McGavin's
allIr,
'T -f
I To Al! Our Valued •Cu.slomers:
Thank You, Thank You' We at McGavin s would
like to thank all our customers for (heir patronage
in making our 63rd year in business a busy one'
Avoid down time next year and take \,
advantage of our Winter Fix Up program A
on now Call for details Be sure to look for
our Parts Fair special coming in the spnng as
well as our great oil program and toy specials on
now, For your farm equipment needs. check out
New Holland's Winter Programs or wrn(er
discounts from one of our 50 Shornme
V.', companies for your year-end buying
i Once again we appreciate and thank you for
all your support and patronage over the past
years and look forward to many more Thanks
for making Huron Shine in 99 From our stat at
McGavin's, we would like to wish you and your
families all the best this holiday season
Keep Smiling and
Happy Holidays,
CA V
,r <,...,;. 'jilt
41
Book your equipment in for our
WINrERF/
NEW HOLLAND
Ask for Jeff j
7;;Feir •ot piia r •
For the experienced collector or -
Christmas Gift Giving +,
See our farm toys at the dt4
Seaforth Midwestern Ontario OPy is
Show and Sale December 4 & 5 ,d
Up to 20% OFF
• * We have a large selection of
new and used snowblowers
McGavin fD
Farm Supply Ltd.
(519)527.0245 WALTON(519)887.6365 6! 4
A..k for Brian, Jeff, Burt or Steve
AFTEG3 IX10Mt , PT]OO E1L 0o@
BURT LOBB, Blyth (519) 523-9634
JEFF McGavin, Brussels (519) 887-9996
BRIAN McGavin. Seatorth (519) 527-2394
STEVE Coulter, Brussels (519) 887-9289
DECEMBER 1999 23