The Rural Voice, 1988-03, Page 21Program. That's the kind of role we
can play."
Despite the dramatic economic and
social shifting occurring in agriculture,
the CFFO has consistently argued for
programs that would maintain the
family farm. Government programs
are analyzed from that perspective.
"Our goal is to put more family farms
into agriculture rather than take them
out." This has led to policy statements
Jongejan acknowledges the
difficulties in defining the family
farm, but adds, 'We still haven't
lost sight of what it means to be
a family on a farm together."
advocating the separation of farm sub-
sidies from production, for example,
and the inclusion of home -fed
grains in the Special Grains
Program, as well as a stand
against free trade. Jongejan
acknowledges the difficulties
in defining the family farm,
but adds, "We still haven't lost
sight of what it means to be a
family on a farm together."
Yet the organization is not
without its critics. One com-
ment that surfaces repeatedly
concerns its ethnic focus.
When asked about it, Jongejan frowns
and says slowly, "I think it's a prob-
lem ... I think we can live with it.
We've lived with it a long time. I
don't think we need to apologize for
who we are either .... Do we have to
change our last names?" In recent
years, the directors of the CFFO have
made a greater effort to reach out to
other farm organizations and church
groups, and the CFFO remained one
of the last members of the Liaison
Committee of provincial farm organ-
izations.
Brigid Pyke, president of the
Ontario Federation of Agriculture,
attributes the co-operative relations
between the two groups, in part, to
Jongejan's easygoing and straightfor-
ward manner. For his part, Jongejan
credits Pyke, and Harry Pellisero
before her, for "understanding who
we are." One of the results of this co-
operative spirit has been the formation
of a joint committee to promote a
check -off proposal that would support
general farm organizations.
If the check -off were implemented,
what would the CFFO do with the
money? "Hire a full-time president!"
On a more serious note, Jongejan adds
that increased funds would enable the
CFFO to do the independent research
needed to propose programs that
would make agriculture profitable.
Jongejan's vision for farming looks
decades down the road. "Without any
long-term goals in front of you then
you're always just reacting to what's
in front of you and are always putting
out fires. Hopefully we can keep our
eye on those goals. Meantime we still
have to put out some fires."
Applying his faith to daily life
means more than the late nights and 4
a.m. chores that are a consequence of
frequent meetings. Every weekday
morning the Jongejans' eldest son is
driven to Holmesville where he gets
a bus to a Christian high school in
London, and his younger children all
attend a Christian elementary school
in Clinton. For someone whose first
love was not farming, Bill Jongejan
has come round to a total commitment
to his calling in agriculture. For him,
this means raising his children on a
farm, taking the best care of the soil
and the land that he can, and accepting
a responsibility to serve by sharing his
vision of a more stewardly approach
to creation.
Besides, running his own farm
does offer a few advantages, he adds
with a smile. "I don't have to pick
cucumbers!"0
Susan Glover is an "ecumenical
farmer" in Grey County. She and her
husband support the Federation of
Agriculture, the Christian Farmers,
and the Concerned Farm Women.
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MARCH 1988 19