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The Rural Voice, 1988-10, Page 72BRUCE 44610th St., Hanover, Ontario N4N 1 P9 519-364-3050 • The Rural Voice is provided to Bruce County federation members by the BCFA. County Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER BCFA MEETING, AUGUST 25 Murray Elston, MPP, attended the August meeting of the BCFA. Murray was appointed Minister of Financial Institutions on August 16, replacing Deputy Premicr Robert Nixon, who rcmains in charge of the Ministry of Treasury and Economics. Murray also continues to serve as chairman of the Management Board and of Cabinet. Bruce directors told Murray that they believe agriculture is drastically underfunded. Murray replied that other departments such as doctors and hospi- tals have the same complaint about underfunding. All ministries, he said, are restricted budget -wise except in cases of emergency, like forest fires. The directors requested that Murray take back to Toronto crop insurance concerns and a request to continue the OFFIRR program at 100 per cenL The directors are also asking for provincial and federal support for stabilization on farm -fed grains. As well, the BCFA would like to see the provincial govern- ment support Credit Unions in agricul- tural lending. A resolution to remove provincial sales tax from concrete for farm use was carried. Presidents' meetings are scheduled for Huron, Grey, Bruce, and Wellington counties on October 21, to be held in Wingham, Chatsworth, and Arthur. OFA in-house planning on long-term policy, structure, and finance is to be discussed. A letter from the Niagara Escarp- ment Commission advising the amend- ment hearing has been rescheduled to November 1 and 2, 1988, at the Grey County Council Chambers in Owen Sound. Recommendations, concerns, and input or ideas from people in the peninsula are requested for presentation at the November hearing. Bruce has received 17 new members as a result of its membership drive. OFA field representative Gertie Blake reported that fraud charges have been laid as a result of ads promising money to farmers by the Canadian Government Farm Support Program scheme. 70 THE RURAL VOICE The regional directors reported that crop insurance and drought relief was discussed at the August board meeting. It was decided that there must be an ad hoc payment but it should not under- mine the crop insurance program. The CFA informs us that the Canadian West is no longer in favour of free trade. OPINION: THE BIG ISSUE If the results of the opinion survey published in last month's column are any indication, agriculture is moving in a direction contrary to the wishes of the majority of farmers. While those who responded were practically unanimous in the assessment that many farmers are failing through no fault of their own, only 21 percent could endorse more government subsidies as a possible solution. This comes as no surprise, for while we all cash in on government goodies, we decry the state of affairs that makes them necessary. Developing hand-out schemes to deal with the long-term systemic prob- lems in farming is madness; farmers have known this for a long time. Now governments of all nations see that the hole they have endeavoured to fill is a bottomless pit. Faced with the prospect of emptying national treasuries in an all- out agricultural subsidy war which would benefit no one, the search for an alternative course has become urgent. The alternative bcing championed by the U.S. administration with enthusi- astic support from Thatcher and Mul- roney would take us down a path where DON'T MISS THE BCFA ANNUAL MEETING AND GUEST SPEAKER BILL JONGEJAN IN RIPLEY ON NOVEMBER 4 — CONTACT A DIRECTOR FOR TICKETS the scenery is, unfortunately, familiar. This plan calls for the elimination of subsidies world-wide so that "market forces" can bring about an end to surplus production and bring stability to the farm economy. The historical fact that "market forces" have never brought about anything remotely akin to stabil- ity, only chaotic, unpredictable fluctua- tions, seems to have slipped by. The Public Relations Committee reported that a random telephone survey was taken of four per cent of the BCFA membership. The results are conclu- sive. A motion was carried to forward the BCFA Opinion Survey to each county federation president in Ontario to obtain a cross -province survey.0 Farmers have been fed this ration before, and ended up with an acute stomach ache. They realize that the so- called "free market" in commodities is open to manipulation and interference on every level, that it always has been and always will be exploited to the advantage of everyone except the pro- ducer. Our survey demonstrated this clearly. When asked to respond to the statement, "Agriculture needs produc- tion controls to be financially secure," 72 per cent of the farmers surveyed agreed. Only 1 in 5 thought that there might be some hope for stability outside of a controlled production system. The farm community should wake up now and realize that the course for agriculture being pursued by the federal government, a course that will be firmly entrenched and practically irreversible once the Free Trade Agreement with the U.S. is finalized, is in direct opposition to the saner, more co-operative ap- proach we have been moving toward. In this regard our federation is failing dismally. In the absence of consensus, we seem to be riding the fence, officially not supporting the agreement, but offer- ing only half-hearted opposition. Twenty years from now we may look back and realize that while our farm or- ganizations fumbled around with tax reform, checkoffs, and other relatively minor issues, the basic direction of agri- culture was decided by someone else.0 Respectfully submitted, BCFA Public Relations Committee Note: Each month this page will contain an item of opinion on some 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 464-3050.