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The Citizen, 1991-08-07, Page 1Welcome smiles Tourists get help in Blyth See page 3 Optimists scarce Look at farming future gloomy See page 10 Farce at Blyth Comedy group to tape radio show See page 22 Farm groups unite to fight for farm aid By Jim Fitzgerald In an unusual display of solidari­ ty, farm leaders from Ontario's main farm groups are calling for emergency aid from the federal and Serving Brussels, Blyth, Auburn, Belgrave, Ethel, Londesborough, Walton and surrounding townships. VOL. 7 NO. 31 WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7,1991.60 CENTS About 75 children from the Blyth and Clinton Summer Recreation Programs competed in Olympic Day events at Lions Park in Blyth last Thursday. Here, Chris Stewart of Blyth, dives through the jungle gym and blazes ahead of his opponent to gain the lead for his team in the Obstacle Course relay. One year later Walton says P.O. change wasn't so bad Il's been one year since Canada Post closed their post office at Humphries' General Store in Walton, replacing it with a retail outlet at the Walton Tea Room. At the lime of the closure, many residents were mildly hostile to the change, due in no small part to what they saw as the forced retirement of postmaster Marjorie Humphries. However, as the first anniversary approaches, the general consensus is favourable to the new service. provincial levels of government to off set low prices that have hit the province’s cash crop farmers this year. The Ontario Federation of Agri­ "Except for the fact that we lost our general store, which means one less place of business here, I’m pleased with the service," said resident Jeanne Kirkby. "Otherwise I have no bad feelings. I like coming here for my mail and I like the De Jongs." Thys De Jong and his wife B.J., owners of the Tea Room and operators of the postal retail outlet, say that Walton residents have expressed pleasure with the increase in hours of service they culture (OFA), the largest farm group in the province, has teamed up with the three other commodity organizations: the Com Producers Association (OCPA), the Soy Bean have.''They can now pick up their mail anytime, night or day," says Thys. "Before they had to wail until the store was open, but now they can pick up their mail any day of the week, any hour of the day.” "It's nice to have this here in the community," said Gloria Wilbee. I'm glad they're here and the mail service is fine." "The only complaint I have with this system is the boxes. They freeze up in winter," said Rob Little of Walton. This is a problem Growers Marketing Board (OSGMB) and the Wheat Produc­ ers Marketing Board (OWGMB). They arc calling for a series of gov­ ernment measures to put some that Canada Post has been made aware of and is looking into, Thys said. For the De Jongs to provide even better postal service, it has meant extended hours; Thys’ work week has increased to 77 hours, but little of that is actually spent dealing with maiL "I spend three- quarters of an hour getting mail ready and there are a few little things, like selling stamps and envelopes, but it's no more than Continued on page 9. badly needed money into farmers pockets until a new government assistance program kicks in next year. Currently, prices for grains and soybeans are at a 15-year low sell­ ing for half the 15-year average, which farmers say is far less than it costs to produce them The farm groups loured the province last week to meet with local farmers and the media to dis­ cuss the problem and call for immediate help. “The survival of the family farm is at stake,” Roger George, presi­ dent of the OFA told a meeting of farm groups in Mitchell on Thurs­ day. He said the last decade has been particularly difficult for farmers, who have faced high interest rates, a high exchange rates and low com­ modity prices. “This is a real crises — a final compounding factor of 10 years of attrition of farmers. We have tight­ ened our belts as far as we can go,” said George. Frank Anthony, president of the OCPA said com producers are only getting 60 per cent of 1970 prices while costs to grow, harvest, and store the crop have quadrupled. “We're getting $90 a tonne for com when it costs $130 to produce it. And that's on the heels of a number of bad years,” said Anthony. Fanners this summer are so short of money to pay bills, they are either being forced into bankruptcy by the banks, or just giving up. “We lose a family farm every five minutes,” said Anthony. Bev Hill, a large successful cash crop farmer from Varna who also operates a grain elevator on his farm, told the meeting that farmers who stored last year’s crop hoping for better pnees this year arc being hit by a double whammy. Prices for the 1990 crop have continued to drop, so that by the lime they pay storage drying and interest charges, there’s nothing left. In fact, Hill said in some cases, farmers actually end up owing him money. Hill pointed out that winter wheat, which traditionally provides a cash injection in mid-summer to help farmers pay off bills or loans from spring seeding isn't helping this year. Last year, farmers collected about $230 per acre F»r wheat, said Hill, where this year because of poor yields and depressed prices only realized $130 per acre. “That's a difference of $100 per acre. Where are they supposed to get that $100 from?” asked Hill. Hill said that everyone in the industry is fearful about the future of the industry. “Most of the people coming into my elevator have gray hair. There are no young people going into farming.” Many farmers and their spouses are now working off the farm just to make ends meet, said Hill. The problem stems from a gap in Canadian government subsidy pro­ grams which arc necessary because of an international grain trading war between the United States and the European Economic Communi­ ty. Farmers in those countries have rich subsidy programs that pay them to grow grain and the result­ ing over production is dumped on world markets al fire-sale prices Continued on page 19.