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The Huron Expositor, 1994-01-05, Page 6THE HURON EXPOSITOR, January 5, 1994-3 Agriculture GATT plan won't shelve egg board BY DAVID SCOTT Expositor Staff GATT has put no cracks in the egg marketing board according to Jim McIntosh, Huron County Direc- tor for the Ontario Egg Marketing Board. "As of July 1, 1995, in the new (GATT) agreement, Article 11, Section 2C(I) which protects us from imports, will disappear. The new protection at the border becomes tariffs," said McIntosh in an interview with the Huron Expo- sitor. What will happen under NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agree- ment)? Under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), supply management boards have been given special consideration and protection according to the Cana - GATT may threaten supply management As farm groups debate the implications of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) decisions on agriculture the National Farmers' Union sees no reason for optimism on supply management. Canadians should be very sceptical about the enthusiasm shown by federal representatives, according to the NFU. "The government has pub- lished initial tariffs ranging from 182.1% for turkey to 351.4% for butter under a formula contained in the final draft of GATT," said a press release from the organiz- ation. "However, under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the American starting point for bilafer—Ia negopatrons is 0% tariffs." The Farmers' Union says that while Canadian negotiators say GATT will take precedence over NAFTA rules, American trade officials say the opposite. "The end of Canadian market- ing board quota systems and the reliable production of quality food as we know it, will come much faster than the suggested six to eight years," said Peter Dowling, Ontario NFU board member. Seaforth man charged A 31 -year-old Seaforth man was charged with operating a motor vehicle with more than the legal amount of alcohol in his blood during a RIDE spot check early December 12, Mitchell Police Chief Chuck Zehr reported. The Reduce Imparied Driving Everywhere (RIDE) spotcheck, held in conjunction with the Sebringville OPP, was conducted at the traffic lights at the corner of Ontario Rd. and St. George St. The man was caught at approxi- mately 1:35. "I think we have a pretty efficient egg production system..." dian Justice Department, said McIntosh. Canada exports very few eggs to the United States annually. And of the processed egg products we send south of the border, most of those products were made from imported shell products from the United States to begin with. Most egg processing of that kind is done in a plant in Winnipeg, according to McIntosh. Quotas for egg producers are not changing at all. (Egg producers with 99 or less hens still do not require a quota). As far as U.S. and international import of eggs, things aren't going to change dramatically. "Eggs aren't going to see much differ- ence." Starting July 1, 1995 the total percentage of imported eggs in the Canadian egg market will be three per cent. That amount will increase to five per cent by the year 2001. Jim McIntosh said he was disap- pointed the new Liberal government didn't deliver on their promise to protect section 2C(I) of Article 11. Various topics of GATT and their ramifications were discussed at an egg producers meeting in Dec. 20 in Clinton with over 50 local pro- ducers attending. Discussions on GATT also took place at the Lambton County producers meeting in Petrolia on Dec. 29 with Alex Craig, Director from Lambton and CEMA (Canadian Egg Marketing Agency) Director on the trade com- mittee, speaking. New Junior Farmers' prez asks Huron youth to join BY TIM CUMMING Expositor Editor Young people aged 15-29 are encouraged by the new President of the Huron County Junior Farmers to give the group a try. "First-year membership is free, you don't have to risk anything," said Fred Peel, a mixed farmer from the Londesboro area. "We try to have a good time at each meet- ing." Peel was elected President of the Junior Farmers at the annual meet- ing held in Blyth on Dec. 19. Junior Farmers is an organization which provides social and sports activities as well as being involved in agricultural awareness and com- munity betterment projects. 'Junior Farmers' motto is 'Self - Help through Community Better- ment,' basically that's what Junior Farmers is all about," said Peel._ "We've done the Blood Donor Clinic (in Seaforth), we've helped out at the Blyth Festival intermis- sions, we've helped out the Pork Congress with parking and secur- ity." The Huron County Junior Farmers is also busy helping organize the Zone Games on Jan. 15 in Wingham and Teeswater. The group will also be hosting interna- tional exchange delegates from Great Britain. The Junior Farmers has a long agricultural history and promotes agricultural awareness but you don't have to be a farmer to join. Membership for a first-year Junior Farmer is free and after that mem- bership fees are $25 per year. Peel says that is very reasonable com- pared to fees for other service organizations. New membership is one of the goals of the new Junior Farmers' president. "One of my goals is to retain the membership we've got and attract Fred Peel, of the Londesboro area, is new J -F president. some new members," he said. He also said he would like to see more recognition of the work the Junior Farmers do for Huron County. The rural youth organization offers activities like broomball, volleyball and ball hockey tourna- ments. Members can also take part in interprovincial and international exchanges, leadership and motivational camps as well as social events. "People should join Junior Farmers because it will help them realize their goals and help their community," according to Peel. The new president has been an active member of the club for four years. He said membership has been very rewarding. "You get to meet new people and make new contacts," he said. "I've learned to become involved and help out and I've learned from the experience." The Junior Farmers' annual ban- quet is scheduled for Feb. 5 at the White Carnation in Holmesville. If you are interested in becoming a member of the Junior Farmers or finding out more contact Fred Peel at 523-4458 or Tim Cumming at 527-0240 or 527-0725. Group blasts farm union plan BY DAVID GREENBERG originally appeared in Goderich Signal -Star A Brussels -area farmer is part of a group opposing a government bill that would unionize the farm labour pool in Ontario. Bill 91 is slated for passage by the NDP this spring. This worries Ross Procter, who owns a mixed farming operation in Brussels. "I don't know what's going on (with this bill)...It's another one of these top-down ideas," he said. The bill, an amendment to the Labour Relations Act, would permit (critics say encourage) farm workers, including seasonal labours, to join or form unions. • "Who do you think benefits from this bill?", asked Thom Corbett, of Ontario for Responsible Government, an offshoot of the conservative National Citizens Coalition, in an interview. Corbett was on a swing through south-western Ontario putting up banners that cry: "Bob Rae is going to unionize the family farm - help us stop him." "There are 60,000 farmers in Ontario. About 20,000 belong to the (Ontario Federation of Agriculture) which supports this bill," said Procter. "Let's get informed..." "Is everybody in favour? It's suggested that a vOCal minority is dictating the new changes. "It looks like a third of the people are deciding what two thirds of the people have to do. Let's get informed; let's let the people decide," Procter said. Bill 91 would allow farm workers to unionize, but it prohibits strikes and lockouts. Family members are also exempt from union control and disputes would be settled by an arbitrator. But the act also clearly gives almost unfettered power to the Lieutenant Governor in Council to make regulations. For example, while seasonal workers are not included under the act, the cabinet can simply decide to include them in a bargaining unit. And Procter points out that some crops that are picked by hand are only (harvested for a few days or weeks. Even a work slow -down could have disastrous effects on farm income. The bill is supported by the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, but Huron -County representative Bill Wallace said "it's not a done deal". He also rejects criticisms that the OFA seems to be supporting legis- lation that appears to jeopardize security of the family farm. "We supported the process and the principles of a separate labour relations act for agriculture, some- thing that recognized the devastat- ing effect of the ability to strike. It doesn't mean we're going to sup- port all of the regulations. "We have a labour government that is absolutely bent on including agriculture in the general act. We were able to convince them of the need for a separate labour law. "We'll fight as hard as we can to make it palatable." Wallace agrees that the act appears to unionize the family farm - not just large chicken factories, for example - and it appears to make seasonal workers union eli- gible at the drop of a cabinet hat. The Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario has in fact withdrawn its support for the bill saying it fails to represent farm interests. "We felt betrayed by the minister of labour," CFFO vice-president John Markus said in an interview. The organization represents about 640 farm families. Crop trial results now available by BRIAN HALL The Huron Soil and Crop Improvement; Association annual reports for the crop trials arc now available. The corn trials report includes the 1993 summary of the com variety trials conducted by producers in Huron and Perth Counties, and a report of individual co-operator com trials. The summary report has informa- tion from 91 plots in Perth and 136 in Huron County. The average yield for the plots in Huron was 120 bushels/acre. Information included in the report includes standability, moisture index and yield index. Another report that is available is the Huron and Perth Soybean Trials Report which includes a summary of trials and individual plot results. The last report available is the project trials report which includes arca cereal variety trial results, whcat f&rtility trial, Tillage 2000 results, corn row width trials, pre - tillage trials in corn, nitrogen rate trials on com, and 1993 weather data. The reports are available by con- tacting the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food office in Clinton. When calling also ask for your copy of the 1994 Ontario Corn, Soybean and Forage Crop Performance Trials reports. An Ad Valorem tariff of 192 per cent for eggs (or 94 Canadian cents per dozen specific tariff) was filed by Canada at the recent GATT talks. That tariff is subject to chal- lenge by other countries until March 31, 1994. Supply manage- ment will reduced by 15 per cent on eggs in Canada over six years under GATT. The average price of eggs in Canada is only 12 per cent more than in the Untied States. "Considering additional costs (for employers here - Unemployment Insurance, health insurance, etc. compared to the U.S.), and that everyone in the system can earn a decent living, I think we have a pretty efficient egg production system in Canada," said McIntosh. The Huron County egg producers' annual meeting will be held Wed., Feb. 9 at the Clinton and District Christian School. Holmesville hosts crop update day by BRIAN HALL Farmers are invited to this year's Huron Soil and Crop Spring Crops Update to be held on Wednesday, Jan. 12 at the Goderich Township Community Centre in Holmesville beginning at 9:45 a.m. This year's meeting will feature Steve Hawkins, an agronomist from Purdue University, Indiana. Steve has done extensive work with starter fertilizers, and fertilizer and manure management. His topic will be "Starter Fertilizers and Fertilizer Efficiency". Jeff Reid, with C & M 4eeds, and Jack Campbell with the Ontario Wheat Producers' Marketing Board will be providing an update on "Hard Red Winter Wheat Produc- tion and Marketing". Brian Doidge, Ridgetown College of Agriculture Technology will be back with his popular "Commodity and Market Update and Outlook". Rob Templeman, Soil and Crop Advisor, Perth County will be providing an update on "Coloured and White Bean Production and Quality". Alan McCallum, Soil and Crop Advisor, Huron County will provide some insight into "Corn Hybrid Maturity and Selection". Pre -registration for lunch is required by Friday, January 7 by contacting the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food office in Clinton at 482-3428 or 1-800-265- 5170. 'Walton -area youth suspects in stolen lawn ornaments Charges of possession of stolen property were laid on three people after they were caught with Christmas lawn ornaments, Mitchell Police Const. John Van Der Aa reported in late December. A 20 -year-old London woman, along with two youths from the Walton area, were caught with the propexty at 10:50 p.m. December 21, Mitchell police reported. Const. Van Der Aa said three victims have come forward to reclaim their property, but other articles remain unclaimed at the police station. Anyone missing items should contact police, Const. Van Der Aa said. HEALTH ON THE HILL A Review of activities at SEAFORTH COMMUNITY HOSPITAL Happy New Year Please help us celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Seaforth Community Hospital. A fundraiser dinner and dance is being held Saturday, February 5, 1994 at the Seaforth and District Community Centres. Tickets at a cost of $50.00 each will give someone a chance to win the grand prize of a $1,500 vacation voucher and many other door prizes. For tickets or information call 527-1650. At the Nov. lsth, 1993 East Huron Long Term Care Reform Meeting, the Central Long.�Term Care Comtriittee-'I'Yms oT�` Reference were reviewed and areas of concern identified. Terms of Reference for East Huron were drafted. NOTICE OF NEXT East Huron Long Term Care Meeting: DATE: Thursday, January 6, 1994 TIME: 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon PLACE: Seaforth Community Hospital Board Room AGENDA 1. Election of Chair/Vice-Chair 2. Report from the Long Term Care Central Committee 3. Review draft of Terms of Reference for Advisory Comittee 4. Specific issues: 1) Palliative Care 2) Respite EVERYONE WELCOME CORRECTION In the December 29 Huron Expositor on the "Don't Drink and Drive Page. Box &-Smith Funeral Chapel was incorrectly named Boyd Smith. The Expositor regrets the error & any incon- venience it may have caused to owner Christopher Smith. These HOTSpeciais will WARM YOU UP! Country Buns 29 Dozen Tasty! Chelsea Buns ' Pkg. of 8 Wholesome! Bran 1 GO Muffins ■ UU Pkg. of 6 Old Fashioned Date 1 01Q Squares ■ Pkg. of 6 Delicious! Donut 1 QC) Tea Balls ■ Pkg. of 16 Seven Grain Siebenfelder Bread .29 Loaf "Fresh off the Block" Cheeses Pine River Medium Cheddar Imported Danish Blue 3.99... 4.99 Prices in effect until closing Saturday, Jan. 8 Try our delicious Apple Fritters, Butter Tarts and Croissants!!! Above features also available at FLYONS�' ODMARKE� •tarORTM .,f TastyNu >W ;vC t, t arfMNp. 14 M.:•. SIMIf • tf.1p11TM SI? INy. January Blowout Sale • Sweaters • Sportshirts $38.-$85. $22.50_$27.50 • Coats • Christmas Boxer $60,-$85. Shorts Only $6. • Gloves & Scarves y 1/2 Price • Casual Cotton • Special Display of Pants $27.50 Dress Shirts ALL Just $24. • P.J.is_ JEANS 20% off $10, oFF Rea. Price C�RPMOS MEMS WEAR 39 Main St. S. Seaforth 527-0596