Clinton News-Record, 1977-07-28, Page 5The Ontario Institute of
Agro.logists, whose Mem-
bership includes farmers, soil
scientists and other
agriculture professionals, has
urged the provincial
government to . impose an
immediate freeze on the
• conversion of farmland to
non-agricultural uses, and to
strengthen its 'proposed
guide -lines for food-
praducing land. In a
statement -to the Minister of
Agriculture, the Institute
maintains that the govef n-
ment's recent policy paper on
foodland guidelines allows
unicipalit,ies too much
• way in developing land -Use
ans.
According to the Ontario
Federation of Agriculture,
the 26 acre per hour decline in
improved land during 1966-
19.; 1 was reversed during
1971-1976, Meanwhile the
decline in unimproved land
continued. The overall story
is that in 1976 there was less
land in control of food
producers, but that more of
the land on farms was im-
proved land, compared with
1971.
From available statistics, it
is difficult to ascertain the
exact situation. So much'
depends upon the quality of
the land in question, which is
not specified. Also the official
definition of a farm has been
changed. Prior to 1971, a farm
comprised any unit of at least
�ne acre, producing for sale
gricultural products_ worth
at least $50. A farm is now
defined as a unit of one acre
or more producing $1,200 in
agricultural products.
40i The "Food for the Cities
Conference" was held in
Toronto on March 30 and
March 31, 1977.
Liberal Leader Stuart
Smith said that "In the short
run we could let the market
prevail. More land would be
taken out of production,
prices would rise, and those
farmers remaining on the
land would have a very good
*income.
"But we must look to the
future. There is no more land
being made: we must
husband and protect this
product. This requires a
distortion of the market'
today, but it will pay
dividends in the future. . .
Subtle changes in climate,
some of which are now being
predicted by experts in that
field, could render our
current land resources much
4 less productive. Changes in
the price of fertilizer may
affect the optimum
productivity of the land.
There may well be a time
when food exports will
become a vital part of the
balance of payments of this
province. Although it is not
yet the case, it seems clear to
me that by present world
trends our food resources
could become somewhat
similar to the •oil • resources
now held by 'the OPEC
countries. As we incur ever
increasing deficits to pay for
energy resources, we may be
able to sustain our economy
by exporting natural
resources. '
"The energy. crisis is not
temporary and the prig of
energy continue to rise. It
may soon become
economically feasible to raise
energy crops on agricultural
land to produce methanol,
"But if we distort the
market, who°shall pay? In our
view it should not be the
farmer, already struggling to
make a decent living - that
would be patently unfair. We
all must find fair ways to
share this cost. We must pay
at the .supermarket and
through taxes. We must make
wise use of marketing boards
and tariffs and must
recognize that part of the
price must be paid through
higher food prices. If we want
to preserve agricultural land
there must be some increases
in the price of food. Farmers
must have an incentive to
earn a decent living but it is
not enoughto say .preserve
the farmer and he will
preserve theland.
"In some cases the owth
of cities has put tremendous
pressure on our best
agricultural land in terms of
soil capability and heat units.
This is natural because many
settlements in Ontario such
as London, Chatham and
many other grew, up as
market. towns. But it is not
responsible to say that we
would . freeze all growth 9f
such communities.
One policy alternative to
consider is the establishment
of buffer zones fringing areas
of growth. "This land should
be put to those agricultural
uses relatively compatible
with urban growth and large
population centres. . . In
addition... we would require
a mandatory designation of
all foodlands. . . proper in-
ventory of our agricultural
land. . . Once land has been
designated as food land there
should be no development
unless there is a compelling
reason to do so. Of course
decisions respecting in-
dividual parcels of land must
be subject to a certain degree
of flexibility, and persons
whose land is affected must
have the right to appear
• •1`4,
befpre a tribunal which in-
cludes concern for the
agricultural use of land.
"Reliance on the property
tax cafltinues to constitute a
great burden on our
Knunici.paligos. It encourages
development for non-farm
uses. We would reform that
system so that municipalities
were not dependent on
property taxes to pay for soft
services: we would remove
the incentives which now
exist both for individuals and
municipalities and ' which
encourage non-agricultural
uses inappropriately."
"In summary, we believe
that firm measures must be
taken to protect food land for
the future. . a provincial
plan including an inventory of
food lands,. mandatory
designation of such areas for
agricultural use, an op-
portunity to appeal this
designation, decentralization
of growth away from our best
agricultural land, and the
applicability of the
designation to government
ministries and agencies as
well as to the private sector."
Clinton police find lost dog
CLINTON NEWS -RECORD, THURSDAY, J1.1'LY 28, lg77 FAQ!.
Tire Clinton Police reported him and we can't afford to of the OPP were glad to
that a large male hound dog feed him," the Chief said report iso accidaynts in this
was found on the Base Line on reluctantly. <<i eu other than dog bite oil'"
J uly''26 . In other police news, a CB •1 my 2.1.
OPThe dog is black and short radio was stolen oft of a truck The he received a call
haired, has a link collar on owned by Douglas Morgan; from the Clinton Hospital
He telling that David Parker, 9,
and is very friendly. The truck which had been left of 353 James Street had been
pnlockad at Morgan 1Vlobile bitten on the right side of his
appeared; 'at the Elmer,
Johnston residence on 39f) `Ilome and Trailer Sales and
Base Line on Monday. Service was broken lot, and
face heby cele .Hie was treated
and then released.
July 25 and the CB, worth $22 The accident occurred in
was taken. '. Stanley Township and the
Over the weekend the .yowner of the animal, George
Clinton Police laid 14 charges Cameron of 33'7 Victoria
of speeding, ,unnecessary St t~>et, Clinton was told to
noise and liquor offences. keep his dog tied up for .,the
The G"ndet"i h detachrrient next 14 days.
rea CCBC groups. hold picnic
Unfortunately, no one has
reportdd a missing dog and
Chief Lroyd Westlake says
that the dog will be done away
with in ,three days, under a
by-law.
"We have no place to put
by Hilda M. Payne .;'
Barbara McCurdy,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Don,
McCurdy, has passed her
Grade '7 at the Royal Con-
servator,1 of Music Exams
held at Clinton recently.
Barbara is a pupil of Miss
Greta Lammie, Hensall.
Three Clubs' of the
Canadian Council for the
Blind met for their annual
picnic at Harbour Park,
Goderich on July 20. Atten-
ding were the Bluewater Club
of Huron County, the London
Club and the Stratford
Festival Club. Six residents of
Instant housing is the term used to describe an operation on
Townsend Street in Clinton last Monday when four pre -fab
homes, completely filnilshedi were placed on the foundations
' by a 100 -ton crane. The GNC Homes, being assembled by
Quality Materials - Fair Prices - Personal Service
This summer let BALL-MACAULAY help you
with all your
This is the time for painting, putting up a
storage shedbuilding a deck, putting up
eavestrough, repairing roofs, insulating an
attic. You name it we'll give you professional.
advice on how to do it your:®If.
°
Seaforth 527-0910
Hensall 262-2418 Clinton 482-951°4
ALLCOVER1NG e GLIDDEN PAINTS • SIDING
3y �...,..
Huronview ` joined the pieni
at the supper hour,lwhen 10,
persons sat down to eat
Rachael Johnston of
Clinton was in charge of the
games and cool drinks were
donated by Tuckey
Beverages. Mrs. Donna
Webster and helpers from the
Exeter Sorority formed the
table committee and cake
was served in honour' of a
Stratford member with a
birthday.
Prizes were given for the
winners of contests and for
lucky plates and cups- the
youngest person present was
29 and t . e oldest 89. Members
of the ONIB Advisory Board
of the CCBC from Goderich,
Clinton, Stratford and Exeter
organized the picnic and
joined members at the meal.
Mrs. Laird Mickle and he%
daughter Mrs. Ross
McMiilan, "'Waterloo, at-
tended the funeral of the late
Mrs. Keith Hillier at the
James. A. Harris Funeral
Home in London on Monday.
Mrs. Hillier has been a very
close friend of Mrs. Mickle's
since Normal School days in
' Stratford.
Huron Pines Construction, come to the site in two halves
and are lifted into place. They are completely finished and
can be occupied almost immediately. (News -Record photo)
SALE
of Summer Merchandise
is
.:Now On!
OPEN 7 PAYS A WEEK
l0-A.M. ,,5I';M.
littotry
pa�
11/4 miles south of.Grand Bend.
All Sales Final.
DR. M. M. CAUCHI
Wishes to announce the
opening of his
MEDICAL PRACTICE
ON
TUESDAY JULY 19th
AT
59 Newgate St.
Goderich, Ontario
Office Hours
Monday thru Friday
9 a.m. - 6 p.m. -
For Appointments CaII:
524-4121
N---xiC=i ci i tK K1
a ilius Ie Canada!
Put a United Canada on your chest
with the special T-shirt above.
The UNI -SHIRT campaign is a
project of the Ontario Weekly
Newspapers Association, of
which this paper is a member.
r.-
all spring and ,
summer dresses
including long
dresses and half sizes
' good selection still in sportswear
and coats - much of this merchandise
is now
1,12 price
STAN
JONES
1111.1tH1
SHOPPE
LIMITED
OPEN ALL DAY WEDNESDAYS
OPEN FRIDAY NIGHT TIL 9 Q.M.
tRDRFORM
h
Please send me .. Uni -shirts
ADULT SIZE:
Small Medium Large $ 3.95
Includes Retail Sales Tax
BOYS/GIRLS
(8-14) 8 10 12 14 $ 3.75
CHILDREN
(2-6) 2 4 6 6x $ 3.50
Please circle size required and
enclose cheque or money order -
Mail-order and cheque payable to:
Ontario Weekly Newspapers
Association
12 Shuter Street Suite 30.E
Toronto, Ont M5B 1A2
a
(Please allow two weeks for delivery)
Name
Address ,
Postal Code:
•
CLINTON NEWg-RECORD