Loading...
The Wingham Advance-Times, 1975-10-30, Page 7INDUSIRIA EITIOPMEArr ANN 4 41111Ploso• 4 • 0 • 111111111111$ Management Seminar WITH THE CO.OFEItATON OF THE VVINGHAM BUSINESSMEN ASSOCIATION IF YOU — Own and operate your own business Manage abusines$ Expect to own and operate a business You ars Inuits(' to attend a Small Business Seminar at the WINGHAM CANADIAN LEGION HALL (Conference Room) ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 3rd, 1975. PROGRAM: • Financial Statements • Forecasting For Expansion • Case Study ''A" ▪ Guest Speaker • JACK WARD, C.A. (Ward & Uptigrove) REGISTRATION: In view of the mail strike registrations will be accepted by telephoning IDB, Stratford, 271-5650. L,..1.HF0'.:deigtion. • • „. ore impact thp.,..:.00mberst.itottitettresources would sug BY/0411.4VN DUFF to a %clang craMpoi office hi Drayton, a Mail sits laboriously pouring ever policy .staternents, Press releases, neWSletterS‘ and briefs. Meet Elbert van Donkersgoed, executive ts rector of the Chris- tian Farmers Federation of On- tario. Armed with a budget of only $25,000 and a few well-inten- tioned Christian principles he's eff and running, crusading against big business, big govern- ment, deman4ing "justice for all.” And so far it looks as if the CFF just might be getting somewhere. They've won a few rounds with government and are described as having a lot more impact than their small numbers and limited resources would suggest. - Recently the CFF was instru- mental in obtaining complete compensation for farmers with herds of cattle stricken with brucellosis. At one time, farmers were compensated as each animal was condemned, a lengthy process which meant a long wait to receive the herd's full value in compensation. Now, thanks to the CFF, farmers are compensated for the entire herd once the disease has been diag- nowt. And it was. largely due to the CFF that the rival, :Ontario Federation o AgricultnrO„ which is more than 10 times its size„. Wm* unable to obtain exclusive rights to jointly administer the pre - posed Ontario Farm IncOMO Protection plan with the govern, ment. • • The OFA proposal stipulates that farmers would be compen- sated whenever the price for their product would fall below certain level. The scheme, how ever, was limited to only those in good standing with the OFA. Although the CFF still Isn't 'completely satisfied with the Income Protection Plan, the prO- gram has been amended to in - dude those farmers who are not individual service mencibers (ISM) of the OFA. HYDRO ISSUE In addition, the CFF is giving Ontario Hydro a run for its money with the Bradley -Kit- chener power corridor. Current- ly, the CFF has joined forces with the Concerned Farmers of the United Townships. It is hoped. a joint committee will present a report on the effects of Hydro on Ontario farmlandto the Royal Commission on Electrical PnImir Planning when it meets in tlie new year. The CFF was formed I 1954 ,near Strathroy • by a grosnp of newly -immigrated Calvanist- Dutch farmers. The Organization almost disbanded on several occasions until the first paid employee, Elbert van Donkers- goed, a former teacher at Calvin Christian School in Drayton was hired several years ago. • Since then membership in the organization has increased from 175 to 500 and now has locals all across the province. Within the ,not too distant future Mr. van Donkersgoed is optimistic that the CFF will be a national organi- zation including many Christian denominations. However, he rejects the term "lobby" when applied to the CFF. "I think the word lobby has a selfish ring to it. When you think of a lobby you think of a group of people who are trying to protect their own interests. The Christian Farmers Federation wants justice, for everyone, not just farmers." The social fabric is already divided enough by special inter- ests groups all seeking to further their own ends at the expense of THE BASE FACTORY OUTLET "THE STORE THAT SAVES YOU MORE" .0. MEN'S- BOYS' .LADIES' -GIRLS' and BABY'S WEAR YARD GOODS -FURNITURE- MATTRESSES -PAINT SEWING MACHINES -SMALL APPLIANCES -LAMPS LOCATED ON HWY NO. 4 SOUTH OF CLINTON AT VANASTRA NEW STORE HOURS: Monday to Thursday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday Closed .L),• 4.• s ..k. e.n1 CHILDREN'S WEAR GIRLS -SIZES 3-6X FLANNELETTE PYJAMAS '3.37 - LADIES' WEAR ROUND NECK -SCOOP NECK -BUTTON FRONT PRINT TOPS SOME 100 percent COTTON $ 97 SOME 100 percent NYLON 3- • ASSORTED COLOUR & STYLES SWEATERS 7r $4.57 - $14.57 • BOYS—ASSORTED COLOURS SIZES 4-6X PULLOVERS $3.9/ SHOES at SLIPPERS SIZES -INFANTS TO SIZE 12 ASSORTED STYLES, COLOURS AND PRICES ASSORTED STYLES & COLOURS WINTER JACKETS $14.47 $18.87 NEW WINTER COLOURS PURSES SHOULDER & HANDLE STYLES $6.97 $14.97 • MEN'S WEAR ASSORTED COLOURS & S SIZES 8-14 CARDIGANS Itt PULLOVERS $3.67 - $4.97 ASSORTED COLOURS & STYLES GIRL'S 100 PERCENT NYLON PRINT SHIRTS $6.57 -• s11.97 PULLOVERS -CARDIGANS -HOODED et t TOQUES, SCARVES & MITTS ALL AT BASE FACTORY OUTLET DISCOUNT PRICES BOYS' WEAR • ASSORTED STYLES & COLOURS LONG SLEEVE FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY FROM SIZE 3 UP TO MEN'S & LADIES SKI JACKETS St SNOWMOBILE SUITS AT BASE FACTORY OUTLET DISCOUNT PRICES NEW LINE OF KNITTING WOOL ALSO AVAILABLE COATES-ASSORTED COLOURS$ 67 KNITTING "KNITTING WORSTED"NEEDLES & EA. *7 BOOKLETS NEW SELECTION OF 1‘. WALLETS & KEY CASES everyone else, be cuntinnecl. we've become a struggling society. We've got too many Power groups trying .to take over, all fighting to get their share." "Take the unions, for exam*. We've reached a balance of power. Strong unions have been organized to deal( with strong corporations when the power of the corporations should have been reduced in the first place." Mr. van Donkersgoed sees the CFF instead of becoming another pressure group as more of a conciliatory force in society striving to reconcile the interests of many groups through policies designed to take their interests into consideration as well as those of the farmers. LAND USE Take land use planning. The CFF would like to see a complete ban on severances for prime agricultural land, although this move isn't likely to make them polular with farmers sitting on acres of property near growing towns and cities. However, the preservation of the family farm is Mr. van Donkersgoed's most immediate concern. He feels that unless immediate action is taken the family farm will soon be a thing of the past. "The family farm is under pressure from all angles," he said. "Unless we can control the pressures being brought to bear on the family farm by govern- ment and big business, the rural way of life will end." "We're very concerned that the structure of agriculture relliiiifill$ open people," he said. 'We're afraid that unless these trends owfefarremvee=illthbeenwerrkingeir :or 11 farms of their qwn but as employ- ees in agri-business" Mr. van Donkersgoed sees the same trends that made workers extensions of their machinery in industry steadily creeping into agriculture. "We've allowed institutions and corporations somehow to get ahead of us," he said. "Instead of the institutions and corporations working for us, we're now serving the institutions and corporations." VERTICAL INTEGRATION In fact, Mr. van Donkersgoed would like to see corporations that are in the .private sector of industry, re-classified into the public sector if they serve the public. In that manner they would have to disclose their fi- nances as do most public bodies. "Until the consumers' rights groups realize this they'll never get anywhere." One of the most insidious threats to the family farm, how- ever, is vertical integration. This occurs, Mr. van Donkersgoed says, when a big company like Canada Packers produces its own feed, raises its own hogs, trans- ports them in its own trucks to the meat packing plant and then sells the meat through its own whole- salers. When vertical integration is used to control the market it becomes very unfair, according to Mr. van Donkersgoed. "Verti- . cal inteiration idot rural way of life. Corporge WOWS seldomhave a conscience. WIleYhave no, ahOut raping rur name of efficiency and the dollar." The CFF may in OW future lobby to have Jegislation intro, ducted which will prevent Cal* • bell Soup Company from raj its own chickens without 004 restrictions. Campbells has already WOO the right to produce its own chiektma for its own plants without rst tions in the courts, The OntaSe Broiler Marketing Board platts to appeal. the case and in the event that their appeal. is unsuce_e8.4111 the CFF will continue tho /Aga at Queen's Park. Government has to be corn - passionate as well as just, Mr. van Donkersgoed said. "Justice has to be tempered with coMpaa- sion. There's no point in being within the limits of the law if you ignore people and their needs," v, Are yodon the go all the time • and eating out a lot? Do it nutri- tionally by snacking with peanuts instead of chocolate bar,fruit juices instead of soft drinks, fresh fruits instead of cake or pie, a hamburger, not just chips and • gravy. During Nuttition Week, November 2-8, 1975 write to your local health unit for a copy of the pamphlet "Easy Eating' to help you 'create a more healthful food style for yourself. Remember, Nutrition Matters. JUSTICE FOR ALL—Although the 'Christian Farmers' Federation boasts only two full- time employees and a part-time bookkeeper, the organization is extremely active for its size, with policy -statements on practically every issue of concern to farmers. The or- ganization is dedicated to preserving the rural way of life and would like to see severances on good agricultural 'fand completely banned. Above is Elbert van Donkersgoed, execu- tive director. HALOM't.• '4kte.44..1,t SHALOM—From a small office in a stately home in Drayton, Elbert van Donkersgoed heads the Christian Farmers' Federation. Membership in the CFF is primarily Calvinist - Dutch, but Mr. van Donkersgoed sees the federation attracting members from other Christian denominations as well. Annual dues are 535.