The Goderich Signal-Star, 1986-02-05, Page 7PAGE 8—GCDERLCH S1GNA1 TAli., WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 5, 1986
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Farm News
�re trade becsmes major issue
at agricultural task forc!- hearing
BY STEPHANIE LEVESQUE
Free trade is surfacing as a major issue
in the farm community according to Dr.
Maurice Foster, Liberal MPo for
tahe
federal Ontario riding of
d
chairman of his party's agricultural task
force which is currently holding hearings
across Ontario.
Dr. Foster and two other members of the
task force, Sen. Dan Hays of Alberta and
MP Ray Garneau of Quebec heard 16
presentations from various sectors of the
farm community, when the task force,
which started hearings in November,
came to Wingham January 30.
"When we started, free trade was not a
big -issue," said Dr. Fisher.
The poultry and dairy commodities, with
their marketing agencies, are more
fearful of free trade negotiations than are
some farmers from other commodity
groups, noted Dr. Fisher.
"I'm not convinced that free trade will
provide the climate that many politicians
and academics perceive will exist,"
Wayne Robertson, president of the Bruce
County federation of agriculture told the
•
task force.
The Grey County- 'federation of
agriculture pointed out in its brief that it is
difficult for.Canadian farmers to compete
in the marketplace with their American
counterparts. Some of the reasons are
higher fuel costs in Canada, restrictions on
chemical and drug use, a shorter growing
season and lower government subsidies.
"In a country that has spent billions on
energy self-sufficiency, are we going to ,
allow ourselves to become dependent on
others for 1 ood?" asked the Grey County
federation.
Free trade tvas not the only major issue
which agriculture groups brought ,to the
attention of the task force. One member of
a concerned farm women's group said the
agriculture community is facing a
terrible burden of debt".
The county federations of agriculture,
including the Huron federation, focused on
debt review boards as'part of the solution
to the bleak economic outlook facing many
farmers. They also called for higher prices
for• the products producedby farmers.
.,.1 question the rightsof consumers to
have as al ucti say as they are having,"
said Carl -Spencer, president of the Grey
County federation.
Dr. Foster said one of the most.
surprising discussions that came out of the
Wingham hearings was the focus put on
soil erosion. A presentation from the
Duron soil and water conservation district
was the first such brief heard by the task
force.
"That probably reflects the problem in
this area," commented Dr. Foster.
The conservation district's
representative, Jane Sadler -Richards,
said soil conservation needs lots of
resource people, such as there are at the
University of Guelph. -
A more flexible Farm Credit
Corporation (FCC ), particularly in dealing
with farm loan write-downs was one of the
requests from just about every agriculture
sector. The Huron County federation
pointedout that some banks allow it for
some people, but the FCC doesn't do any
write-downs.
The task force also heard from two
cattlemen's groups with different views
from the provincial organization ittey are
part of. Dr. Foster said it came through
loud and clear that Bruce and Grey
w
cattlemen are in 'favor of supply
management:
Dr. Foster said the task force, will use- . -
the information gleaned at the hearings at
the federal Liberal policy conference to be
held in Ottawa in late November.
The Wingham hearing was definitely the
largest to date, said the task force
chairman. There will be a total of 40
hearings across Canada and after starting
in the west last fall, the task force is now
moving through Ontario and plans to go on
to Quebec and Atlantic Canada.
•
Farm financial crisis- hits Huron
• • • •
The farm financial crisis experienced for
several years in Bruce and Grey Counties is
just starting to hit Huron County farmers,
says the president of the Huron County
federation of agriculture.
Doug Garniss of R.R. 4, Wingham made
the statement In front of the three -marl
Liberal agricultural task force that is .•
traveling across Canada. The task force,
chaired by Algoma MP Dr. Maurice Foster
was in Wingham listening to ,briefs -on
Thursday, Jan. 30.
l;
"We're just starting to see farmers write
down their loans or go out of business," said
the federation president.
I)r. Foster got that response from Garniss
after promoting his private member's bill
which he hopes will "spur the government
On" in Lhe area of farm debt crisis.
-In Huron. County, we're just starting to
. hit the farm debt crisis stage," said Gar-
niss.
In his second term as president, Gar•niss
said low cornmodity prices and the decreas
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9
._....expo of farm land which have followed
value which followed
the high interest *rates of the early 1980s
have hurt the farm sector. He admitted
most of the financial difficulties are in the
cash crop and red meat sector.
In its brief to the task force, the federation
presented some solutions to the financial
• difficulty continually facing the farm com-
munity.
"The 20 per cent of Canadian farmers who
produce 70 per cent of our food find
themselves in a financial crisis. Figures
vary from five to 30 per cent of farmers in
serious financial difficulty which could easi-
ly exceed 50 per cent of our food produc-
tion," stated Garniss.
The federation also had some critical
comments about a proposal from the Farm
Credit Corporation called the Farm
Development Corporation (FDC).
"It appears good for one group in par- ,
titular - lenders foreclosing •on farmland
and has advantages for farmers in serious
financial difficulty. But the drawbacks are
much greater," said Garniss.
The county federation suggests, instead,
that farm debt review boards and the On-°
tario Federation of Agriculture's agribonds
concept could achieve goals such as stabiliz-
. ing land values, replacing debt with equity
and attracting investors without negative
impacts. "
Garniss said the federation's big fear of
the FDC is that it could end up owning large
chunks of land and in essence, the govern-
ment would be.,competing with the family
farm.
As for debt review boards, the federation
says they must be legislated to provide
equality to all farmers.
"At present, debt write-downs are occurr-
ing with banks and other creditors, but we
are concerned that this procedure is.
available to some, but not to others in iden-
tical circumstan es. As well, the Farm
Credit Corporation , s done virtually no
write-downs, wl ich nake it difficult to
justify write-down. o other creditors," said
Garniss.
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SOME ANSWERED
—QUESTIONS—
Do Bahai's believe in Christ?
—YES—
Why are you not called
—Christiane?
Bahai's believe that Abraham,
Krishna, Zoroaster, Moses, Bud-
dha, Jesus Christ, Mohammed, the
Bab and Baha 'u 'llah brought con-
tinuing messages from God at a
time in history when mankind was
ready to understand.
Baha'u'llah is the latest but not the
last prophet from God. Material
education takes us from grade to
grade. Spiritual education is given
from Messenger to Messenger.
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