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The Goderich Signal-Star, 1976-09-30, Page 10:4r • PAGE 2—GODERIC H SIGNAL -STAR, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 197.0 pro from • co ens ion rovince for lost revenvo Approximately. 75 farmers . He ,said the: farmers were attended.•; an organizational aeting on: the • recpm- meeting at the ,farm of mendation of :their•.iawyer," Elwood SOH at . Ethel, on Paul Ross of Clinton, who has Tuesday- ni ht, for, a corn- said that the dairy producers , mittee which organizer do have a case -and that this Is Albert Whiting callsST©MP the best way. to obtain an acronym for Save The redress. Ontario Milk Producer.. In an interview before the According to another meetingone dairy farmer, organizer, Peter Stull); the, Pat Burt of RR 1 Ethel, told meeting was called. to the Signal -Star that -without organize the farmers'to take an increase in•..his quota he• legal action against the stood to lose $20,000 this year„ Provincial Government, artd "If there is no Increase by its;,ag.ent .ttie . Ontario Milk —February," he. added, `:'I will Marketing Roar*. . lose'everything." (O.M.M.B.). The farmers At .present Mr. Burt is plan to sue to recover losses. milking 31 cows:andalthough brought on by cutbacks •in he only entered the dairy milk quotas by the O.M.M.B. business two years ago has an` Mr. Stulp said the investment of $130,000 and Marketing Board had led, owes ,S100,000. Many farmers fanners "down the • garden have euen larger investments path . with incentives to he noted but said that his produce more milk" -last year situation, • unless quota is and now "they are telling'. increased, is a good example farmers to turn their cows of what most farmers are into hamburger.' facing. "Trudeau has said the way The government has to beat inflationis to increase.: provided •a five • per- cent production, Mr. Whiting : sleeve in the quota but Mr, said•, -"but ' now, that dairy Burt said that in his case it producers have increased was far :too little. "That is production by 27 per cent they only 5,000 pounds, .I ship 2,000 are being penalized." • pounds per day," he ex - He said legal action is being piained. taken for damages suffered If. there is no relief by , as a result of, the cutbacks February, Mr. Burt said he because Ave farmers can't . would noteven be able to pay pay our bills'. hisemortgage. , ' • We will- STOMP on the PROVINCE -WIDE • Ontario , Go.vernin e.n t . and the • SUPPORT Q.M.M.B.' for.• ,.the .. damage Albert Whiting told the theyhave done to us," :meeting that if the farmers Whiting said. .. • agreed to' proceed there will • be another meeting -10f abbut • 1,500, producers in Stratford and a series of other meetings across the province to .gain; support. • ".We're ally in :a hell of a end," he reminded the: farmers saying that, the Provincial Government had "turned its back" on them. Mr. Whiting said that if one man sued it would cost him a lot of money, but if a large' number sued, sharingthe cost, it was possible: Damages will be assessed by each farmer • in terms . of 1bst production and the value of cows he was forced to cull.. Those attending the Meeting were asked : to contribute an initial $20 to get the project underway. "We • may have to come back for more," Mr. Whiting said, ,"but by then you will all know where you stand and where the law suit stands." Lawyer Paul Ross told the meeting that as well as,at- temopting•to recover damages the. suit could ,help to make people aware -. a£. certain things about the farmers: People should • know that dairy farmers are getting up at 5:00 ait and don't get time to even come out to a meeting until 0:00 p.m. They should know this is every day, not justfiye days per week." He said, "People should know that it costs farmers • $1,000 an acre to buy land .to produce their food, that a miik . house can cost $7,000, Two organizers of a meeting at Ethel on Tuesday evening discuss the possibili of legal action against the Provincial Goverment and the Ontario Milk Markelting'Board. Albert Whiting'. and . Beatrice...Seili urged dairy -farmers to 'join a group they call STOMP) an .acronym for Save The Ontario Milk Producer: With: the help of Clinton Lawyer Paul Ross the group hope to Sue the province for damages sufferedas the result of milk quota cut backs by the O.M:M.B. (staff -photo) .,,,,• OU* ANNUAL FALL REGULAR PRICE x40.00 535.00 S30•.00 $25.001, '18.00 SPECIAL SPECIAL PRICE .$3:.5.00, 30.00 25.00 2:0.00 1 500 BECKY.'GAIL, MARYLOU, l ETNA and -SHIRLEY are all looking • forward to seeing you during the . Annual, t` all Perm -Special at: • HEATHER BEAUTY SALON 108 IJGllT joust 5t. 524 7461 that thous -di -4s- of dollars -are invested: in farm machinery, and buildings. "People must learn that this is what is at stake, and, just what the farmer stands to lose,•" 'Mr. Ross stressed -that this was not "a political fight.' "Farmers are not looking for welfare," he said" "They - are looking fora bit of justice. Farmers 'have. lived • up• •to their end of the bargain, now they ask'. the government to. -live up to theirs." the. lawyer said farmers' did not want - to • site the'• government: What they really wanted was for the government to come up with an agreement so farmers can .continue in dairy production. "If they won't," he added, "we'llhave to sue." -1-le said no one disagreed with the concept of the O.M.M:B. "The philosophy of marketing boards ' is . to stabilize the market, but that market is being stabilized by driving farmers out of - business." '"If you area strong united group;" he told: the meeting, "we can make' them un- derstand that we won't settle for preparing more briefs." ,.. • .NOT UNANIMOUS • Npt everyone at.Tuesday's meeting supported the - preparation of the suit. One lady told the meeting .that, "We work too hard for our money to give it to a lawyer." In response to that Mrs. P. Burt toldthe meeting she. would give Mr. Ross a "mortgage on my farm to get this suit olf the ground .: Excavating- shwood 236-423Q TRUCKING - BACKHOE 8 QZER SERSPU E Another,—farmer told the meeting that'he - felt .°the O.M.M:B. had •.indeed en= couraged him to produce milk but said he was "not guaranteed a market". "The O,M.M:B. has done a great deal for the dairy farmer," he added. It was also asked why the farmers had to form a new group to act on their behalf and why.xhey did not use one of 'the existing .farm organizations. Ontario Federation of.. Agriculture representative °Mason Ailey :told the meeting that if they were • going to get anywhere they :were "on the right track.'' "I don't think you'll have much success going through the general • :farm • (•continuedonpage 2.1 'WEDNESD:AYi QCTOBER 6th, -.1976 ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION • JUBILEE ROOM 1:00 P.M. -- 9:00 P.M. TEA TABLE -BAKE TABLE' - CRAFT TABLE EVERYONE WELCOME • i The Dealership Hamilton: St. -Downtown SDAY &FRIDAY E September 30 & October 1 • Go derich 6:00 prnio 1O:OOp. See the Completely New :1977 CADILLACS Large Light Duty TRUCK. Display See the NEWEST and MOST EXCITING full size Pontiacs, Buicks, and Cadillacs ever offered, NEW from end to end,. MORE room, -' lets balk°, larger gas mileaB'e. See- w•hy automokive experts say - THIS IS PONTIAC'S YEAR! 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