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The Goderich Signal-Star, 1976-09-30, Page 33'A • • Why. you might ask. does this lunkhead Trotter'keep peck- ing away at the plight of •farmers'' • - • If farmers are so, badly of't, why do they stay on the farm and why aren't, more farmers going bankrupt? (.rood questions but the answer is easy. Why are beef farmers able to ,remain in business,,when they are losing between $60 and ,$200- a head when they • Market their .cattle? liiov; can. dairy f•arrriers remain in business when they are forced tocut..back.:production as ° much as•20 per cent and.. take a corresponding loss in, in- come? And what is happening to ell those pork producers now that the price of pork is. beginning to drop this fall? ' Again., .the answer is simple.. • They are not going bankrupt because thousands of farm-„ niers in your county and mine are working part time et some "'other job to augment their incomes. They cannot make a decent living as full-time farmers. It's as simple as that. How can these things be'proven'' The, facts. come from a 52=page -report released by the Ontario Ministry of Agricul • ture and Food. The statistics are staggering.. In other words, the most important industry in this or any other province - that of producing food —•has to be done on a part-time basis. This, to me: is a terrible indictment of.the system as it stands. Farmers. most of them anyway. have toearn-moremoney off the -farm .to remain in busi- ness. Is it any wonder that the average age of the Canadian farmer. is 52? Why would any young man in his right mind, 'want to get into farming..when the figures are available to prove that the greater majority of farmers in . Ontario.- -- at_least,,.must have a second job to make ends meet? In the• Waterloo Region. for instance. which is supposed to be one of the finest agricultural:co.unties in. the province. only 36.4 per.cent of the income of farmers came from the land. The,resta startling 63.6 per.cent—came from•off- y end of September a. Ontario 4 Leitersate epptecrstAd by Bob Trotter. Male Rd . Elmua. Ont M36 2C7 farm wages. saCaries and other sources. .Other revealing figures in the .ministry:s report: The• average net income for farmers in 1973 was $3,519.Off-farm income`averaged $6.137. . And don't ggive me that old fable about farmers being able . totake advantage of all kinds of tax dodges. That just isn't. true. -A-recent report of the now -defunct Food'Prices Re- . view' Board claimed that farmers pay almost as much tabes • as everyone else and even more than most small businesses. , In Peel County, another good agricultural area.only 8.4 per cent offarmers'•income came from farming,. Pity the • poor chaps in Haliburton,County. though. where income tax figures revealed that they had an average net income of MINUS ' $239 iri 1973. Thank heaven -the. good Lord made • ° Haliburton County a summer paradise'st,, tl4at Many can • make additional income in the t lurist business. To bring this discussion to its logical conclusion. farmers are actually subsidizing, consumers. Farmers are forcgd to drive scliool buses. •be building custodians. part-time auto mechanics or machinery repairmen,' Farm Wives have to . teach school. become secretaries or sales clerksjust to make ends meet on the.farm,4 And yes. I know,•a greatmany other men and -women have - •to hold-down two jobs these days to afford what they con- sider are the amenities of life. But how -many of them are in a business that is so essential to the welfare of theme nation 'as that of raising food? • Consumers can scream as loud and long as they like about ' the high cost of ,food in Canada but the fats prove that we have been. spoiled in this country for the last 30 years. per- • haps.even,.the•Iast'100.years: into belieying that we deserve - low food prices. • Canadians pay less than 20 cents of every disposable dol- lar on food. one of the lowest rates in the world and farm- ' ers are.suffering because of it. Wheat Board sending final payment • •The final payment on 1975 crop Ontario wheat will be made to producers by the end of September according to a release issued by the Ontario Wheat Producers' Marketing Board. Irving Kleiman, RR 1, Simcoee, r chairman of the marketing board,, said the al payment on last year's crop will. be •781/2 cents 'per bushel: He emphasized that the payment applies only to wheat sold by producers from July 1, 1975 to June 30,1976,• - The announcement was made followingcompletion of the board's audit for the 1975 crop year andwhich was • CLAY Silo. Unloaders - ..Feeders —u LL - Cleaners -..Stabling • - Log Elevators - Liquid Manure .Equipment - Hog Equipment FARMATIC — Mills - Augers, etc. ACORN - -. Cleaners, • -' Heated Waterers ZERO Bilk Tanks Pipeline& Parlour. Equipment WESTE EL-ROSCO-Granaries B & L - Hog• Panelling Bulk Tank & Pipeline cleaning Detergents, Teat Dip, etc. Bovadine Dyne Losa n Uddersaq Foancheck eeneasy • • presented to a meeting of the board on Monday, September 20th. 'Mr. Kleiman•said plans are underway for preparation and mailing of approximately 16,000 individual producer cheques which should be in the hands of producers about the end of September. ' In the' pooling 'system, producers receive an . initial payment when they':sell:their wheat plus interim and final payments. Mr: Kleiman explained . that . to date producers'' have received 'a total of $2.85 per bushel, made up of a $2.00 initial payment and 85 •cents per bushel in- terim payment on last year's crop. • • The board official further explained' .that the final payment to be made of 781/2 cents per bushel will make a total of. $3.63i/2 per bushel, which is 711/2 cents per bushel lower:than' the total for the previous .crop which was $4.35 perbushel. Mr. -Kleiman' pointed out that the drop' in price mainly reflectsthe lower export price for wheat, on world -markets 'ceimpared tp those experienced during , the •. previous crop year. . The board chairman also advised that the annual meeting of Ontario ' wheat producershas been set 'for October 25th in .London, and that a notice of that meeting and the board's annual report :.and financial' statement will be mailed to producers. during the second week •of October.. A- (OR SALE. TEN. white 'Leghorn hens, 75c apiece. Phone 52,4-6372r-40 PUREBRED ROP tested Yorkshire boars, : call 348- 9164. Heinz Hinz, RR 5, Mitchell. -39-40 •LOWRY FARM SYSTEMS •' RR 1, Kincardine, :Ontario Phone 395.5286 Perform a. deathodefying act. Give 'Heart Fund. Give Heart Fund 0: C - WANTED WE . ARE, looking for . farm property with water' frontage. -50 acres orover, some biish. Machinery and stock ' op- tional. Access to schdols. Please send full particulars to Box 371, Waterloo Ontario. All replies acknowledged. —39-40 • F - FOR, RE -NT FARM TANI2 fo acres, near- Amberley, south 1/2' lot 33, Lake Front Con- cession, Ashfield township. Contact Sharen Realty and Insurance Ltd. 238-2303, —39- 40-41 ar. GODERIC • S1011.4,7!STA (ontro t itch r 8 with �atii►e nor . By Pat L.yneh,.:.:. Soils and Crops Specialist OMAF Perth and Huron Counties The past two wet summers along with dry weather this past spring , when herbicides were applied has led to twitch grass getting out of control in some fields. The . perennial weed, twitch grass or •quack grass, .can. be controlled in. next years corn , fieldsby spraying finis fall. ,,,- Two poundsof actual atrazine applied this .fall along •with a further two pounds of atrazine next spring is still the best method to control infestations of twitch grass.. The atrazine Pony club The Huron -Bruce Pony Club held its grading tests Sunday, September 19 and will be given a • recognized status at' the° next Western Ontario Region District Commissioners meeting. The Huron -Bruce ..club is now 29 members strong and meets all the requirements for official pony club status, The final hurdle the club had to. clear wasgrading tests • which were done at the .Tack Shack Equestrian Centre in. should be applied anytime before ploughing. This atrazine that is ploughed. down this fall will be in place as soon as the twitch begins to grow next spring. This fall application, allows. you to spray only the areas of a field that are infested. Th'. ggnerally less expensive than spraying the' whale field, but just as effective since • twitch grass generally sjpst. grows in certain areas of . a field.. Atrazine applied this'": fall will not break down or leach away before next. spring and can be applied even minute's before ploughing and still be ef- fective. official: Lucknow. Mrs. Willi.arif Godson, chairman: of the Western Ontario Region and David Godson, the pony club inspector, graded 23 of the club's 29 members. ° Both' • visitors are prom •Caledon Hills, The club members travelled from., Goderich, Clinton, Teeswater, Lucknow, Ripley and Kin- cardinefor the tests and then enjoyed lunch provided by the club mothers: Savings • -eels salesman from district , Mat SI AY, SEP'TE . 97 DAVE HAYS I IiREC I i �►h. . • s�irviftij' Industrial! Corona t* .Residential tiewlr Thomas Moran 'of Owen Sound has biien appointed • organizer in the 1976 Canada Savings Bond Campaign, payroll savings division, for the Owen Sound-Collingw od Goderich area. • His territory includes Ow en Sound, Medford, •Collingwood, Orangeville, Markdale, Southampton " Port Elgin, 'Kincardine, Chesley, Hanover, Dundalk, Walkerton, Palmerston, Wingham, Durham,"Hensall, Mount Forest and Harriston. This is Mr. Moran's first campaign as, a Canada Savings Bond organizer. This year marks the 31st anniversary ,'of:'.'. Canada Savings Bonds and during.the• period . 1946-1975inclusive, almost $7.3 billion in Canada Savings 'Bonds . was pur- i chased through the Payroll • Savings Plan across the country. • • Last year in this area, 3,180 employees bought -a total of $2,035,850 worth of Canada Savings Bonds through payroll savings. • - This Percheron,, held by its owner Allan Horsburgh of Holstein, Ontario, seems to be ignoring •the.judge of the grooming class of the Dungannon Fall Fair heavy horse show while he casts his eyes over the fans at the show. The attitude of the animal didn't bother judge Oliver'.• Bannerman of Monkton, Ontario,however as he named the horse the best groomed of the show. (staff photo) PUBLIC FORUM ON FARM INCOME STABILIZATION MON., OCT. 4, at 8:30 pm The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and.food .will hold—meetings across the province. on. Monday, Octolaer 4, to' receive views on ar stabilization. Interested individuals are invited to participate in any one of the following meetings: RIDGETOWN • Ridgetown College -el • Agricultural Technology, Livestock Pavilion STRATFORD • Market Annex Fairgrounds, Bring your oWvn tont finers the finest FRESH CIDER • 1 La NOrc ori rft, MILES FROM NO, 8 HIGHWAY ON DRIVE IN ROAD SOUTH OF GODERICH.• CAMPBELLFORD District High School Ranney Street " CARLETO.N PLACE Zion Memorial United, Church Hall,, ' • 37 Franklin Street ANCASTER • KEMPTVILLE • •Marritt,HalI - `'Kemptville•Ceillege'of. Fairgrounds : Agficultural Technology; Engineering Building FLESHERTON Grey Highlands. Secondary School, Auditorium NEW L'ISKtARD New Liskeard College of • Agricultural Technology, Auditorium • MARKHAM:. THUNDER BAN,. Mari<ham Arena Hall . Airlane Motor Hotel Highways 48 and 7 • ' Ministry of Agriculture and Food Ontario Hon William G. Newman Minister R G Bennett Deputy Minister Minister ATER DRILLIN NEW HOMES and FARMS Free Estimates Youfamily nd your deserve the best of water a • so don't hesitate to call OM LANG • PHONE 5 2 4-6 4' 0 1 MILE NORTH ON 'HIGHWAY 21, GODERICH •z i,z y,, t Cedar .Valley Apiaries MPBELL'S Honey to order N0 Call before -noon .• or. between 5-8 p.m. daily -• 5 24-96-73 Deliveries for over 8 Ib. Orders it YARNS and PATTERNS MACRAMIEDCORD^S, BEADS, RINGS, NEEDLEPOINT:, CRAFT' SUPPLIES •