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The Goderich Signal-Star, 1979-02-01, Page 191 REALHTATE. LIS -T. COTTAGES • HOMES • ACREAGES • FARMS • • d or -SHARON • Ilintt 524-2152 529-7281 355 West St. TOM TOBEY 529-7431 SHARON ELLIOTT 529-7281 MIKE MALLOUGH 524-6767 ELGIN AVE. - 3 bedroom home with hardwood • floors, asking 538,500. Taxes 5462. Z WELLINGTON -STREET - Nearly new, three bedroom brick bungalow. Asking 545,000. 0 COUNTRY HOME -On 14 acre. Asking 530,000. _Z, Within walking distance of river. U ST. DAVID ST. - an older two storey brick home. Z Natural woodwork. Asking 542,000. STOP BY OUR OFFICE - for your FREE copy of OG 4 .hstin.s available in the area. LOTS • COTi;AGES "ES • ACREAGES EXECUTIVE FAMILY' HOME Executive Family Home - Britannia Road West. Central well treed location. Close to schools and arena. Features - 4 bedroom; 2-4 pc. baths. 1-2 pc.; familyroom with fireplace on main floor; modern country size kit- chen; centre hall plan; double livingroom; separate dlningroom; full finished basement; gas/forced air heating; well insulated - easy to heat; carport = paved drive plus many more fine features. Don't delay - phone us to -day. ALEXANDER & CHAPMAN REALTY LIMITED 10 The.Square Phone: 524-2177 Net farm income isn'tall that tremendous Don't dame f�.rr.�.ers �� BY JACK RIDDELL, MPP, HURON - MIDDLESEX Every time we read about an increase in the cost of living, there seems to be accompanied with that report the allegation that food prices hasbeen.the major contributing factor. Unfortunately consumers often look upon the far- mers and marketing boards as being to blame for the food cost spiral. Perhaps I can attempt to put the -farmer's case in some perspective, and in this connection I have been very interested in a series of articles that has been written by an agriculture reporter for one of the daily papers. There was a time in this country when farmers encouraged their sons to farm and when the sons responded positively to such encouragement. Unfortunately things have changed. Canadian agriculture is almost unrecognizable today. Gone are the small self-sufficient ' farms relying on natural horsepower to get the work done with a few chickens and a cow to help keep the family„ fed. The typical Canadian farmer is not an un- sophisticated hayseed - certainly many of them never' were. There is no room in agriculture for a farmer who can't cut the mustard. . Today's farmer must be a combination land baron, speculator, book- keeper, mechanic, electrician, carpenter, and still manage to grow crops and livestock. He has to keep detailed records of money for, chemicals, gasoline, machinery, taxes, and interest payments. He has .-to watch :-. the ALL POINTS Realty Services Inc. I)F'FI(1.: 56 EAST ST. (.1mERq•n MEMBERIiURON REALESTATE BOARD S NORTH Just Reduced! Would you like to own a "River Retreat"? Here's your chance to buy one with large mobile, older brick home in need of renovation, trees, and 13 acres thrown In. Call CHARLIE TYNDALL for appointment. Colborne Twp. Near Goderich, 1600 square feet of ranch with at- tached garage on 1.3 acres. Prelently under construction and builder will finish to taste. Meneset Park. Two and three bedroom mpbile homes, set on attractive treed lots. Priced from '12,500. SOUTH Goderich Twp. 80 acres with cot- tage. Half treed and half workable. Minutes from town. EAST Completely equipped grocery doing increasing business with complete moat' department. Plenty of room for expansion in other lines. Close to 9,000 square feet of retail area. This Is an ex- cellent opportunity to own and expand your own business. 524-6656 GODERICH NEAR ARENA. Three bedroom bungalow conveniently located near arena and schools. Electric Franklin fireplace easily conver- ted to wood. Bright kitchen and full basement. Priced in the 40's, - CENTRAL. Immaculate 3 bedroom home with huge family kitchen, 1'/2 bathrooms, double living room, main floor laundry and double attached garage. Ex- cellent decor -and atma hare, with all the grace of the older home. Call JIM,McCAUL. WEST END. Four bedroom home with added Income on a large treed lot near the lake. Call AGNES MacKINNON for all infor- mation, EAST END. Starter home for family living. Treed lot, family kitchen with custom clipboards and patio doors, renovated 4 piece bath, 24' 'L-shaped living room, and 3 bedrooms. Right of. way from the back yard to fenced community park. Under '40,000 so act now. NORTH END. Panoramic view from the Maitland River bank. Four bedroom home with main floor family room, and lots of space. Call ANNA MELSKI for your ap- pointment with the future, For Professional Realty Service -CALL: ALL POINTS 524-6656 .Iim M('nu1 524.4175 Ken 't'hnngrvon AKn'H MarKinnnn 52444:31114 1'hnrhrTvndnll Anna WA' 524.27(48 (;,,yl, MrOmI !Pt us point you, inThe nigh .dir('rtion" 24 71514 524.745:1 4 524.4175 newspaper to see how grain prices in Winnipeg and Chicago commodity exchanges • are acting. Every cent of profit is carefully weighed. Should it be used to buy a new $78,0014 combine or that 100 acre parcel down the road? The average Canadian farmer bears little resemblance to his forefathers.. He can't be satisfied merely with a day's work and the knowledge that he is his own boss. He is his own boss all right - with a $200,000 capital in- vestment to protect. He is a self-employed capitalist, in debt to his ears, with production costs constantly threatening net income. He produces much of the food eaten around the world, yet his fellow countrymen are eating more and more imported food which competes directly with domestic food. On paper he and his colleagues are worth more than ever, yet more and more of them are forced to hold outside jobs: He drives a tractor that costs more than a small house and is slowly being forced to accept more mechanization because Canada, a country beset with high unemployment, can't supply him with enough seasonal farm labour to get crucial harvest work completed. Caught in the so-called cost -price squeeze, the, Canadian farmer has managed to snare much • o e blame for the rising cos of food in this country. The facts show otherwise. According to Statistics Canada, the price of the tools, supplies and land 'need ed'to produce fooditi Canada_... rose by a whopping 201 per cent , between 1951 and,1977 .. "�ui'if►g"thif retail price of food as measured by the con= suIEner price index went up by 151 per cent. Farmers in that time received only 89 per cent more for their"p'rodiucts; All is not bad, however, for the man on the land. The federal and provincial governments contribute to crop stabilization programs, which ensure farmers break-even' prices when commodity. returns drop below a pre -determined level. Farmers con- tribute to these programs. There is a crop in- surance program - unique in the world which compensates farmers for crop loss dune to bad weather. Farmers contribute to this as well as governments. And dairy farmers receive subsidies each year for milk used- in the production of items such as cheese, ice cream, skim milk powder and yogurt to the tune of some $300 million. Still, the rate of all these subsidies in total and on a per -capita basis, is among the lowest in the Western world. The federal Ministry of Agriculture estimates total federal and provincial contributions to farmers to be about $500 million each year. In comparison, United States subsidies this year will total some $22 billion. The -bottom line is that to be successful today, the farmer must be a shrewd, hard-headed jack-of-all-trades. He must be willing and able to work in the fields and in the barns, repair equipment, mend fences, plan and carry out ex- pansion programs, juggle finances to maximize profits and minimize taxes, know what com- modity to produce from year to year as prices fluctuate, and somehow survive the inflation all Canadians are familiar with. Net farm income dropped for two years in a row, but 1978 was the beginning .,.- of ..a -._-tur- naround. Contrary to earlier expectations, income .across Canada ; node :,;by; 3 .,Ek -1,4r# ent - last year. This ..w s due mainly, • to higher ;prices for livestock such, as cattle and hogs, as well as better grain prices on world markets. Actually, world prices are still low, but the devaluation of North American currencies means Canadian farmers ire getting higher prices for exports in terms of the Canadian dollar. The smaller dollar& is a two-edged sword, however, because most farm supplies are im- ported from the United States and other coun- tries whose currencies have not dropped as much, so farmers are paying higher prices.. Our farmers supply, along with those in the United States, Argentina and Australia, most of the wheat sold to other countries lacking great agricultural resources. The Canadian gover- nment has guaranteed, a price for wheat sold domestically, but since most wheat is exported, farmers are at the mercy of world price conditions. The pegged price limits what millers and other grain processors pay for' Canadian wheat to bet- ween $4 and $5 per bushel - an increase from $3.25 a bushel. While this new price recognizes increased production costs of farmers, it will also help push retail bread and pastry costs up this year. Besides grain, cattle and hog production are major agriculture ac- tivities in Canada, and have . a complicated relationship with grain, since much of the grain crop is used to feed livestock. Thus when grain prices are high, beef and pork prices are likely to go up because of the higher cost of feeding the animals. However, the major factor' in livestock prices from farm gate to supermarket is supply. The greater the numbers, the lower the price. This "year's, rapidly escalating beef prices provided a . r1t7t4ect example of that basic supply and demand law. For several years high cattle numbers in Canada and,, the United.."'St's@s'" kept the price low, often below cost of production, and consumers had relatively cheap beef. Cattlemen voluntarily began reducing the breeding herds by sen- ding more female cattle to slaughter, herd numbers declin.ed, and Canadian consumers saw sharp beef price in- GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1979—PAGE 19 creases this spring. Farmers claimed it was price recovery, noting that they had lost $400 million because of the lower prices in recent years. Besides the Prairie provinces, Ontario is a major agricultural province ` producing, • a wide variety of grai-n, vegetable and fruit crops as well as containing a thriving livestock and dairy industry. For Ontario farmers a key problem is import competition. Growers can be hit hard by United States and Mexican imports, even during the Canadian growing season.Y Greenhouse vegetable growers centred mainly around Leamington grew $18 million worth of cucumbers and tomatoes last year. When those products hit store shelves in spring and summer imonths, they had to compete with cheaper , produce from southern regions, which although expensive to transport here, still can be sold relatively cheaply because of much lower production costs in their country of origin. They are grown outside under the sun and picked ,by low -paid laborers. Canadian growers must spend millions on heating greenhouses while crops are growing during the winter, and. labor costs here are high. . Farm work is hard and tedious, and unemployed Canadians would rather wait for better -paying - industrial jobs or collect unemployment than take on seasonal farm work. The same situation applies to peach, apple and other fruit crops grown in Southern Ontario, which boasts some of the best far-' mland in Canada. Quebec is different. Dairy production is 'the main , agricultural in- dustry there and it is a highly subsidized type of farming. Milk prices are set by the federal government and provincial marketing boards in Canada, and although the work is hard - dairymen must Work 365 days a year - the reward is a stable industry with Alexcmde'rlC:haprnan Realty Limited Member Of The Huron Real Estate Board Multiple Listing Service Real Estate — General Insurance — Property Management 524-2177 10 THE SQUARE, GODERICH SUNCOAST DRIVE, West. New custom built 2 storey home with two car attached garage. Family room with fireplace on main floor. Extra quality throughout. Two sets of patio doors. Close to schools. FOUR. BEDROOMS - Owner tran- sferred, 2- storey home with centre hall plan, country sized modern kit- chen. Separatedining room. Double living room, 2-4, pc. baths -I 2 pc. bath . New family room with fireplace and patio doors. Full finished basement. Well treed lawnscaped lot. Paved drive and carport. Gas forced air heating. Immediate possession. NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION - 3 bedroom brick bungalow with car- port. Fuliy serviced lot. • Clbse 'to schools. Don't wait any longer for that new home of your own. Builder's warranty, of course. CLOSE TO THE LAKE Nearly new 4 bedroom split entry home on Suncoast Drive West. Large kitchen with combined dining area. Large family room. Pillared front entrance for a pleasant appearance. Fully serviced lot. Paved street. Close to schools. SPLIT ENTRY HOME with fireplace. Upper floor finished with 3 bedrooms. Lower floor easily finished, if desired. Quality construction: Fully serviced lot. See us soon for choice of carpets, paint and trim. ENJOY PT. ALBERT Comfortable 4 year old brick 3 bedroom bungalow with attached double garage. Family room with fireplace, Room for your own garden on a large lot. Close to the lake. At- tractive year around home. HOME BY THE LAKE• YEAR ROUND - Your dream home living year round by the lake. Income too from variety and grocery store with property including three bedroom home. Excellent retirement possibilities. Good location on a paved road about one mile from Highway 21 and at the beach about five miles south of Kincardine. Price reduced so it is more attractive. ST. DAVID 'ST'RE ET Good 2 bedroom house with double living room. and large kitchen. Gas forced air heating. Price reduced for a bargain at 527,500. COUNTRY LIVING 34 Acres scenic property with 8 acres workable: Good remodelled 2 storey house and large steel barn with a large finished area for 'your hobby room. Good spring water. Close to Goderich. Selling for 575,000. BRICK BUNGALOW SPECIAL Nearly new 3 bedroom home on Suncoast Drive near the lake. Close to schools. Full basement. Immediate possession. May consider renting with option to buy. Priced in low forties. PRICE REDUCED: •Nearly new 3 bedroom bungalow.in Bayfield. Only -2 blocks from the lake. Low taxes. Convenient laundry facilities on main floor in Lieu of basement. Owner reduced price to 839,900 for quick sale. INCOME PROPERTY Brick 2 storey house with centre hall plan. Three one bedroom and one bachelor apartments. Gas hot water heating. Separate meters. Live in one and enjoy a nice income. Open to offers. LOWER THIRTIES: Immediate possession on this 5 bedroom, 2 storey house on Napier Street. Close to St. Peter's Catholic church. Good full basement with gas forced air heating. See it soon. HIGHWAY PROPERTY: Five acres immediately south ofGoderich on Hwy. 21 with,commercial building and 3 bedroom apartment. Presently used as sales auction rooms with many other possible uses. LOTS -Fully serviced building lots on Sun - coast Drive. Close to schools. Paved street. We would be pleased to discuss your new home with you. PORT ALBERT - Two good half -acre lots near Lake Huron Buy now and plan your new home during the winter months. , YEAR AROUND COTTAGE with garage. Well treed lot with septic system and own well. Paved road to lot. Close to the lake bank. About one mile from Goderich. 'Immediate Possession. Only 525,000. COTTAGES: 3 bedroom cottage at Hunter's Beach, five miles north of Goderich. Nicely treed. Lakeview. Immediate possession. Only 519,500. SPECIAL PRICE of 521,000 'for a limited time only. Good lake view. 3 bedroom furnished cottage nestled among white birch trees at Hunter's Beach. Good parking. Many other M.L.S. Listings available. Come in and SPP las today. - We will be pleased to offer free expert advice on buying, selling or mortgage arrangements. We have others for your consideration WHEN BUYING OR SELLING CONTACT ANY OF THE FOLLOWING SALESPEOPLE: BERT ALEXANDER, 245 Catherine St., Tel. 524-7836 JOHN BANTER, RR 2, Goderich, Tel. 524-8149 MON ABERHART, 84 Comox Gres, Tel 524-7216 ! ED JESSOP, 182 Wilton St., TeL 524.7287 food costs guaranteed returns. Yet farmers and their commodity marketing boards have come under increasing attack by some groups which claim they are making too ' much money. According to the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, farmers'' net incomes have not -grown proportionately to either cash, receipts or cost of production. In 1951, Statistics Canada reports, the total net income of Canadian farmers was $1.9 billion. During that year, cash receipts were $2.7 billion. In 1977, cash receipts had risen to $10.1 billion, but net income was only $3.6 billion. According to a recent CFA brief, total net farm income represented 59 per cent of total ex- penditures on food consumed at home in 1951, and was of the order of 17 per cent to 20 per cent since 1961. Despite the billions of dollars flowing into farms every year, farmers have had to abandon the in- dependence they cherish and take outside jobs, the CFA notes. In 1951, Canadian farm cash receipts from the sale of agriculture products on the domestic market, - that is, Canadian grown food purchased by Canadians - were $,1.7 billion, while consumers spent a total of $3.1 billion on all food and non-alcoholic beverages at home. By 1977,, the cash receipts from domestic sales were $5.4 billion, and consumer spending had jumped to $18.2 billion on food and non- alcoholic beverages at home. In percentage terms, that means that 54 per cent of our food dollar went to Canadian far- mers in 1951, and in 1977 the percentage had dropped to 30. Next week I will discuss Marketing Boards as they have more emphatically come under the gun on pricing. Dec. is busy at Huronview On December 5 (Family Night) Elsie Henderson and local talent .entertained Huronview residents for the evening. On Wednesday, December 6 a birthday party was put on by Blyth Eastern Star, which many residents attended. On December 10 Mr. Toll, accompanied by his band, played a variety of numbers which were enjoyed by all. - On December 11 residents ,travelled to Simcoe to take in all the Christmas lights. On December 12 the Pentecostal Exeter Choir sang a melody of tunes on Family Night. • On December 13 the Blind • Party was held, with Jim Ruddick on the accordion and Myrtle Parker on the piano. On December 14 the Salvation Army walked through the halls.:. at Huronview singing carols. On December 17 the Seaforth Lions put on a special Christmas. program with R. Spittal as Master of Ceremonies. Carols were sung; an address was given by the Reverend James Broadfoot; the Hulley Twins did some tap dancing; Mr. R. Spittal gave a solo and Santa Claus made an ap- pearance to wrap up the show. On December 19 the Salvation Army made their Christmas visitation throughout the home and presented Christmas favours to all the residents. On December 20 • the Huronview Christmas party was held, Master of Ceremonies was Mr. C. Archibald. A duet was played by Elsie Henderson and Margaret McQueen on the. piano. A solo was given by Josie Cunningham. A reading' was given by Margaret Murray, Grace Peck and 'Jennie McGratten. Elsie Henderson played the bells and C. Skinner and N. Speirs both played the violin. " ' - Margaret McQueen and Ethel Hill sang'"It's Christmas" and "Santa Has the Measles". Jim Ruddick played the accordion and Myrtle Parker played the piano. Morgan Dalton sang a solo. The rhythm , band played and Santa arrived. A The Huronview Or- chestra played carol numbers while everyone joined in on songs. Everyone enjoyed a Christmas supper in the main dining room. On December 21 Hullett Central School Choir visited Huronview and performed. On December 28 the Christian Reform Church Choir entertained at an evening program in the auditorium. Christmas carols were enjoyed by all. A special thank you to all the groups and volunteers who helped to make the festive season an enjoyable one for all. + + + A committee is an arrangement enabling one to share the blame with others. • + + + About the only time losing is more fun than winning is when you're fighting temptation. • Culligan RAL. ESTATE LTD "LUXURIOUS LIVING AT ITS BEST" Newly redecorated . completely, 2 storey frame bedroom house, elegant living room and family room, den' with franklln, carpeted throughout, now kitchen with custom made cupboards, situated on superb corner lot with attractive redwood fence. ,Contact: 77 Main St., Seaforth, Ontario Phone (919) 5271-1577