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The Huron Expositor, 1979-05-03, Page 14li 'TM HURON EXPo8In ** MAY „ 4 a BY ALICE GIBE' Peter Stonehouse, a farm management' lessor at the University .of Guelph, and: nni Of the keynote speakers at Mitchell IRItRrict High School's Energy Day last Wednesday; said. Canada :must reduce its. dependenceon crude petroleum products. Prof Stonehouse's message Was simple if Canada doesn't reduce this dependence then, Canadians can expect a: lower standard of livingand changed, lifestyle in **haute. The speaker said Western nations enjoyed an unprecedented; rate of economic growth, in the postwar era frn n 1945 to 1973: with a steadily rising standard of living, due to investment in education. research and development, and new tech- niques of production and marketing in both the. industrial and agricultural segments of . society. Unfortunately, "this economic boom, was also dependent on a high and rising rate of dependence on non-renewable forms, of energy,'' Prof, Stonehouse: told the audi- ence. While some countries began tQ;realize in the 1960's that energy supplies weren't inexhaustible, it wasn't until the 1973 oil crisis that most Western nations realized how vulnerable they were. Then the OPEC nations banded together to demand higher prices for crude oil which meant prices "quintupled" according to Prof, Stone- house. He said the Canadian government has shielded, consumers from these price increases. by subsidizing! oil prices in the erag. es u country. He pointed:' ,out that many ,commercial farmers also can claim tax rebates on fuel, .cgnsumptien on, their farms. Prof. Stonehouse said from 1973 to 1976, a wide discrepancy developed in the rate of energy consumption, between developed: and underdeveloped countries, Some countries, like the United States.; started, trying to do something about the energy problem, but Prof. Stonehouse said Canada hasn't done nearly so well. This country ..has, actually increased its. consumption, a; fact Pref. Stonehouse Partly blames on thegovernment's shield. ing of consumers from price increases. The speaker said, "Western nations; r --',should. feel it incumbent upon themselves. to reduce their level of energy consump- tion," He pointed out that nations like Canada are only increasing their inter- national indebtness by continuingto buy crude oil. He also pointed out that Western. nations should be considering future generations when depleting non-renewable energy resources. 1n Canada, Prof. Stonehouse said 54 per cent of the country's energy needs are met by liquid petroleum, 26 per cent by natural gas (fortunately available in Canada), 16 per cent by electricity and; four per cent by coal and coke,. He said if Canada wants to reduce our indebtedness to, foreign natipns, then "we must switch our' dependence on crude petroleum to alternative energy sources." In Canada, the largest amount of energy BY DEBBIE R'ANNEY Morris Township council decided to, raise the townships farm and residential. mill rate nine mills . this; year and the business and conimercial by about 10. mills so they could put aside 520,000. in. the reservefund so they could replace Marti, ,n`s bridge: This means thata,person having a 55,000 assessment on farm and residential would have to pay about 580, more taxes. this year than in, 1978. Thenew farmand residential rate will be 41.24 while last year's rate was 32.13 and the, new commercial rate will be 48,52 up. fromlast year's rate .of 37.80. The elementary. school • rate has also increased from' 30..65 last year to 34.67 this ..:,,year and the secondary school rate has gone up front 26.66 to '27.41 this year. Also increased: this year were the county rates which went from ' 14.95 for farm and residential to 17.02 :mills. The business and commercial rate .went from 17.59 to 20.,02. John Nesbitt president of the Monis Federation of Agriculture and Bev Brown of the, Huron County' Federation of Agriculture were at council to ask for a donation for the Huron County Federation: Miss Brown gave council some information' on what the federation has done for farmers. . She told • ,'them that the federation meets annually ,with the cabinet in Ontario and also with the federal cabinet.. Fishing BY J.V. DOBELL Springoperations of the rainbow trout fishway on the Lucknow River in Port Albert. are underway according to the Ministry of Natural Resources, Wingharn Office. The fish run started early in April and should continue through most of May, The run is currently ahead of last year's rate, when a spring total of 550 .rainbow . trout. were' handled.:: Rainbow' trout, are being tagged with clear, streamer ;tags ahead of the dorsal fin +hie year. In 1978 yellow (Continued on Page 15) rr She pointed out things the Federation had done like the farmers price index' and; that the Federation had had farriersat every one of the PLUARG, meetings. She said Huron County in considered one of the leading counties in the Federation of Agriculture. if she would have served this year there would have been about eight peopleon the provincial committee from Huron. County; she said., She said the. Federation had put; in a brief, to the. Porter Commission and a year ago had put ,a brief into the trail commission when the commission: was wanting to set up trails across farmland. ' She told council that the ' Ontario government and the:Ministry"of Agriculture ate 'hardly taking any steps on agriculture without asking the advice of the Federation: and they are also:sending proposed' farm. Legislation over to them. She pointed out that some of the legislation had been passed _. as a result of Federation pressure. Ms. Brown asked the councilto: reconsider 'last year's decision on dropping:` their grant from 5500 to 5400 but later in .the meeting council decided to stick with the 5400 figure. Council also awarded a tender for pitrun gravel. to Radford Construction of Blyth: who tendered. 30,000 yards at 59• cents per yard. Cit her bidder's` included Lloyd Jacklin' at 80 cents, Joe • Kern of Wingham at 69 cents, Fairish Construction at 83 cents, Adams. Construction at. 77 .cents and Donnegan's :cif`;•; ,Listowel at 69 cents. Council was also asked by Ross. Anderson a' representative .on the Brandon Cemetery Board in . Belgrave for a donation so 'the Board could pay for approximately two more acres they had bought for plots. Council decided to wait and see what other cemetery boards receive. H & ' N ' DAIRY SYSTEMS LTD• Sales, Service 8' Installation of 887-6063 pipelines & milking parlours R.R.4 WALTON for A Bumper Crop of Profits Phone* x'•4241 or come and see us, for BLEB FERTILIZER •& (Bagged)' AT COMPETITIVE PRICES NEW: • FERTILIZER.BLEN6E.. R for your .special' requlreenettits• Towson &4Howson. Limited i~lour 4 -Peed Millers, Complete Fattti Supplies Grain Elevators • iV'i nAM, iLi ,'AItout, •.*, ..,4.4 4*** i .conxutnptiof is in ,the industrial sector, 'followed • by .the . transportation industry. y Prof. Stonehouse said since our, country is SO, large. the only way we can hope to reduce energy consumption in transport- native ation is .if Someone; can invent an alter - of to. the internal, combustion engine. tive 5tonchouse said only three per cent of the energy consumption in the eountry is. farm -related, compared; to 29: ;per cent which is industry :related. AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY ':t•Ie said the ,agricultural industry has setaoat for itself in reducing c.nerg5" 8 consumptonby 25 per cent 'in the next decade• Prof. Stonehouse said researchers at the 'University of Guelph have been; studying g which foods produced on Canadian farms, are the most energy-efficient. He said soybeans top the list, followed by carrots and winter wheat. 'However, if the straw from cereal crops is also being utilized on the farm, then they would even top; soybeans in energy efficiency. Among the least efficient food products; in terms of energy are cucumbers, cherries milk, pork, eggs, beef and broilers. However, if the manure use on the farm is calculated with the meats and milk, then they become much niore energy efficient: products. Also 'Prof. Stonehouse pointed out meatis often raised an land which isn't .useable for erop production. Canada then is facing a "finite level" of iron -renewable resources like natural gas and crude oil. He said the country is likely assured a supply of natural gas for about another 30 years. There is enough. coal to supply energy needs fora longer period, but this resource creates problems in.terms', of polluting the environment. COAL MINING "I wouldn't like to see 'this • country erir Tit become too dependent oiite il. unless. we swan, solve the pollution problem,- Prof, Stone. .house told the audience. He said open •pit mining, can also -cause irreversible scars .on, the landscape 'unless we can determine a, way to return land to agricultural produc- tion after the coal has been removed. Prof. Stonehouse said someday .we may e• able to make use of the biomass gas produced in agriculture,this but h s i sn't economically viable until the price of crude oil increases even more. Solar energy is .another alternative source .of energy, but technical problems, and eeenomic.efficiency of this method :must be improved before its use will ' become widespread. Prof. Stonehousesaid the other alter. native method of energy is nuclear power which he sees as a "stopgap measure" to see us through until we solve the problems of solar energy and nuclear fusion, But perhaps the most practical solution p suggested by the speaker was for Cana- dians to reduce energy consumption levels to below the assured energy supply levels, His solutions in doing this included using waste heat from, generating stations toheat greenhouses, livestock buildings, etc, using manure and agricultural wastes as replacements for expensive chemical fertilizers; rely on insulation to reduce energy loss in dotnest'ic buildings as well; as. farm buildings and to: monitor our ,own individual energy around the home. Prof. Stonehouse, said reducing our energy consumption is a challenge facing all Canadians. "If we don't close this gap • we will have a tremendous level of international indebtedness andif we can't, our standard of living will suffer. He said it isn't any consolation to Canadians that the United States is, : now facing the same problem. Farm offielency 'w lli tall if Government vut•backs ,inu agricultural programs continue, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) said in its AMU* Brief to the Provincial Cabinet today. The Brief pointedabut that a major reduction itr efficiency will have far•t•'eaching consequences. Ontario farmers would, become non-competitive, which • would lead, to thousands of lost jobs and higher consumer prices,. The QFA used several' examples to illustrate how services, were suffering as a result of last year's cut-backs. A further ;decline its expectedin the icoming year due to the cuts: announced; in, the recent budget, T he Brief urged the government to reverse this: trend before the effects become even more serious. In particular, the OFA recommended that OMAF increase its tile drainage loan Farm News w s............. (Continued, from, Page 15) •Have an understanding wife or a hired man that can assist you when needed. *Patience and tender lov- ing care should never be forgotten. Don't forget to record birth date, sex, 'size, health con- dition, treatment given, calv- ing ease and any pertinent information. This will help you in your culling decisions. progranri. front 5181 millton to $25 million, a year, Tile drainage is one of the easiest ways to. i.►',titprnv_e farm, efficiency, while the cost to: They,i .ted, out that ,Im�. Ontario s ;cotilpetitors• are Increasing their programs. 'The OFA was critical of the government's approach to. Ws. , machinery problems. The OFA: has asked repeatedly for legislated, ' minimum warranties and a stronger Farm Mac: hinery Board with investigative, arbitration and licencing powers. Recently announced government ,programs, they said, fall far short.. of .cleating with the problem. The OFA, . " ;also recommended ' a new Agriculture Resource Protection Program. It would assist farmers with the capital cost of ; new equipment for environmental maintenance, pollution abatement, ' storage requirements and, market expansion, Over ten years:- DRYWALL ears, the .program would • fiver' one-third of the capital closet. up to a maximum of snoop. the government is minimlal-a small subsidy on the interest. DRYWALL .KNOWN FOR RICH QUALITY Peter,Bakos Drywall COMPLETE, DRYWALL SERVICE 527''-1398 or 527,0606, A Moment by JACK LAVENDER' ccipatant use• will 'WOW away anything—espeendly friend". ,M0°0401 A windshieldwiper gives clear vision through raLnW,ater, but It doesn't help. n uctt with firewater. .*.•,.. • The boss says he treasures our vwrk-anythInp that scarce most be precious. Wien things go wrong, don't. Iceeii them company. A person shouldn't talk when his mouth Is lull -=or when his: head Is empty. it's no empty talk WHAT WE SELL WE. 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