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THE NEW TANNER THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2005 EDITORIAL with Hartley Coles Those gas prices! Drive by a service station in the morning and gasoline prices at the pump are tagged at 94.9 cents a litre, or a few cents more or less. Pass again in the afternoon and the price could be altered to 89.9 cents a litre or a few cents more or less. Drive in later that evening and quite likely the cost per litre will be changed again -- either up or down. So what are the giant oil companies trying to prove? That they can hold the country in bondage because someone sneezed in Saudi Arabia? Or there's a hurricane raging across the Florida Panhandle which is creating an oil shortage in the United States? Since they are making enormous profits it's obvious they are manipulating the prices so they can make even more to fill their giant offers. One number counter has estimated 30 per cent of the price of gasoline is based on speculation. If that's correct we're paying about 25-30 cents more for a litre of gasoline than we should ~ and it is fueling inflation. We suspect the people who trigger the prices on their giant signs have itchy fingers. How else explain the change in prices sometimes as many as four times a day. What other commodity goes up and down like a toilet seat in a men's rest room? Since an estimated 25 per cent of Canada's oil production goes to the United States it's obvious free trade provisions haven't done us much good. Gasoline is still a lot cheaper in bordering U.S. states. And we're supplying the oil. Go figure! Conserve water Halton Région recently reminded residents to be cautious with outdoor water use to reduce the likelihood of outdoor water bans. The unusually hot weather of the last few weeks, along with very dry conditions, has made the likelihood possible. : "Water is a valuable resource and if everyone pitches in and reduces their outdoor water use, the effect can be substantial," said Halton Regional Chairman Joyce Savoline. "An average lawn sprinkler can use 25 litres of water per minute, so it is pos- sible for individual households to make a significant difference in reducing the demands on our water system if they adhere to suggested water conservation guidelines." Halton has an odd-even day watering by-law in effect which advised that even numbered houses should water only on even calendar days and odd-numbered houses should water only on odd calendar days. To keep a lawn healthy while minimizing water use this sum- mer, apply only about 2.5 cm of water not more than once per week, and skip a week after a good rain, advises Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). : Set your sprinkler or hose to avoid watering hard surfaces such as driveways and patios. Water slowly and thoroughly before 9a.m. and on calm days to avoid run-off, reduce evaporation and ensure the soil absorbs the water. Plus, don't cut your lawn any lower than 6-8 cm so that the roots are shaded and better able to hold water. Choose an efficient irrigation system like a soaker hose placed on the ground or a drip or trickle irrigation system for planting beds and gardens, to apply water directly to the soil and reduce evaporation. And apply a layer of mulch around garden plants, shrubs and trees to retain moisture and suppress weeds. It all helps to reduce the demands on our water systems which are being taxed by the unusually hot, dry July weather. eee onan BUSINESS OF THE MONTH Awarded By Halton Hills Chamber Of Commerce Membership Services wwew. haltonhillschamberon.ca. REPEAT WINNERS: Willow Lanes Natural Foods in Acton was declared the Halton Hills Chamber of Commerce (C of C) Business of the Month. The 27-year-old business which operates from a unique store on Willow St. S. in Acton also won the award a decade ago, just after owners Harry and Annie Kerkhof bought the business. The business, which was the result of Harry losing his engineering job, has been a fulfilling vocation for the Acton couple who received a framed copy of the award from C of C director Travis Allinott, left, and President Norm Paget, thirds from left shaking Harry's hand. Crisis on the farm ) | By Patrick Meagher Canadians pay a smaller percent- age of their pay cheques on food than most of the rest of the world outside of the United States. It is so inexpensive they are dining out more than ever. In fact, 50 per cent of what Canadians now eat is con- sumed outside the home. But your bargain is a farmer's grief. Only $1.44 of a $30 dining-out charge goes back to the farmer. And that's a cause for worry. Due to low _ prices for crops and livestock many farmers begin to wonder: will they have to sell the farm? Many of those farms you pass when you leave town are owned by hard-working men and women who are nervous about the future. And now they are making the mayors in some communities a little nervous, too. Why? Because farming is one of the best generators of jobs and revenues in most communities out- side of cities. And they don't want to lose that. In 25 of more than 200 Ontario municipalities, farming is the most important industry. But it's hidden. Blink and you miss it. A group of Ontario mayors from agriculture communities have banded together to save their rural economies. Calling themselves the Ontario Mayors for the Future of Agriculture, the 25 mayors met last month in Simcoe, to discuss what they call a crisis in agriculture. They aired their many frustra- tions. One of the biggest is how much beef farmers are earning at the sale barn. Beef producers would be lucky to get $1,000 for a fattened steer, which would fetch about $6,000 in South Korea, the mayors were.told. The mayors were presented with details of the farm income crisis in Ontario. They were also presented with solutions to consider in order to help them strengthen agriculture locally, including encouraging value-added production facilities on farms by providing assessment modifications. It was pointed out that local farmers add value when they are included in discussions to enhance economic development strate- gies. It was also noted that some municipalities have successfully established Agricultural Advisory Committees to foster closer co-op- eration between municipalities and agriculture. The mayors noted that farming ensures the viability of many non- farm services in their communities. The group of mayors will continue to meet to develop strategies to sup- port agriculture. Editor's note: This article-was produced with the assistance of the Agri- cultural Adaptation Council, Kemptville College, University of Guelph and the Ontario, Federation of Agriculture WouL> RE ALoT DEEPER IE RMNED ITY RiGur Sipe Fe THE Tanner PusuisHine Lrp. 373 Queen Street East, Unit 1 Acton, Ontario L7J 2N2 email: thenewtanner@on.aibn.com (519) 853-0051 Fax: 853-0052 Publisher Editorial Ted Tyler Hartley Coles Editorial Contributors Frances Niblock Mike O'Leary Angela Tyler Janis Fread Rebecca Ring Advertising and Circulation Marie Shadbolt Bruce Cargill Composing Danielle Mclsaac Janine Taylor Distributed to every home in Acton and area as well as adjoining communities. Every effort will be made to see advertising copy, neatly presented, is cortectly printed. 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