The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Orono Weekly Times,, Wednesday* August 23, 2000 - 7 FROM PARLIAMENT H 1 Lb !■ Alex Shepherd Many members of our farming community are feeling feeling the stress of their crops selling significantly beneath the cost of what they cost to produce. You don't need to be a financial guru to figure out the size of the hole this creates creates In a farmer's pocket book, the feeling of Insecurity Insecurity for a farmer and his family. family. as well as, bringing Into question the long-term sustainability sustainability of our farming community. Many of the farming operations operations In Durham like dairy, poultry, pork and horticulture horticulture come under supply management. A lot of those farmers will be cushioned against a disaster. disaster. However, those who rely solely on cash crops like com, wheat, soya beans and other grain crops, face a precarious precarious future. A meeting held In Port Perry, August 16, sponsored by the grains and seed oil organizations and the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, was set up to discuss the serious problems Horticulture (continued from page 6) as possible - 1. Minnie Zegers 2. Loma Atkins 3. Isabelle Challice | 32. Cucumbers - three * specimens, slicing - 1. Cor- Mostert 2. Pat Bales 33. Peppers - three specimens specimens - 1. Carol Mostert 2. Isabelle Challice 3. Cor Mostert 34. Potatoes - three specimens, specimens, any variety - 1. Pat Bales 2. Isabelle Challice 3. Jackie Kirtley 35. Onions - three specimens, specimens, any variety - 1. Pat Bales 2. Inez Harris 3. Loma Atkins „ 36. Tomatoes - one cluster, cluster, miniature - 1. Cor Mostert 2. Minnie Zegers 3. < Pat Bales 37. Tomatoes - three specimens, specimens, slicing type - 1. Cor Mostert 2. Loma Atkins 3. Pat Bales 38. Any other vegetable - suitable number of specimens specimens - 1. Ann Dllks 2. Carol Mostert 3. Pat Bales SECTION C-Decorative 39. "Pickling Season" - a display of home grown vegetables vegetables on a tray - 1. Pat Bales 40. "Copy Cat" - a design to resemble a picture as close 41. "Green Thumb" - all green and white, Hogarth affecting these farmers. Approximately 250 farmers, farmers, along with myself and two other federal members of parliament attended it. I can't understand why provincial MPPs failed to attend. Surely provincial MPPs understand the importance importance of the problems facing this sector of the farming community. Farmers would prefer not to receive subsidies. What they want, like the rest of us, is to receive decent compensation compensation for the work they do and the food they provide for all of us . Part of the problem is that world-trading systems have developed agricultural subsidies subsidies to an art form. The meeting showed just how frustrated the local farming community is. The problem seems twofold. First there is the issue of farmers receiving far less than what food is worth compared compared to everyone else who is involved in the food indus- design - 1. Carol Mostert 2. Shelley Etmanskie 3. Loma Atkins 42. "Pot Pourri" - a basket of mixed garden flowers - 1. Shelley Etmanskie 2. Pat Bales 3. Isabelle Challice 43. "Shell-wee" - an arrangement in a seashell - 1. Shelley Etmanskie 2. Pat Bales 3. Isabelle Challice SECTION D - , Youth Competition - youth aged 16 and under may enter 1. "Comfortable As An Old Shoe" - 1. Melissa Zegers 2. Amanda Zegers 3. Kristyn Zegers 4. Emily Gallant 2. "By the Seashore" - use your own imagination - 1. Kristyn Zegers 2. Melissa Zegers 3. Kristina Matchett 4. Korey Matchett 3. "Just For the Fun Of It" - a character made with flowers flowers and /or vegetables and/or fruits - 1. Emily Gallant 2. Melissa Zegers 3. Kristina Matchett SPECIAL PRIZES: Judges choice, donated by Isabelle Challice went to Carol Mostert for her "Green Thumb" arrangement. Most points in specimen flowers - Loma Atkins Most points in specimen vegetables - Pat Bales The above two awards were donated by Ed and Olive Millsori. Most points in the show - donated by the CIBC was won by Pat Bales. try- , For example one farmer pointed out Tiger Woods gets more money from a box of cereal than the farmer. Well we, as a society , have to ponder ponder the significance of that. (Not to mention how society, as consumers, are willing to pay more than we should when someone endorses a product). Secondly, farmers raised the issue of what government can do to deal with, what appears in the grain and oil seeds sector, to be a looming disaster. Of course there is disaster assistance. Then the issue becomes how much assistance assistance and how the assistance is administered. Farmers like all business operators are subjectéd to too many government government forms and Em end less barrage of civil servants dictating how said forms are to be taken care of. Farmers also raised the issue of the length of time it takes before assistance is received which is long after the disaster occurred and has left its affect. I admit this is a problem for governments. governments. But I think we can all understand that forces like weather don't wait for the processing of documents. Clearly these farmers were telling me they want greater accountability. However they understood as well, that the farmer who receives assistance assistance has to be entitled to it. Farming is largely cyclical so this presents the problem of when you get in or out. Obviously, the longer you Eire in the more likely you can sustain a radical downtown. For a farmer who only just started a radical change in something like weather can be a death nail. I have addressed the issues brought up by the farmers with the federal minister minister of agriculture. I will be meeting with him shortly to see how we can address the crisis. In the meantime I would like the rest of us to think about the importance of farmers' contributions to the success of our economy and society. After all, we all have to eat. We should also think about how we can assist farmers in getting a larger piece of the economic prosperity prosperity we are all experiencing experiencing now. RECYCLE YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO ATTEND THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON SUPPLIER INFORMATION NIGHT The Municipality of Clarington is pleased to announce its first ever "Supplier Information Night" to be held on September 7, 2000 from 7:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. at the Courtice Community Complex, Courtice Road, Courtice. The evening will include speakers from the Construction Association, Workplace Safety Insurance Board, W. B. White Insurance Company in conjunction with a representative from the Surety Industry, the Pineridge Northumberland School Board, and the Municipality of Clarington. Both current and prospective suppliers alike will receive valuable information with respect to'current projects, .construction liens, tendering procedures, the bid depository, how to obtain bonding, the competitive local advantage, as well as other issues of topical interest.- Refreshments will be served as well as pre-registered guests,will be entered into a draw for some great door prizes, donated by our speakers. Don't miss out on this unique "no change" opportunity to learn about the bidding process, ask questions, and increase your business potential. For further information or to register for the event, please contact Kim McDonald, Purchasing Division, Municipality of Clarington at 905-623-3379, ext .267, Lou Ann Birkett, C.P.P., A.M.C.T. Purchasing Manager. Municipality of Clarington