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smn : rel PRARRSSAN.. i A wn 22- PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, May 7, 1996 *Scugog's Community Newspaper of Choice" - Important changes made {[njon initiates challenge to crop insurance plan Important changes have been made to the Crop Insurance Plan for Forage. | First, the "A" and "B" op- tions have been combined for 1996 which means that all forage producers will be insured on the same ba- -3is in 1996. The two op- tions were introduced in the past to address the needs of two distinct groups of producers. Op- tion "A" was introduced mainly for farmers who re- quired high quality forage. Option "B" was introduced GUARANTEED INVESTMENT CERTIFICATES * ANNUAL RATES ° -- cereeenee 3.00% cree seenenens 5.90% sevevseuvevave 6.35% 1 YEAR........... mainly for farmers who re- quired higher yielding but good quality forage. Farm- ers have stated that the differences between the two groups are no longer as great as in the past. Combining the "A" and "B" options addresses this is- sue. Second, premium sur- charges and discounts are capped at 50 per cent of the base premium rate. Previously they were un- capped which meant that farmers could face large premium + increases/ 'Rates subject to change without notice SCUGOG FINANCIAL SERVICES A DIVISION OF CRESSBROOK FINANCIAL PLANNING LTD. 250 QUEEN STREET - PORT PERRY "Serving Scugog for Over 15 Years" PHONE 985-3832 "FHI = 6 NEY and TIMING is the CRITICAL PART of app to get the WEED CONTROL you want. Let us help you by CUSTOM APPLYING your HERBICIDES this year and get the timing and accuracy your herbicide requires for a clean crop. lying HERBICIDES For more information call Cory or Steve and ask about Liquid 28% Nitrogen for Wheat or Liquid 28% with Herbicides for Corn. 1-705-277-2002 or 1-800-461-7674 decreases from year to year. Capping the premi- um charged to farmers at 50 per cent of the base rate will allow for more gradu- al premium rate changes from year to year. Third, the base premi- um rate has decreased by 11 per cent over last year. The base rate in 1996 is 3.57 per cent compared to 4 per centin 1995. Growers who would like to discuss these changes to the plan or how forage in- surance will benefit their operation are encouraged to call their District Coor- dinator for more informa- tion. Growers may algo call the local office of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Barry Roberts, District Co-ordinator or phone the Crop Insurance Commis- sion of Ontario at (416) 326-3276. At a media conference here recently, the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) an- nounced they are initiat- ing a charter challenge to fight for the rights of Onta- rio agricultural workers. "Agricultural workers have been discriminated against historically," says Walter Lumsden, presi- dent of UFCW Local 1993. Lumsden says that in the 1930's, these workers were systematically ex- cluded from New Deal La- bor legislation in the Unit- ed States for overtly political reasons caused by the opposition of the pow- erful farm lobby. This oc- curred despite over- whelming testimony before Congressional Committees describing the miserable working conditions experienced by agricultural workers and the violence encountered Wills Agri-Quip er Fencing Systems IF YOU'RE NOT LOOKING AT US YOU'RE MISSING A GREAT DEAL! Wholesale & Retail Supplies for Horses, Cattle, Sheep, Deer, elc. * High Tensile Fence Systems & Paris * Livestock Watering & Feeding Systems * Electric Fence Components & Energizers * Farm Gates * Solar Energy Power Systems * Rotational Grazing Systems * Distributor for Quality Pressure Treated Fence Posts Phone / Fax (905) 852-7653 TOLL FREE 1-800-565-0960 RR1, 578 REGIONAL RD. 8 WEST, UXBRIDGE by those who attempted to organize unions. Ontario labor relations legislation was modelled on the Unit- ed States legislation, so Ontario agricultural workers ended up suffer- ing the same fate at the hands of the farm lobby. Some 50 years later, On- tario agricultural workers still don't have health and safety protection enjoyed by other workers in Onta- rio or even agricultural workers in eight other Ca- nadian provinces. "Finally, in 1994, after years of studies, submis- sions, reports and commit- tees, right to bargain collective- ly for better working con- ditions," says Lumsden -- "but then the Harris gov- ernment turned around and stripped them of these rights -- retroactively!" Lumsden says UFCW has retained the law firm of Gowling, Stra- Farm & Rural Life SINESS DIRECTO workers won the the thy and Henderson in To- ronto to represent it. They believe that the provisions of the Labor Relations and Employment Statute Law Amendment Act, 1995 that repealed the collec- tive bargaining system for agricultural workers are discriminatory and violate the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. UFCW Local 1993, togeth- er with former members of the now decertified union local will be applying to the Ontario Court (Gener- al Division) to have these statutory provisions struck down. "We believe it is impera- tive that people under- stand this is not just about agriculture workers," says Lumsden. "The Harris government has persis- tently passed laws that hammer the helpless. This is just one more example -- any other group could be next." Lawn Seed & Fertilizer Seed Grain, Hay, Pasture, Soybeans and Corn. 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