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di dd aad ab A ao dh Lh 44 "WEEKEND STAR" FRIDAY, AUGUST 25, 2000 - 27 ONE STOP e Eye Examinations e Eye Glasses © Contact Lenses OPTICAL For all your eye care needs and accessories * Repairs e Sunglasses e "Eyewear Accessories SYN SN INIG RIOR IR DIURIGHEIE Dr. D. Brav ith Call to book your appointment today Eo pi & pi & ae] a aR Se Ss EER RR RE SERRE Port PERRY DeEnTURE CLINIC COMPLETE DENTURE SERVICE % Full Dentures * Repairs While You Wait Relines * Partial Denture * Quality, Affordable Dentures Free Consultation All Insurance Plans Accepted Mike Dunn D.D. 6 High St., Unit #4 | Port Perry : Farm community speaks out Many members of our farming .community are 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 hold this creates in a farmer's pocket book, the feeling of insecurity for a farmer and his family, as well as, bringing into question the long- term sustainability of our farming community. Many of the farming operations in Durham like dairy, poultry, pork and horticulture come under supply management. . A lot of those farmers will be cushioned against a disaster. However, those who rely solely on cash crops like corn, wheat, Soya beans and other grain crops, face a precarious future. A meeting held in Port Perry, Aug. 16, sponsored by the grains and seed oil organizations and the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, was set up to discuss the serious problems affecting these farmers. Approximately 250 farmers, along with myself and two other federal members of parliament attended it. I can't understand why provincial MPPs failed to attend. Surely provin- cial MPPs understand the impor- tance of the problems facing this sector of the farming community. Farmers would prefer not to Straight Talk 037] ALEX SHEPHERI DURHAM NF receive subsidies. What they want, like the rest of us, is to receive decent 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 to an art form. The meeting showed just how frustrated the local farming commu- nity is. The problem seems twofold. First there is the issue of farmers receiving far less that what food is worth compared to everyone else who is involved in the food industry. For example one farmer pointed out Tiger Woods gets more inoney from a box of cereal than the farmer. Well we, as a society, have to ponder the significance of that. (Not to men- tion 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 assis- tance. Then the issue becomes how much assistance and how the assis- tance is administered. Farmers like all business operators are subjected to too many government forms and an endless 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. | admit this is a problem for governments. But | think we can all understand that forces like weath- er doesn'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 received assis- tance 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 are 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 of agriculture. 1 will be meeting with him shortly to see how we can address the crisis. In the meantime | would like the rest of us to think about the impor- tance of farmers contributions to the success of our economy and society. 'After all, we all have to eat. EMERGENCY orn RESPONSE SYSTEMS 571-1511 1 800 461 6756 www.dhshealth.com HEALTH CARE 24 HOURS A DAY DURHAM REGION NURSING eo Staff Relief Palliative Care In-Home Foot Care Client Escort RUS at ry & Sa, 20 . MW DHS SERVICE SUPPORT WORK Light Housekeeping Meal Preparation Personal Care Care Giver Relief ONI1Y! EE ONLY! -- Li | Bui porn cont ELAR 81063217 "Pencil Pocket" 10421-84815 Fis In binder. 10-1/2°x 6-14° x 18/16". LONIY! |B I a an a {83 | ONIY! | 20 a a y Z