PAGE 2, WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1987 FREE TRADE: Thefarmers'viewpoint By ROXANNE REVELER Representatives of Canada and the United States have drawn up the final draft which will.see freer trade between the two nations. Just prior to this historie announ- cement, The Free Press asked several local residents, who rely on the agricultural business for their livelihood, to comment on such a free trade agreement and how they thought it would affect them. Bill Robinson, a dairy farmer with a herd of 120, said he found it difficult to comment because agriculture covered such a broad spectrum and that nothing definite had been offered by the gover- nment regarding exactly what would happen. He did admit that those involved in the dairy industry felt they could be in a precarious position and were quite concerned about the consequences of any free trade agreement. The dairy industry is governed by the Ontario Milk Marketing Board which sanctions licences and sets quotas. Although there is no such lobbying group nor quotas in the United States, American dairy farmers are subsidized, and Robin- son wonders how this would affect Canadian milk production. "The quota system in Ontario is the envy of the entire world," said Robinson, explaining that the dairy industry had held several meetings last spring with members of Parliament who had assured them the industry would not come on the Westminster United Church 25 Manning Rd. Whitby (Between Thickson and Garrard) Sunday, Dec., 20 10:15 Qarol Sing 10:30 WORSHIP CELEBRATION Nursery and Children's Party 7:00 A service of carols & lessons & special music Christmas Eve 7:00 Family Worship 10:30 Carols, candles & communion "Welcome" is more than a I word at Westminster * w o REID'S FARM IN BROOKLIN table. According to details released on the final free trade proposal, it tur- ns out Canada's agricultural marketing boards would be allowed to continue in operation, but quotas on imported American products would be eased. Doug Ashton, owner and operator of anegg grading station and an egg distributor in Ashburn for the past 35 years, has similar concerns. He indicated he had received literature through the Ontario Egg Marketing Board which is concer- ned about the effect of free trade as eggs can be produced cheaper south of the border. "I think it is all going too fast," said Ashton. "I just question the amount of research done on the whole matter." He said he felt it would be 10 or 15 years before things·were com- pletely worked out and that in the meantime, a free trade agreement would prove to be a burden on the producer as well as the buyer. Involved with cash crop farming including soybeans and grain, Bob Hunter of Brooklin feels there are many unknown in the free trade talks. "The general prevailing thoughts initially I think will be negative in the agricultural community,' said Hunter. "We tfarmers) can't ad- just overnight....no industry can." "Any deal that major has to be positive in some areas, therefore there has to be negative areas too," To my many friends and supporters, or affording me the honour and opportunity to serve our community for the past nine years - a sincere Thank You. To all my colleagues on Council, the staff of the Town of Whitby, all the residents and their families alike - Warm wishes for health, happiness, and prosperity during this Festive Season and in the New Year. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year Councillor Joe E. and Lynda Bugelli, Ernest, Jeffery, Teresa, Adrian and Ryan In lieu of Christmas greeting Cards, my family and I vould appreciate it if a small donation to the charity f your choice were made instead. he continued. "But we (farmers) can't afford to be hurt anymore." He -rçflected that when the auto pact was initially introduced there was a great deal of negative impact but it had proved to be a boon for Canada. "Thewhole thing is extremely complex and to tell you the truth I don't personally think there has been enough data on it," said Hun- ter, adding, "For the good of the country I just hope they have negotiated a good deal." Henry de Wolde has been in the swine business for some 25 years and has operated his hog farm in Ashburn for 10 of those vears. With more than 2,000 hogs, de Wolde has a vast interest in the agricultural community and is pleased about the impending free trade agreement. "The swine industry feels free trade will be good for us because Canada is around 10 years ahead of the United States as far as lean meat is concerned," said de Wolde. He explained the U.S. has never selected pork for its leanness because of this there was a great demand south of the border not only for the finished product, but for breeding stock as well. Although hog farmers are gover- ned by the Ontario Pork Producers Marketing Board, they do not set quotas or govern set prices. Accor- ding to de Wolde, the price of pork is still determined by the supply and demand system. "In the past two years the U.S.A. has slapped tariffs on our products because of the American demand for Canadian pork," said de Wolde. "From what I can see, a free trade agreement would only benefit us (pork producers). The prices here (Canada) dropped recently because of Black Monday (drastic drop in the stock market) so I am looking forward to free trade." Bob Scholten, a partner with his brothers in Algoma Oichards on Thickson Road for the past 24 years, indicated there was now a "lot of fruit going across the bor- der" without the benefit of any duty. He added with the exchange on the dollar now favoring the United States, packers such as himself have benefited. He is,. however, afraid that free trade might alter the exchange rates, and if that happens the apple industry couild be in jeopardy. "There has never been any restrictions on packaged goods (in- to which category apples fall) either way unless there is à bumper crop," he stated. "Then, restric- tions have been placed on. If these restrictions are lifted due to the free trade deal, the market could be swamped." As a producer of chicken broilers for 30 years or more, Norm Jackson has taken the philosophy "What will happen will happen." He has 70,000 chickens at his Highway 12 location and although governed by the national Chicken Broiler Marketing Board, which he says at- tempts to set quotas and prices, the chicken business is mainly one of supply and demand. He is not too optimistie about the future of the chicken business because prices in the U.S. are so much cheaper for the product. But Jackson, à lthough believing the entire agricultural community will suffer from a free trade agreement, says he can't believe all that he hears, therefôre cannot truly express too many concerns. He also offered a small prophecy. "Quebec will be the only ones that can save the agricultural cormmunity. When they go to Ot- tawa for help they come home with their pockets fúll. When the rest of us go, we come home with less than we had before we went," said Jackson. "I personally feel Quebec will be the ones to save the rest of Canada...we can't save ourselves." According to the agreement, food would move duty free between the two countries within a dècade and that although prices to consumers would not drop overnight one-tenth of each tariff would be lifted in each of the next 10 years. So it remains to be seen whether the concerns of some of this area's farmers can be dismissed or regard as fair warning of things to come. 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