Agriculture Federation Brief Before Commission

P-irwa Edward Island's main de- . piudence on stfuiulilvlms 1:3 '5: problems associated ' dustry l.I1 production. and marketing, were emltlllllwl .-ii a brief presented yeltmily II! the P. It. I. Federation of Am: culture before the R0131 C0 ion, on Canada's Economic,Pros- pect.s- Following is the text of CB! brief. D:s prevered 53' W3 -l.- ”''l - ar: wlllre Pvflnce Edward Island Fed- and appeclstas the oiIl!0ftlm"Y 0' making s statement before this commission. We recolllli "'9 W-ll that your Commission has a most important and far--reachlng'asslgn- meat in appraising Canada s econ- .,mic prospects. We believe the present time is In OPPWWIIP ""9 for such an appraisal and we are convinced that the deliberations of this Commission will be marked importance and value in' the chart- ing of the economic paths which the Canadian people are likely to follow in the comllll Y0”!- it is not the intention to have this Brief deal with national quest- ions nor is it the intention for it to deal with the general economy of this Province. The material to

The effect of

the St. Lawrence Seawstn, 3 is a which only future can tell. nemat- ionably its development will be beneficial to Canada but it is not at all certain that these benefit will be shared by the Maritimes. In fact. there could be very real difficulties particularly if science solves the probl of keeping the St. Lawrence open during the win. fer months. Should this come about, the Ports of St. John and Halifax would suffer severely.

increasing rail freight rates win have the effect of forcing island producers either to use alternative forms of transportation or to pro- duce less bulk products of a high- er relative value. While water transportation is economical. yet, this advantage has not been used to any marked extent. Rail trans- portation will continue to be expen- sive. Relief to the island in this field would appear to rest with mod- ern developments and economies in highway trucking and air trans- por

Hos. poultry. and dairy product- ion is to a substantial degree de- pending upon the freight assistance policy on Western grains. This pol.

-he presented will deal only with agricultural matters Pertalnng to this Province and will digress into hrnsder fields only where there wnilld appear to be I clear relation- ship.

pnoru: AND POPULATION

The population of Prince Edward island has, for the most part .con- sisted of the descendants of the original French, Scottish, Irish, and to a lesser extent English pioneers. i)nring the past decade there has heen added to these races a sub- riantial number of people from the Netherlands with a few from other European countries. The populat- ion is. therefore, comprosed of people who are traditionally good agriculturlsts. This. can led with the fact that both the so and cli- made Prince Edward Island one mate are extremely favourable. has of Canada's outstanding agrioultub farms and agriculture is by far, at Provinces. Prince Edward Is- land is a Maritime province that in point of value and number of people employed. the most impor- tant industry. Few rural societies are able to absorb the natural pop- ulation increase and this has been

for many years true in this Pro- be

vince. After 1091 immigration to the New England States. followed a few decades later by the move- ment to Western Canada. produc- ed a marked decline in the total population. - From 1801 to 1941 the rural pop- ulation decreased by almost twenty- five i”ousand. This trend is still in evidence with the farm population decreasing both relatively and ab- solutely. At the moment there is nothing to indicate any reversal as farm mechsnisatlon will make it possible to effect still greater ec-

unonlics in manpower while maln- .

mining at approximately the same

level the production of crops and M

products which lend themselves to mechanization and large scale op-

icy is under an Order-in-Council and were the Order-in-Council not to be renewed the whole Maritime livestock industry would suffer . serious blow. The cancellation of this policy would create an immed- iate demand for the provision of grain elevator space at strategic points in the Marltlmes.

LAND TENURE

For over one hundred years the land of the province has been awn- Gd entirely by the people that farm it. This has produced ' st a one hundred percent family farmer sys- tem. The average farm. consists of less than one hundred acres with approximately sixty-two under the l7l0I1gh- A unit of this size is hardly ideal for commercial purpogeg and for supporting improved living sign. dards and greater and greater de mands for mechanlsed equipment.

In this Province the family farm will continue to be the general and most suitable unit but its size w-iii increase together with the invest- ment in it. Relatively land is ex. lfnmely cheap and this condition Wm likely continue and will serve as a barrier to any general sys- tem of tenancy. The only danger to

guarded against in this respect will be those inherent in the pro. d"c""" 0' 93!" CF00! and result- ing in share cropping, crop mo;-i. uses. and crop liens.

H 7l'00 mlny localities have substan-

a areas of land once cultivated and now reverting to "W" 0' 19 scrub growth. These lfiell are unproductive from a in. 4' 0" Hlindltoint and will eventusuy

roughage

eratrons- Our Organisation believes d

that the population has the aptit-' udc. ingenuity. and resourcefulness together with a natural love for the soil which under reasonably favourable conditions should have

Produced better results than is the 1., case in many localities. it is in 1,

llart the purpose of this Brief

discuss in a general way some of

” oats during the

beef pro

PRODUCTION

The island sy t 1 may be gener:i;ym ldeslcf-irliialdm: WW3 firming. owever. at up ":1 P011001 there has been special. " 0" "0 II the Production of latter Piriod of the

m I to which '1 h min Centuryfox-glxporno Eng, di mziy ::lltlr.:IlC to hav:v:n ::lve.rna: 11'” EPWJIII of oats did litti:,n if Glfnct "Poll agricultural develoD- myitg 3' i” imllrovs the farmer's ments. . m!.'h0.nuI)Ed ldihd much to Impovggt. TRANSPORTATION stions have sa:s'";m.d to ',""”m,,

Transportation is " more in dsoil restoration than

bl:-m with tiny island and in parti- cular with small a

M!” use "ie of ships of American registry

which Maine potato gs-swan mm; in! ll I high-cost. high-risk, spec- u.-tx These growers are the chm iilatlve enterprise and character- ”0"ll1eiitors of the Island by um Id by wide market variations tried may-gag, should mm from season to season and within ad'35ni::;I.Ir 3. adversely effect this "31 separate section in bdrm wed mm. "ed "M" potato lddnltfxbe am” i" "" g " "5 lg; ornnn RESOURCES pug 0; 9 nab”. I11? "I5 The average farm produces fu- aqgipmem fad "'hf '3. Nil 01 sale churning cream. bacon hogs. Inn-oductios. There! it foilud ' "l" M" Mile. and a generally at any chsn e in l 3 "'3: decllnlnl amount of nit pro- can have a mar ed and W. m ducts. In certain locall es the wood- .lsnd economy. It an 5. ...o.. as important source of reven- cd that within the not 100 ..h... 00 ill the form of firewood. lumber hire a mark lower-la. .; n, Wood. and pulp wood. Trees iiolttllt rates will can ' '0' e rapid wth and it can be Slly to the extent of p.n.n Md the with some attention Inwer air fret t rates pin in to production that the marked significance in M farm woodlot will continue to be inns the production of a m a substantial source of income in variety of small fruits and psndggg l:I;igtcel(I! can be economically sauna; or example. the development Ill uneasily soluble whole rnilh '' row lien -Jrodust h....kw:iN..ar-oi. . mutt seitvrcs slow but steady progress has been made eves-lthe years in the previe- l"' 0' in-Iv one nor- '”.' and oodlslanas -ht-ions - latter service oper- Mns for seed mesh of the year. I limit assess. ballet and ms '3 m .s. . iv the! , see at the llshurd. Valli terllllel W

0 its

normally I pm the grain

Illilear to returnin

In complete In - 1'01 farming is now a I 0' ill! nest nor does there be any likelihood of its 8 to importance.

l-lo action ill condone to dIner'td.d:dWestn'awn'ain and the saleoflilgholassYorhahirebreed- stock continue until such

crease in size but pure bred breed- ers of dairy cattle will Oollll-IIIII to face difficulty in obtaining a

share of a substantial export trade to south American and other Eur- opean countrles - a trade which is now confined almost entirely to

Ontario.

Cattle and bag numbers will con- tinue to show a gradual increase. The poultry industry faces for some years to come a decline in relative

importance. MARKETING The lack of alternative forms of

endeavour results in a large pro- portion of the business community being involved or interested in eith- er the handling of farm products or in the supplying of foods and services. This situation suggests that any action taken by the farm population with respect to market- ing will be carefully scrutinised by business people and where their special interests will be affected - strenuously opposed. Any group of

is located at a great dis- tance from their markets must be correspondingly more efficient in marketing than those in closer proximity.

Island agriculture may be con- sidered backward in its approach to marketing. Changes will not come readily or without a great

struggle as the business commun- ity is influential both economically and politically. Attention on the part of the farmer to marketing will not stem solely from the hope of higher returns but will occupy itself with the necessity of offering for sale only products of the high- est quality. Transportation costs cannot be economically borne by any other type of commodity. In- creaseti demand for island products will be associated with an expand- ed Canadian market rather than with an expanded Maritime mar- et.

We predict that the future of

agriculture in this Province is bound up in the development of effective control and in marketing through organizations established by the farmers themselves. Such controls will be necessary to insure orderly marketing and high quality.

POTATO INDUSTRY

The potato industry is of vital imgortance in the general economy an ference. The son, climate. and the temperament of the people are suited to potato growing. In addit- ion. the speculs ve nature of the enterprise attracts those who are interested in more exciting invest- ments than utilities and Govern- ment bonds. The Province has en- ioyed a high reputation for the disease-free quality of its seed pot- atoes and. until the development of heavier yielding vsrlties. com- manded some valuable superiority in table potatoes.

Per capita consumption of potat- oes in North America has been de cllnlng for some years and there is nothing to indicate any reversal. The trend towards offering potat- oes in processed form in small packages will be of small benefit to the farmer. These products will not vary in retail price to any mark ed extent. therefore, any fluctuat- ions in prices due to supply will

in protection. the difficulty of main- tatnlng the disease-free status plus the advantage in marketing held by the dealer-grower all point to potato growing as an endeavour in which the average tamer must sin-nlrount great obstacles for sun- v vs .

The future of the industry would

ductlon and marketing which satu- clles under recognised authority close control in production and marketing. While as an individual the farmer may be impelled to fight for the right of making his own mistakes, present conditions indicate that any pgotracted pui- lod of mistake-ma ng with this industry wm result in its passing from the scene together with cat growing and fur taming.

EDUCATION In the past rural attitudes on

' education have been contradictory.

i:.':".. 't”;l:..ll:l.h 'i'f.l..l”1"-la”: r-m............ HOT Cl-tlclilff some in TRACADII HALL WIDNISDAY. ocr. sat .

LII"! All 00, 1'0 TH!

TIIIKIY DINNII nv rowivat. mu.

1? .0ct.2I (to RM.

row:-za?."r.ii'i'nliEi' Am

. While present time there would appear to be a gradual improvement in the formal or academic level of educa- tion, there is little, if any. general interest in

Interest in adult education is con- fined to a limited number of the r ' tion as e.” d by the fact that less than sixty Farm For ums operate in the Island's five hundred rural communities. The ya vision of education is an expen- sive pf0P0sltion for a rural soc- iety and hundreds of Island farms carry mortgages which were incur- red to give a son or a daughter the type of education which would enable them to make an easier liv- ing than had been the case with the Parents.

Prince Edward Island's major contribution in the field of nation buildinghas been in the export of its young people together with the investment involved in educating thorn. Meritorious as this contrib- ution has been it is one which the Island's economy is in a poor posi- tion to sustain and one which must soon be recognised in a tangible way. -

We do not believe that the Fed- eral authority can much longer ev- ads its basic responsibilities in the educational field. We. therefore.. look forward with considerable con- fidence to Federal assistance in educational standards for the cut- ire popula” with 'a lessening of the heavy burden so long carried on the shoulders of rural people. Social and economic development among our rural people will. to a large extent. depend upon a great- er interest ln education. SUMMARY

Prince Edward Island dependent mainly on agriculture and the tour- ist industry cannot likely expect any great 8COll0ll'llL expansion. It is a mature economy and while there has been an increase in phy- sical volume of agricultural pro- duction since 1946, this has been the farmer's answer to meeting higher costs with cheaper products- Even if the Maritimes were to be-

sex Protoestant rplianage . Contributions

Lower-Gt. George St. continued.

the 35.00-D. M. Gass

Lower Queen st. Continued. 816.00-Buntain Bel and Co. Omitted from Up. lfillsbore,St. 81.00 each: Mrs. P. Cameron. Mrs. A. MacDonald.

Queen St.. Continued. 35.00-Bemplels Pharmacy 35.00-L. M. Robinson

35.00-F. A. Mccourt 33.00-lslsnd Motor Transpor. 32.00 each: W. M. Melllsh, Arthur McGuigan. Thelma Larter. Miss lssbel Cook, K. and R. Store, C. M. Frazee. Howard Maclnnis. two each: Burks Jewellers, RJI. Colbourne, W. Fudge. Gloria Mac- Kinnon. lrets tevenson. Daphne Grant, Mabel Adams, Miss Bessie Foster, Anonymous.

Up. Queen st.

35.00-Bait and Macltae. Ltd. 32.00 each: Jack Anderson. E.N. Keys, Miss Emma Burke, Mrs. F. S. Moore. Kenny's Home Bah- ery. Mrs. George H. Douglas. 31.00 each: 0. K. Grocery. Mrs. Fred Ranahan, Mrs. Kenneth Mac- Donald. Mrs. Carl Proude. Mrs. Fred Ward. Mrs. J. F. Gard. Mrs. Robert Dalzlel. Mrs. Willard Con- stable. S. T. Gallant.

75 cents-Mrs. John Maclfenzle. 50 cents-Susan Nantes.

45 cents-Mrs. E. Burke.

35 cents--A Friend.

19 cents-A Friend.

West street and Richmond St. West 35.00-Mrs. George Burnett. 35.00-Mrs. George Delllois 35.00-Miss M. X. Holt 33.00-Russell Ewing

32.00 each: Irwin Printing Co., Mrs. W. T. Weir, Mrs. ll. M. Davi- son, Mrs. G. G. Houston. Miss D. Dousc.

31.00 each: West End Nurseries, Miss H. Maccallum. Mrs. L. H. Davlson. Mrs. W. B. LcPage. Mrs. Charles Macl(cnzlc. Mrs. Frank l-leartz, Mrs. A. B. Cosh.

75 cents-A Friend.

Richmond St. East.

55.00-Rev. A. F. Mat-Lean.

82.00 each: R. D. Parker, Mrs.

come self sufficient in food produc- tion within the next twenty-fivei years. it is doubtful if the industry! would employ more people.

Agricultural progress in this Pro-f Vince will depend in part upon thci iollowlng:- - ;

(at The development on the part of the farmer of a greater respect for his own occupation and the sc- quiring of a real sense of worth in the economic community.

as such merits special re-

appear to rest in a system of pro- :

(in The paying of greater silent- ion to methods of' marketing and the Atlantic Region markets.

(cl Marketing practice in agri- culture must be brought tilt in I similar standard of efficiency as existing in other industries. other- wise increased production will do little to increase income.

id) Extention work by govern- ment departments should be direct-

ed more towards processing. stor- ,k

age and marketing rather than to- wards porductlon.

(cl Increased attention to the farm woodlot can play an important part in supplementing farm in- come.

(f) Provision of better transport- ation facilities. all-weather roads and cheap power will play in in- creasing net income. IMMIGRATION

(g) The performance of ' , '.,- rsnts from the temperate zone of Europe justifies the placing of such new Canadians on available and suitable farm lands. The immig- rants brings with him a fresh 1?

roach, new ideas. and originality.

Cyrus MacMillan. Neil Roblnso. 31.00 each: E. L. Weeks, Mrs. J.'I'. Rodd. Mrs. J. M. Macias-rod, Mrs. C. H. B Longworth, Mrs A. E. Brown. Mrs. T. R. Ladncr. Mrs. Maude m skill and culture is of definite value. th) Intensification of production and improvement of the quality is indcated if competition is to he met. iii The ricvclupnteni of joint ailfl community ownership of heavier echnnizerl farm equipment will be of material assistance in sus- taining the family farm as a unit. (,1) More attention must be paid to vocational education for agric- ulture io the end that young far- mers will be better equipped with scliflntiflc knowledge and practical s.

.

(k) The high cost of establishing farms suggests the necessity of es- tablishing better credit facilities for agriculture.

(I) The rural community holds within itself the power; to strengthen the nation. This power. can only be applied when the members of the community learn to study. work and play together. While there is no wholesale force which can be applied to change or improve the rural community as a social and citizenship building unit, it is sug- gested that the rural community will benefit during the next quar- ter century by a greater use of study groups. kitchen meetings.

e places a high value on land and his contribution in the form of new

library service. periodicals. radio. Continued on page I

I

1 Tuesday, Oct. 25, 1955' The Guardian ran. a

It cents-Miss Macxenzie. ' 15 cents each: P- Mullen, L Wat-

wiaiteway, .1. Ilgtfary, W. Mac- Mrs. William lrehaut. William I. Fadgen, J. Murnaghan, A. Peters. Gordon, Mrs. W. A. Smith. Canon Smith. Mrs. J. A. Eteerns. Mrs. Grafton St. Central Cond. Frank Wheatley. Mrs. Willard Cof- 86.00--.1 C. 38M

fin. Mrs. D. '1'. Macxinooa. Mrs. 33.00-n. w. Haywood eon- Louise Carruthers. Mrs. C. 3. Mac- 83.00-L. Mat.-Gregor Rochferd St. and square

Neill, Alberta Lewis. Mrs. J. K. 32.00-E. Anderson 85.00-Master Gordon Goldie Sutherland, Mrs. J. Gordon Mac- 81.00 each: Anonimuusl V. G. 85.00-Pellricyrlsarlow F M

my, Mi-a, w. A. Livingstone. Btan- liowatt, C. Jackson, M. 'Stewart, 32.00 eac . orman . .acLeodFl . ley D. MacNsir. Mrs. J. H. ilowatt. C. MacDonald. P. Hamilton, P. -Mrs. Ronald 1''. Nominal, or; Mrs. W. E. Warren, Mrs. Com- McGee, R. Garnhum. J. Peters. ence Mai.-Ieod. Mrs. lie K Bgwrakl; stock, Miss Janie Patterson. Mrs. J. Macl(endricli, F. Silnonda, J. 31-00 "ch M11 - -M- G" v Angus Matheson. Mrs. J. A. Me-;0'lsrien. N. Dalzlel. L. Downe. W- Mm Wm" Emmi ”- W” Nut (5, wood, Bait. Miss Janie Bait. Mrs. Merill 50 cents each: Mrs. Bonar Dalziel, 50 cents each: J. Dennis, L. (-unwell. MFR Wlmlm -l0l"'50"-

54.00-Miss Amy Moore 33.00-Miss Laura Young 83.00-Mrs. E. 3. Windsor

82.00 each: Miss Margaret Evans, Miss Helen Clements, Miss Helal Hobkirk. Mrs. W. E. Hyndman. 31.00 each: Mrs. B. J. Jordon, Mrs. D. B. McLeod, Miss Florence Fraser. Miss Minnie Smith

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