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ONTARIO CONFEREflgg ON AGRICULTURE Growing With Agriculture in the 80’s. The Hon. Lorne C. Henderson welcomed over 600 Agriculture and Agribusiness leaders from all parts of Ontario to talk, discuss and challenge one another about the business of farming. From material handed out in giant size binders, it was evident there were many issues. As Mr. Henderson said in his opening remarks “the issues and challenges should be viewed as opportunities, that way our deliberations can lead to action. Actions that will ensure Agriculture goes forward, building on the strengths of the past with the best ideas for seizing the opportunities of the future" The objectives of the Conference are to bring together Agriculture. Business and Consumers. 0 To explore the production operations. 0 To explore the marketing operations and 0 To recognize the strengths and opportunities in the economy. SYN DICATES The official definition of a syndicate “an associ. on of persons officially authorized to undertake he duty.“ The delegates were divided into groups to talk s at prospects for Agriculture and Farmers‘ Opportun 5; Marketing; Farm machinery; Farm Credit and Int» it; Environmental concerns; and other areas which it fit have interested the syndicates. The results of group decisions were presented to m delegates and the findings will be tabulated and prc [- ed at a later date. ENERGY Energy costs and lighting of conservation methods were a concern to many speakers as well as providing a forum for discussion in the syndicates. OPPORTUNITIES FOR FARM ORGANIZATIONS In this session two of the speakers were, Mrs. Keith Hiepleh‘ President of FWIO, and Ralph Barrie. Presiâ€" dent of OFA. Mrs. Hiepleh assured the audience that women do contribute worthwhile ideas and are becoming more involved in decision-making and in assuming leadership roles. There is a need to continue to stress the impor- tance of preserving prime agricultural land for food production. The Women‘s Institute, through resolutions have voiced concerns over increased foreign and absenâ€" tee ownership of farm land. She compared the lifestyle of farm women in Canada to those in developing countries, especially in Kenya, where she saw the women preforming the backrbreaking drudgery of carrying the daily water supply from the river. miles back to their homes. Women’s Institute members are supplying dollars to provide a clean and safe water supply from drilled wells to be stored in central concrete storage tanks. A closer relationship with urban dwellers is a must and there is a need to listen and try to understand each other’s needs, Also representing FWIO were. Mrs. Harold Blasing, Neustadt; Mrs. Harold Collins. Renfrew; Mrs. E. Dep- encier. Thamesville and Mrs. Russell Campbell, Iona Station. 14 Mr. Barry, Lanark County Farmer said general i i organizations are lobbies. “Our job is to add a voit' ll government decision-making." Because farmers are “production specialists“, r are not expert in marketing, developing new product -i mention only two. so the farmer needs the governn [ to act as the research and marketing arm for Agricultural Community. One of the main jobs in the farm organizations sht: i be to funnel information from the farm communitj i the ear of government. Another concern is how to raise the price at the it I gate, yet not create hostility among the consum 1' public. Marketing Boards have increased the price 9 food only because they have helped farmers to re . prices in the market-place. The Director of the Agriculture and Food Branfii. Ontario House, London England, Peter Harrop felt I :L’ market for Ontario farm products will probably exp?!“d by about 50 Million dollars per year by the end of the decade. One of the worrisome losses this year was the white bean market in England. The companies waited [00 long: hoping prices would fall and the Ontario crop “'35 sold elsewhere.