_ Friday, VMarch 78, 71968.

tilizer subsidies, improvement in market facilities and techniques are badly needed, especially in the potato business which is our largest cash crop. I must say that I was surprised the other night to see that one of our good potato growers brought in a Resolution here saying that we have organization to look after this matter and I think it has been proven very well since that the Federation of Agriculture and its associates is quite capable of looking after this. But what struck me most was that, on the bottom of the sheet, as Seconder, was a name, the Hon. Mr. Shaw. Now, I can remember back when the Federation of Agriculture was first started a good man from the Fourth District of Prince was President and Walter Shaw was the Secretary and he has grown up ever since that with the Federation of Agriculture and it’s hard to believe that at this late a date, when he’s about ready to retire from politics, that he would condemn this all important agricultural organization.

L. George Dewar: He’s not going to retire from politics.

Frank Jardine: Retire as Leader of the Party. Prince Edward Island has the best soil and climate in the world for potatoes and over the years our seed potatoes have found their way to most seed potato growing countries of the world. We have a great many specialized potato growers who really have the technique of growing large crops every year. It is a recognized fact, over a long period of years, that growers must calculate their profits on a five year basis. I think this was pointed out yesterday. On many occasions by the Minister of Agriculture and the Minister without Portfolio from First Prince that potato growing is somewhat of a gamble and you have to base is on a five year average and usually about two years out of five potatoes will no more than pay the cost of production. But over a period of years they are the most profitable crop on a farm. I think that anyone that has followed the same practice of growing a reasonable amount that they can handle will bear me out on this. Notwithstanding the fact that the Federal subsidies have in- creased the price of milk to the producers, farmers are still selling their cows. It could be that further price increases are needed to encourage farmers to stay in the dairy business. Feed and labor costs have skyrocketed in recent years and dairy farmers are entitled to a better deal if possible. Every effort should be made to grow more grain and roughage locally and to encourage permanent pastures, the cheapest and best feed for milk production. While I’m speaking about milk produc- tion and dairying here, I noticed in this morning’s paper where a good farmer in the Fourth District of Prince by the name of Harold Palmer has an “all Canadian” cow. A Guernsey cow, an age cow, Guernsey cow, which is an outstanding achievement and he also has a four year old that comes in an “outstanding” class. This has not been duplicated for many, many years in this Province to have a cow of this high standing, all Canadian record. Now, we’ve heard a lot about hogs since we came in to this Legislature and it is true that Prince Edward Island markets the greatest percentage of Grade “A” hogs of any Province and as a result would stand to lose if the premium is removed. Every effort should be made to maintain at the present level, the premium on hogs and lambs, and thus encourage farmers to stay in live- §tock and also to produce a higher quality. Now, it was stated here yesterday by the Minister of Agriculture that the reason the price is depressed somewhat at the present time, there’s been a surplus and 23,000 more hogs have been sent to market this year than last year. As our system is supply and demand it’s only reasonable that at certain periods the price will be lower than others but it applies somewhat the same as in potato growing. You keep at the hog production year around, year in and year out, and take an average percentage, you Will fare out very well even in a year like this. It was late August before the price declined and many good hog risers tell me they’ll have a fair average for this last year, and it has been pre- dicted that before the summer’s out they’ll be back to a profitable price again. Now, the beef industry is showing considerable improvement in the last few years and at the present time it is possibly the best paying part of our agricultural industry. But it still has a long ways to go before we get the results that we should have. The demand is strong for better grades and it is up to the farmer to improve his grading and feeding practices so that the needs can be supplied by our Island fa - crs and thus eliminate shipments from Western Canada of the better grades. Its been said here that these prices are very low. It is true that they possibly could be better but I am sure that in my length of time in farming they they have never been very much higher than they are at the present time. All you need to make a profit in the beef business is to have the right breeds, have them properly finished and market them at the proper time. Of particular concern to my District is the effect

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