On August 12, urban residents in 30 to 40 cars covered with placards paraded through Saskatoon, Saskatchewan to show support for farmers and rural com-munities hard hit by plunging commodity prices. The other message from cavalcade organizers was that consumers pay high prices for food but little of that money makes it to farmers.

Tim Quigley, one rally organizer, stated: "Urban residents and other food consumers are willing to give tax money to support struggling farmers, but we also want to know where our grocery money is going. Food prices are high and rising, yet farmers are going bankrupt. Maybe the solution isn't just to give taxpayers' dollars to far- mers, maybe the solution is also to ensure that farmers receive a fair share of consumers' grocery store dollars."

Several cars in the cavalcade displayed huge graphs comparing the prices of wheat and bread. The price of a bushel of wheat has changed little in 25 years. The price of bread has tripled (up from 43" in 1985 to $1.33 per loaf today). Other graphs highlighted the relation between pigs and porkchops, corn and cornflakes.

Council of Canadians volunteer Don Kossick told the media: "The amount consumers pay for a loaf of bread increases every year. The amount millers, bakers, and retailers make off that loaf increases every year. Yet, the price farmers receive for wheat stays the same or drops. If the cause of the current farm income crisis is price gouging and profiteering by processors and retailers, then, in addition to immediate short term financial aid for farmers, there must also be an immediate and thorough government investigation of market abuses and failures."

Logistic support for the urban rally was provided by the Rural-Urban Forum, a coalition of citizens', environmental, church, labour, and farm organizations. It incluudes the Council of Canadians, The Grain Services Union, The National Farmers Union, and others.

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