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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 2015-06-25, Page 15THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 25, 2015. PAGE 15. By Bethanee Jensen There has been a lot of conversation about how farmers are going to have to feed nine billion people in the near future. If some changes were made in the way our society deals with food, this could already be accomplished now. According to Evan Fraser of the University of Guelph, if you took all the food produced globally and gave everyone an equal share, there is enough food for each person to consume 2,700 calories and 75 grams of protein per day. This is more than enough. So what’s the problem? The first major problem is waste. Researchers tell us that 30 per cent of the food we grow is wasted. Value Chain Management International Inc. reports that the quantifiable food waste in Canada alone is currently $31 billion per year. Think about how many people that would feed? The ‘ugly food movement’ started to address food waste at the source. Until now, if a piece of fruit or vegetable was not perfectly shaped, sized or had some blemish, it was immediately discarded, because consumers want perfection and uniformity. The ‘ugly food movement’ that is currently taking off in Europe and Australia encourages consumers to choose taste over waste. If this succeeds in shifting the consumers mindset, thousands of truckloads of food will be saved. Sale items at grocery stores play a major role in waste and often cost consumers more money. Consumers can feel the need to buy more of that product because of the sale price, but it can lead to food waste if that product doesn’t get consumed. Once that sale price goes up, consumers could decide to no longer buy that product, which leads to more waste at the market level. Discipline and education in the home can also be a factor in waste. I was taught that whatever was put on my plate was to be eaten. Unserved leftovers can be re-used and made into meals for the following day. Small amounts of leftover food can be frozen and saved for a later date. There are many other sources of waste, including rodent and pest damage, transportation delays, weather, food recalls, food disposal at border crossings, waste in institutions, etc. Everyone is a contributor to this problem and can be part of the solution. All it takes is a little creativity and willingness to do our part. If we are able to make those changes in the amount of food we waste, the $31 billion per year saved can go towards feeding more people around the world. Total receipts for Brussels Livestock for the week ending June 19 were 1,597 cattle and 771 lambs and goats. On Tuesday fed steers and heifers sold on a strong trade at steady prices. Choice steers and heifers sold $190 to $195 with sales to $202. Second cut sold $185 to $190. Aged and medium fed steers and heifers sold $185 to $190. Cows sold steady. On Thursday right weight holstein calves sold $5 to $10 higher while other weights and classes sold on a steady market. Lambs sold barely steady while sheep and goats sold steady. Greener grass type cattle sold $3 to $5 higher. Yearlings sold on a strong active trade at prices $2 to $3 higher. Elma W. Martin of Harriston, consigned eight steers that averaged 1,524 lbs. and sold for an average price of $194.30. One black steer weighed 1,450 lbs. and sold to Clark Brothers Livestock for $202. Jesse Van Loo of Bluevale, consigned three steers that averaged 1,518 lbs. and sold to Cargill Meat Solutions for an average price of $194. Les Coleman of Kippen, consigned six heifers that averaged 1,323 lbs. and sold for an average price of $195.60. One black heifer weighed 1,355 lbs. and sold to Clark Brothers Livestock for $198.50. Robin Riehl of Gadshill, consigned 10 cattle that averaged 1,350 lbs. and sold for an average price of $189.76. Two limousin heifers averaged 1,330 lbs. and sold to Norwich Packers for $194.50. There were 171 cows on offer. Export types sold $118 to $123 with sales to $129; beef, $135 to $142 with sales to $154; D1 and D2, $115 to $123; D3, $105 to $115; D4, $85 to $105. Wray McConnell consigned one RWF cow that weighed 1,180 lbs. and sold for $154. There were 11 bulls selling $120 to $169. Brian Oldfield of Seaforth, consigned one red bull that weighed 2,010 lbs. and sold for $169. There were 192 head of veal on offer. Beef sold $175 to $230 with sales to $246; good holsteins, $155 to $170 with sales to $175; medium holsteins, $145 to $155; heavy holsteins, $140 to $150. Melvin Shantz of Wallenstein, consigned two calves that averaged 803 lbs. and sold for an average price of $222.07. One limousin steer weighed 805 lbs. and sold for $246. Lamar Frey of Listowel, consigned eight calves that averaged 864 lbs. and sold for an average price of $214.61. One limousin steer weighed 885 lbs. and sold for $234. Matthew Kuipfer of Millbank, consigned one blonde heifer that weighed 860 lbs. and sold for $232. Lambs, 50 - 64 lbs. sold $268 to $290; 65 - 79 lbs., $259 to $268; 80 94 lbs., $255 to $265; 95 - 110 lbs., $255 to $262/lb. George Snell of Blyth, consigned two lambs that averaged 62 lbs. and sold for an average price of $270. Sheep sold $85 to $124. Goats: kids sold $200 to $320; nannies, $60 to $115; billies, $150 to $300/lb. Top quality stocker steers under 400 lbs. sold $356 to $410; 400 - 499 lbs., $389 to $408; 500 - 599 lbs., $357 to $395; 600 - 699 lbs., $312 to $330; 700 - 799 lbs., $293 to $307; 800 - 899 lbs., $268 to $279; 900 - 999 lbs., $245 to $254; 1,000 lbs. and over, $229 to $240. Top quality stocker heifers, 300 - 399 lbs., sold $330 to $335; 400 - 499 lbs., $328 to $355; 500 - 599 lbs., $312 to $347; 600 - 699 lbs., $300 to $315; 700 - 799 lbs., $259 to $283; 800 - 899 lbs., $246 to $256; 900 lbs. and over, $229 to $239. Federation praises ‘ugly food’ movement They said yes! With great country ballads like “She Thinks my Tractor’s Sexy” and “Big Green Tractor”, two young farmers from the area figured they couldn’t go wrong asking their dates to prom at F.E. Madill Secondary School last week using their tractors as an asset. As part of a convoy of tractors that showed up at the school to celebrate the last day of class on Wednesday, Arden Coultes, left, and Dallas Coultes, second from the right, asked their respective dates Jayden Anderson-Johnson and Tasha Hickey out in true Huron County fashion. The girls said yes. (Denny Scott photo) 519-523-9624 • 1-800-663-3653 Blyth Location 40605 Walton Road, Blyth Walton Location 10 Patrick Street, Walton Seed, crop protection, fertilizer, grain elevators, custom application TUESDAYS 9:00 a.m. Fed Cattle, Bulls & Cows THURSDAYS 8:00 a.m.Drop Calves 10:00 a.m.Veal 11:30 a.m. Lambs, Goats & Sheep FRIDAYS 10:00 a.m. Stockers Call us 519-887-6461 Visit our webpage at: www.brusselslivestock.ca email us at: info@brusselslivestock.ca BRUSSELS LIVESTOCK Division of Gamble & Rogers Ltd. UPCOMING SALES Laundromat Blyth Laundromat 191 Westmoreland St., Blyth 519-523-9687 Agriculture Brussels Livestock report Fed steers, heifers sell on strong trade BLYTH 519-523-4244 www.hurontractor.comHensall 519-262-3002 | 1-800-265-5190 | www.hdc.on.ca Multiple Locations across Southwestern Ontario · GRAIN ELEVATORS · CROP PRODUCTS · PETROLEUM & PROPANE · FEEDProud to be farmer-owned. wouthoss Srrotions accraoccaMultiple L ensall 519-262-3002 | 1-800-265-5190 | wH V· GRAIN ELE d.wneo farmer-o bee ud tPro · FEED · PETROLEUM & PROP · CROP PRODUC arioern Onttaesttewwe a.on.c.hdcwwensall 519-262-3002 | 1-800-265-5190 | w ORSTAATV ANEM&PROPPA ST· CROP PRODUC Get breaking farm news on the Rural Voice section of our website www.northhuron.on.ca