HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2013-02-28, Page 22PAGE 22. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2013.
Farmers ask MP, MPP who pays to protect wildlife
Ethanol issue divides Huron County farm groups
Total receipts for Brussels
Livestock for the week ending Feb.
22 were 1,568 cattle, 467 lambs and
goats. On Tuesday fed steers and
heifers sold on an active trade at
steady prices. Choice steers and
heifers sold $119 to $123 with sales
to $131. Second cut sold $115 to
$118. Cows sold at steady prices. On
Thursday beef veal sold barely
steady while holstein veal was down
$2 to $3. Light lambs sold higher.
Heavy lambs and sheep sold barely
steady. Kid goats sold higher on a
very active demand and nannies sold
steady. On Friday calves sold on a
good active trade with prices $3 to
$5 higher. Yearlings sold on a strong
demand with prices $2 to $3
higher.
John Wiersma of Blyth, consigned
three steers averaging 1,431 lbs.
selling for an average of $126.66.
One black steer weighed 1,285 lbs.
and sold to Horizon Meat Packers
for $129.50. William G. DeJong of
Brucefield, consigned 12 steers
averaging 1,363 selling for an
average of $123.46. Two black steers
averaging 1,433 lbs. sold to Horizon
Meat Packers for $128.50. Jim and
John Bennett of Goderich,
consigned two steers averaging
1,323 lbs. selling for an average of
$125.94. One black steer weighing
1,285 lbs. sold for $128.25. Don
Wilhelm of Stratford, consigned
four steers averaging 1,506 lbs.
selling for an average of $123.49.
One black steer weighing 1,485 lbs.
sold for $127.75.
Costa Plenty Farms Ltd. of
Wingham, consigned three steers
averaging 1,450 lbs. selling for an
average of $125.22. One limousin
steer weighed 1,510 lbs. and sold to
Norwich Packers for $127.25.
Dwayne and Lorri Dickert of Ayton,
consigned three steers averaging
1,585 lbs. selling for an average of
$120.31. One limousin steer
weighed 1,565 lbs. and sold to St.
Helen’s Meat Packers for $124. Eric
Versteeg of Clifford, consigned nine
steers averaging 1,547 lbs. selling
for an average of $120.57. One black
steer weighed 1,425 lbs. and sold for
$123.2. Niel Edgar of Wingham,
consigned 25 steers averaging
1,548 lbs. selling for an average
of $121.26. One black steer weighed
1,540 lbs. and sold for
$123.25. Dennis and Marylou
Bross of Listowel, consigned
two steers averaging 1,380 lbs.
selling for an average of $122.25.
One black steer weighed 1,460 lbs.
and sold to Norwich Packers for
$122.75.
Hank Boersma of Wingham,
consigned four heifers averaging
1,298 lbs. selling for an average of
$124.63. One limousin heifer
weighed 1,435 lbs. and sold to
Horizon Meat Packers for $128.25.
Andy Vanderveen of Blyth,
consigned seven heifers averaging
1,291 lbs. selling for an average of
$123.31. One limousin heifer
weighed 1,325 lbs. and sold to
Horizon Meat Packers for $126.
Murray Gordner of Mitchell,
consigned eight heifers averaging
1,334 lbs. selling for an average of
$120.62. Two rwf heifers weighed
1,330 lbs. and sold to Horizon Meat
Packers for $123.
Bill Wasnidge of Ailsa Craig,
consigned nine heifers averaging
1,281 lbs. selling for an average
of $121.91. Two charolais heifers
weighed 1,355 lbs. and sold to
Horizon Meat Packers for
$122.75. Frank Foran of Lucknow,
consigned four heifers averaging
1,379 lbs. selling for an average
of $121.01. Two simmental heifers
averaged 1,385 lbs. and sold for
$121.50. Roy A. McCulloch of
Allenford, consigned 13 heifers
averaging 1,528 lbs. selling for an
average of $117.53. One red heifer
weighed 1,555 lbs. and sold
to Horizon Meat Packers for
$121.50.
There were 298 cows on offer.
Export types sold $60 to $70 with
sales to $75; beef, $63 to 73.50 with
sales to $74.50; D1 and D2, $54 to
$63; D3, $45 to $52; D4, $37 to $45.
Grant Gilchrist of Lucknow,
consigned three cows averaging
1,262 lbs. selling for an average of
$65.35. One black cow weighed
1,255 lbs. and sold for $75.50. Jason
Beirnes of Listowel, consigned two
cows averaging 1,565 lbs. selling for
an average of $73.79. One
simmental cow weighed 1,640 lbs.
and sold for $74.50. Merkley Farms
of Wroxeter, consigned three cows
averaging 1,087 lbs. selling for an
average of $63.21. One limousin
cow weighed 1,435 lbs. and sold for
$73.50.
There were four bulls selling $68
to $82.50. Paullyn Farms of Ayton,
consigned one charolais bull
weighing 2,100 lbs. selling for
$77.50. Paul Franken of Clinton,
consigned one holstein bull
weighing 1,435 lbs. selling for
$76.50.
There were 126 head of veal on
offer. Beef sold $110 to $155 with
sales to $168; good holsteins, $85 to
$90 with sales to $95; medium
holsteins, $70 to $80; heavy
holsteins, $80 to $90. Lamar Frey of
Listowel, consigned 15 veal
averaging 809 lbs. selling for an
average of $136.46. One limousin
heifer weighed 745 lbs. and sold for
$164. Maynard Brubacher of
Wallenstein, consigned five veal
averaging 726 lbs. selling for
an average of $131.43. One gold
heifer weighed 700 lbs. selling for
$159. Premier Blues of Dublin,
consigned four veal averaging
768 lbs. selling for an average of
$143.81. One blue belgium
steer weighed 745 lbs. selling for
$148.
Lambs, 50 - 64 lbs. sold $182 to
$217; 65 - 79 lbs., $175 to $200; 80
- 94 lbs., $130 to $169; 95 - 109 lbs.,
$132 to $149; 110 lbs. and over,
$123 to $136.
Sheep sold $45 to $80 with sales
to $96.
Goats: kids sold $75 to $125 with
sales to $145 per head; nannies, $50
to $100 per head; billies, $150 to
$250 with sales to $300 per head.
Top quality stocker steers, 400 -
499 lbs. sold $114 to $158.50; 500 -
599 lbs., $126 to $161.50; 600 - 699
lbs., $122 to $164.50; 700 - 799 lbs.,
$111 to $142.50; 800 - 899 lbs.,
$126 to $138; 900 - 999 lbs., $120 to
$138; 1,000 lbs. and over, $102 to
$118.
Top quality stocker heifers, 400 -
499 lbs. sold $113 to $146; 500 -
599 lbs., $110.50 to $139.50; 600 -
699 lbs., $114 to $125; 700 - 799
lbs., $104 to $128; 800 - 899 lbs.,
$110 to $125.75; 900 lbs. and over,
$113 to $119.
While Huron County’s livestock
producers complained to local
politicians that the use of corn for
ethanol production has increased
their feed costs, grain producers
defended higher grain prices.
The Huron County Beef
Producers’ brief to the Huron
County Federation of Agricultures
political forum, Friday, raised the
issue saying government subsidies to
ethanol production disrupts the
normal supply and demand balance
by allowing ethanol producers to
outbid livestock producers who need
corn for feed.
Harvey Hoggart, who delivered
the brief, said the subsidies were
driving a wedge between crop
producers and livestock farmers
because of the higher feed costs
those with livestock are facing.
And the situation will get worse if
the federal government moves the
mandate from five per cent ethanol
in gasoline to 10 per cent, the brief
said. “While we feel that we may
have already absorbed any negative
shocks to our input costs from the
five per cent mandate, we do not feel
that we could absorb a 10 per cent
mandate without serious damage to
our industry.”
Phil Dykstra, president of the
Huron County Pork Producers’
Association said there is a disparity
between the money the federal
government has spent to subsidize
ethanol production while it claims it
can’t afford better support for risk
management.
Ben Lobb, MP for Huron-Bruce
said the ethanol mandate was a
seven-year program announced in
2009 program intended to help get
the ethanol industry up on its feet.
With the program coming up for
renewal there will have to be
discussion about what makes sense
going forward, he said.
Biodiesel, was added to the
program last year which also had an
effect on feed costs, Lobb said.
But Jeff Klomps, president of the
Huron County Grain Farmers
pointed out that while feed prices
may have increased in recent years,
corn is selling at 40 cents per bushel
less in Ontario than in the U.S.,
helping give Ontario livestock
producers an advantage.
And Larry Lynn, Huron County
director on the Grain Farmers of
Ontario defended grain farmers
getting a good price. “I have a little
trouble with people complaining
when I find a new market,’ he said.
“Exactly what is the right price for
corn?” he asked others, to which
someone answered whatever
producers can get.
The problem, said Lynn, is that we
have a cheap food policy that makes
it hard for livestock producers to
recover their costs.
Farmers shouldn’t pay the price
for having a healthy population
of wildlife, farmers and politicians
attending the Huron County
Federation of Agriculture’s (HCFA)
Feb. 22 political forum agreed.
The discussion was triggered by a
presentation by HCFA director Ken
Scott on the Natural Heritage Study
which encourages preservation and
expansion of natural heritage
features. But there are concerns for
farmers, Scott said, including the
possible negative impacts of
excessively larger buffer strips. If
farmland is affected there needs to
be a payment for ecological goods
and services, Scott said.
He quoted a 2009 report from the
George Morris Centre which
estimated wildlife does $41 million a
year to livestock and crops, yet
farmers only receive $1.5 million in
compensation. With more natural
cover this damage will only increase,
Scott said.
Other farm leaders agreed there is
a problem. Larry Lynn, Huron
County’s director on the Grain
Farmers of Ontario, pointed out that
someone spent money to reintroduce
wild turkeys into Ontario that
have flourished at the expense of
farmers.
What’s more, crop losses to
wildlife are not even recognized by
crop insurance. “We tried to address
this with Agricorp,” Lynn said.
“We want recognition for our true
yields.”
Township of North Huron Reeve
Neil Vincent said farmers are facing
possible restrictions on farming
practices to protect bobolinks but at
a recent meeting an expert had
pointed out that it was farmers
through their hayfields and pastures,
who expanded the habitat for
bobolinks in the first place.
Scott’s presentation pointed out
that all three main political parties
had promised payments for
ecological goods and services in
their platforms in the past.
Lisa Thompson, MPP for Huron-
Bruce agreed with farmers’
concerns. “The passing along of
costs stops with you guys,” she said.
She promised that an upcoming
Progressive Conservative Party
white paper on agriculture would
deal with that problem.
Ben Lobb, MP for Huron-Bruce,
said once a species goes on the “at
risk” list it never seems to come off,
even when numbers have greatly
increased.
“My experience in Ottawa is if you
bring up species at risk or Oceans
and Fisheries, the media and
opposition [parties] go over the top.”
He noted until recently the
Maitland and Bayfield Rivers had
been included as navigable waters
but he didn’t think there had been
many steamships seen on those
streams.
By Mark Wales, President
Ontario Federation of
Agriculture
Fiscal responsibility, economic
growth and increased employment
topped the list of priorities in the
throne speech this week. Ontario’s
newly-minted Premier Kathleen
Wynne government calls its
priorities “bedrocks” to build on.
Returning to work after a four-
month hiatus means Ontario’s
elected officials have a lot of
catching up to do. Wynne is already
well recognized by media outlets for
her ability to mend fences. Many
speculate the throne speech’s
conciliatory tone that addressed
spending cuts and respect for
teachers will give her government
new footings on furrowed terrain.
For Ontario farm families, the
emphasis on improving
infrastructure – including rural roads
and bridges – is welcome news. So
is the promise to consult local
residents before allowing wind
farms or quarries to be built in their
hometowns. The Ontario Federation
of Agriculture (OFA) has already
listed investments in rural Ontario as
a key priority for this session, and
we look forward to working with
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
AgricultureBrussels Livestock reportFed steers, heifers sell on active trade
By Keith Roulston
The Citizen
By Keith Roulston
The Citizen
Wynne’s throne speech
intrigues OFA
Continued on page 30