HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2011-02-03, Page 15THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2011. PAGE 15.
Bill Herron, background director
of the Ontario Cattlemen’s
Association (OCA), spoke to the
Huron County Beef Producers
(HCBP) during their Annual General
Meeting on Jan. 12 at the Brussels
Legion, and his message was one of
good year in the industry.
“It was a good story [for the beef
industry] in 2010,” he said. “Beef
production was up one per cent.”
Herron went on to state that
exports in the beef industry have
grown up 11 per cent over the past
year, while imports are down seven
per cent, but that the impact of
Country of Origin Labelling
(COOL) can still be felt.
“We can see it in feeder exports to
the United States,” he said. “They
went down 30 per cent over the past
year, that’s a 70 per cent drop since
2008.”
Herron stated that the OCA plans
to continue to build on these
successes by continuing to work
with the Ontario Pork Producers, the
Ontario Agriculture Sustainability
Committee and meeting with
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture,
Food and Rural Affairs Minister
Carol Mitchell.
Future plans, according to
Herron’s presentation, revolve
around increasing the visibility of
the OCA in both the agricultural
community and beyond.
“Where are we going from here?”
Herron asked the crowd. “Well,
we’re hiring a public affairs firm
that will work to promote our
interests.”
Herron stated the firm would be
responsible for lobbying provincial
and federal governments in tandem,
which would be especially important
with potential elections forthcoming.
The OCA will also be employing
town hall telephone meetings and
organizing a “Speak Up” team to
help make people aware of their
presence.
“The telephone town hall meetings
(we’ve had) have been very
successful,” Herron explained. “We
had 1,700 callers... a lot of producers
wanted to listen.”
Herron then explained that the
Speak Up team will be an extension
of that desire to be inclusive, stating
that they would have eight
individuals trained to speak and
educate people about the OCA.
The strategic plan of the OCA is
going to address the challenges the
beef industry has been facing since
the BSE crisis in 2003.
Herron stated that beef producers
are losing capacity and feed lots and,
with the loss of abattoirs, he system
could suffer a collapse if it declines
further.
To combat the decline, the
strategic plan, according to Herron,
will focus on developing a
collaborative model that will
publicize the attributes of the
Ontario beef brand.
Practices like grid pricing,
hedging, central desk selling and
trace-back information will be used
to help producers better compete
both in Ontario and throughout the
world.
The OCA’s website was also a
primary focus for Herron, who
stated that, while it may load slowly
on older connections, it will provide
invaluable information for all
members of the community.
Other topics that Herron addressed
included the strategic plan of the
OCA and the proposed risk
management plan, and how it would
need to be implemented to help
farmers.
Total receipts for Brussels
Livestock for the week ending Jan.
27 were 1,537 cattle, 264 lambs and
goats. On Tuesday fed steers and
heifers sold $1 to $2 higher. Choice
steers and heifers sold $102 to $107
with sales to $108. Second cut sold
$96 to $100. Cows sold on a strong
active trade at prices $1 to $2 higher.
On Thursday beef veal calves sold at
steady prices to last week, while
holstein veal traded $2 to $5 easier.
Lambs, sheep and goats all sold
steady. On Friday cattle sold on a
strong active trade with prices fully
steady with last week.
There were 83 steers on offer.
Hank W. Huigenbos of Wingham,
consigned five steers averaging
1,346 lbs. selling for an average of
$105.34 with one limousin steer
weighing 1,295 lbs. selling to
Ryding Regency for $108. K/C
McAlpine of Ailsa Craig, consigned
ten steers averaging 1,566 lbs.
selling for an average of $104.04
with one red steer weighing 1,475
lbs. selling to Ryding Regency for
$107.75. Norman B. Martin of
Clifford, consigned three steers
averaging 1,340 lbs. selling for an
average of $106.90 with two black
steers averaging 1,310 lbs. selling to
Ryding Regency for $107.25.
Lloyd Reid of Palmerston,
consigned twelve steers averaging
1,423 lbs. selling for an average of
$102.71 with one black steer
weighing 1,400 lbs. selling to
Ryding Regency for $105.75. David
Bowles of Brussels, consigned six
steers averaging 1,558 lbs. selling
for an average of $104.22 with one
black steer weighing 1,565 lbs.
selling to Ryding Regency for
$105.75. Breimar Farms of Parkhill,
consigned two steers averaging
1,455 lbs. selling for an average of
$104.74 with one black steer
weighing 1,370 lbs. selling to
Norwich Packers for $105. Elmer B.
Martin of Paisley, consigned nine
steers averaging 1,467 lbs. selling
for an average of $97.33 with one
red steer weighing 1,575 lbs. selling
to St. Helen’s Meat Packers for
$103. Glen Bieman of Ayton,
consigned three steers averaging
1,418 lbs. selling for an average of
$101.84 with one black steer
weighing 1,550 lbs. selling to
Ryding Regency for $102. Dale and
Marion Jones of Bright, consigned
six black steers averaging 1,188 lbs.
selling for $100.50.
There were 198 heifers on offer.
John Dekroon of Dublin, consigned
thirty-eight heifers averaging 1,343
lbs. selling for an average of $98.25
with one limousin heifer weighing
1,300 lbs. selling to Ryding Regency
for $106.25. Decroft Farms of
Clinton, consigned eleven heifers
averaging 1,385 lbs. selling for an
average of $104.64 with five
limousin heifers averaging 1,421
lbs. selling to Norwich Packers for
$105.50. Sellers Farms of Bluevale,
consigned twenty heifers averaging
1,510 lbs. selling for an average of
$103.35 with six charolais heifers
averaging 1,568 lbs. selling to Holly
Park Meat Packers for $103.75.
M-R Farms of Exeter, consigned
twelve heifers averaging 1,335 lbs.
selling for an average of $101.51
with one black heifer weighing
1,340 lbs. selling to Norwich
Packers for $103.75. Dave Noble of
Glencairn, consigned sixteen heifers
averaging 1,328 lbs. selling for an
average of $101.73 with one
limousin heifer weighing 1,225 lbs.
selling for $102.50. Walter Riddell
of Granton, consigned twenty-eight
heifers averaging 1,263 lbs. selling
for an average of $101.31 with
eleven black heifers averaging 1,334
lbs. selling for $102.25. Mark and
Elaine Fisher of Ayton, consigned
one charolais heifer weighing 1,415
lbs. selling to Holly Park Meat
Packers for $101.50.
Andrew Lennox of Kenilworth,
consigned ten heifers averaging
1,340 lbs. selling for an average of
$95.68 with one red heifer weighing
1,230 lbs. selling to Norwich
Packers for $100.75. Steve Thornton
of Goderich, consigned six heifers
averaging 1,548 lbs. selling for an
average of $91.27 with one rwf
heifer weighing 1,420 lbs. selling for
$100. Rob Semple of Ethel,
consigned three heifers averaging
1,523 lbs. selling for an average of
$96.99 with one gold heifer
weighing 1,505 lbs. selling to
Ryding Regency for $99.50.
There were 323 cows on offer.
Export types sold $56 to $61; beef
cows, $54 to $64 with sales to $73;
D1 and D2, $47 to $55; D3, $38 to
$50; D4, $30 to $37. Paullyn Farms
of Ayton, consigned four cows
averaging 1,228 lbs. selling for an
average of $64.43 with one charolais
cow weighing 1,400 lbs. selling for
$73. Mark Davenport of Allenford,
consigned seven cows averaging
1,413 lbs. selling for an average of
$64.38 with one black cow weighing
1,015 lbs. selling for $70. Dave
Hawkins of Wingham, consigned
three cows averaging 1,570 lbs.
selling for an average of $67.50 with
one limousin cow weighing 1,575
lbs. selling for $69.50.
There were six bulls on offer
selling $58.50 to $60 with sales to
$74. Hosper Dairy of clinton,
consigned one holstein bull
weighing 2,065 lbs. selling for $74.
Hank DeJong of Fordwich,
consigned one limousin bull
weighing 1,990 lbs. selling for $60.
There were 184 head of veal on
offer. Beef sold $100 to $150 with
sales to $158; good holstein, $90 to
$102 with sales to $112; medium
holstein, $80 to $90; heavy holstein,
$90 to $100. Mark and Paul
Pennington of Mildmay, consigned
nine veal averaging 716 lbs. selling
for an average of $126.67 with one
charolais heifer weighing 795 lbs.
selling for an average of $158.
Lamar Frey of Listowel, consigned
nine veal averaging 741 lbs. selling
for an average of $141.62 with one
crossbred heifer weighing 700 lbs.
selling for $149. Mike Durnin of
Auburn, consigned nineteen veal
averaging 782 lbs. selling for an
average of $120.30 with one black
steer weighing 800 lbs. selling for an
average of $123.
Lambs under 50 lbs. sold $206 to
$247; 50 - 64 lbs., $222 to $276; 65
- 79 lbs., $215 to $271; 80 - 94 lbs.,
$201 to $230; 95 - 110 lbs., $190 to
$210.
Sheep sold $69 to $108 with sales
to $116.
Goats: kids sold $75 to $125 to
$150 per head; nannies, $60 to $110
to $120 per head; billies, $200 to
$350 to $375 per head.
Top quality stocker steers under
400 lbs. sold $137 to $170; 400 -
499 lbs., $144 to $170; 500 - 599
lbs., $132.50 to $158; 600 - 699 lbs.,
$123.50 to $144; 700 - 799 lbs.,
$117.50 to $137; 800 - 899 lbs.,
$114.25 to $128; 900 - 999 lbs.,
$100 to $115; 1,000 lbs. and over,
$100 to $113.75.
Top quality stocker heifers under
300 lbs. sold to $108; 300 - 399 lbs.,
$125 to $142; 400 - 499 lbs., $125 to
$140; 500 - 599 lbs., $114 to $134;
600 - 699 lbs., $109 to $132; 700 -
799 lbs., $114 to $127; 800 - 899
lbs., $104 to $115; 900 lbs. and over,
$100 to $113.50.
At a giant “food drop” held Jan.
25, United Communities Credit
Union distributed $10,000 worth of
local apples, milk, pork and beef to
10 Huron and Perth County Food
Banks through its Farm to Food
Banks Program.
To date, $226,000 has been
donated which purchased over
418,000 lbs. of food for Huron,
Perth and Essex Counties.
“We worked with local farmers
and producers paying farmgate
prices for apples, milk, pork and
beef to provide 10,260 lbs. of food
to area food banks today,” states Jim
Lynn, President and CEO of United
Communities Credit Union. “It’s
been four years since we created this
program and it has been truly
rewarding to not only assist those in
need but to see so many people
come together to help out. This
program not only brings nutritious
food to local tables but also brings
hope.”
The Credit Union also has an
Employee Gift Matching Program
which recognizes staff volunteerism
by donating dollars to charities of
their choice.
“Our staff continues to be
extremely generous with their time
and their money, and our Gift
Matching Program gives us a
meaningful way to recognize this”,
says Liz Arkinstall Manager of
Community Relations. Donna
Lawton chose to donate her money
to the Salvation Army Clinton Food
Bank.
The Ontario Credit Union
Charitable Foundation (OCUCF)
donated $2,500 to further support
community food banks. In total
OCUCF has contributed $30,000 in
matching funds this winter to Credit
Unions across Ontario.
Credit Union distributes local food
through Farm to Food Banks program
OCA to implement town hall phone meetings
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. Pigs, 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
Agriculture
Brussels Livestock report
Fed steers and heifers sell $2 higher
By Denny Scott
The Citizen
Get breaking
farm news on the
Rural Voice
section of
our website
www.northhuron.on.ca