HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2011-03-03, Page 23THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MARCH 3, 2011. PAGE 23.
Ontario’s farmers are fed up with
the heavily-regulated business
environment in which they operate
their businesses. At the same time,
society and government have
become overly cautious, trying to
out-smart common sense by putting
more and more costly rules and
regulations in place that are
burdening our farming community.
This year’s Christian Farmers
Federation of Ontario (CFFO)
Seminar Series is entitled Enough is
Enough and examines the case for
an improved regulatory process. An
annual event for 16 years, the
organization’s seminar series aims at
facilitating grassroots participation
in policy development. This year’s
edition will explore the reasons for
the over-regulated farm business
situation and will look towards
alternative approaches to regulations
that can be proposed to elected
leaders, other organizations and the
consuming public.
Long-time CFFO friend, Bill van
Geest, will be the principal
facilitator for the series. He is a
trained facilitator, executive coach
and strategic planner and enjoys
helping organizations and their
leaders move forward with clarity
and purpose. Nathan Stevens, the
CFFO’s Research and Policy
Advisor, will also be on hand at
selected locations to work alongside
those in attendance.
Bob Seguin and Al Mussell, from
the George Morris Centre, will draw
on their experiences as members of
“Canada’s Independent Agri-Food
Think Tank” to help attendees
explore the rationale and
complexities behind legislation and
regulations. Seguin has first-hand
knowledge in understanding
regulations, having served as a
senior manager in several
government departments.
Join us as we explore and critique
the frustrating and complex world of
legislation and regulations. The
CFFO Seminar Series is open to all
who wish to attend. Log on to the
CFFO’s website at
www.christianfarmers.org for details
on how to register and where our
individual seminars are being held.
We encourage you to attend a
seminar in your local community for
information, provocative
facilitation, fellowship and a good
lunch. We welcome the contribution
of your time and thoughts.
Total receipts for Brussels
Livestock for the week ending Feb.
25 were 1,810 cattle, 338 lambs and
goats. On Tuesday fed steers and
heifers sold steady with some slight
pressure. Choice steers and heifers
sold $104 to $107 with sales to
$108.75. Second cut sold $99.75 to
$104. Cows sold under pressure with
prices $1 to $2 easier. On Thursday
good quality holstein veal calves
sold steady, while beef veal plain
and medium sold under pressure
with prices $2 to $5 lower. Lambs
sold higher while sheep and goats
sold steady. On Friday calves sold
steady to last week’s prices, while
yearlings sold $2 to $3 lower.
There were 165 steers on offer.
Kevin Leddy of Auburn, consigned
twenty-six steers averaging 1,413
lbs. selling for an average of
$103.43 with three limousin steers
averaging 1,398 lbs. selling to
Horizon Meat Packers for $108.25.
Kyle Cressman of Gowanstown,
consigned three steers averaging
1,508 lbs. selling for an average of
$105.08 with one red steer weighing
1,495 lbs. selling to St. Helen’s Meat
Packers for $106.75. Allan Thornton
of Gorrie, consigned four steers
averaging 1,306 lbs. selling for an
average of $104.22 with one
charolais steer weighing 1,280 lbs.
selling for $106.50.
Martin Metske of Lucknow,
consigned five steers averaging
1,361 lbs. selling for an average of
$105.30 with one red steer weighing
1,350 lbs. selling to Horizon Meat
Packers for $106.50. Mary Schiestel
of Teeswater, consigned ten steers
averaging 1,536 lbs. selling for an
average of $105.33 with six black
steers averaging 1,538 lbs. selling to
St. Helen’s Meat Packers for
$105.75. Loomis Farms of Ailsa
Craig, consigned twelve steers
averaging 1,507 lbs. selling for an
average of $104.57 with five
charolais steers averaging 1,496 lbs.
selling for $105.75. Ed
VanDonkersgoed of Wroxeter,
consigned four steers averaging
1,450 lbs. selling for an average of
$103.42 with three limousin steers
averaging 1,498 lbs. selling for
$105.
Francis Riley of Walkerton,
consigned ten steers averaging 1,461
lbs. selling for an average of
$104.61 with six charolais steers
averaging 1,493 lbs. selling for
$105. Joseph M. Bauman of
Newton, consigned eighteen steers
averaging 1,435 lbs. selling for an
average of $98.34 with five gold
steers averaging 1,501 lbs. selling
for $104.75. Mark and Elaine
Fischer of Ayton, consigned eleven
steers averaging 1,501 lbs. selling
for an average of $102.60 with five
charolais steers averaging 1,510 lbs.
selling for $104.50.
There were 167 heifers on offer.
Bill Frank of Listowel, consigned
sixteen heifers averaging 1,393 lbs.
selling for an average of $105.42
with two charolais heifers averaging
1,463 lbs. selling to Norwich
Packers for $108.75. Johnston
Farms of Bluevale, consigned fifty
heifers averaging 1,389 lbs. selling
for an average of $104.97 with one
black heifer weighing 1,175 lbs.
selling for $108. Mel Weber of
Wingham, consigned three black
heifers averaging 1,420 lbs. selling
for an average of $105.78 with one
black heifer weighing 1,510 lbs.
selling to St. Helen’s Meat Packers
for $106.75. Sellers Farms of
Bluevale, consigned twenty-two
heifers averaging 1,478 lbs. selling
for an average of $105.27 with seven
charolais heifers averaging 1,519
lbs. selling to Holly Park Meat
Packers for $105.75.
D&M Farms of Listowel,
consigned two heifers averaging
1,408 lbs. selling for an average of
$100.29 with one rwf heifer
weighing 1,255 lbs. selling for $105.
Hank W. Huigenbos of Wingham,
consigned nine heiferss averaging
1,196 lbs. selling for an average of
$102.42 with three limousin heifers
averaging 1,203 lbs. selling to St.
Helen’s Meat Packers for $104.75.
Byron Beyersbergen of Lucknow,
consigned three heifers averaging
1,432 lbs. selling for an average of
$104.67 with one rwf heifer
weighing 1,400 lbs. selling to St.
Helen’s Meat Packers for $104.50.
Brad Hern of Woodham, consigned
two charolais heifers weighing
1,405 lbs. selling for $104.50.
There were 307 cows on offer.
Export types sold $60 to $65; beef
cows, $63 to $73; D1 and D2, $50 to
$55; D3, $46 to $50; D4, $35 to $40.
Peter Oudshoorn of Auburn,
consigned four cows averaging
1,784 lbs. selling for an average of
$58.82 with one charolais cow
weighing 1,790 lbs. selling for $72.
Mark Pfeffer of Clifford, consigned
one charolais cow weighing 1,505
lbs. selling for $71.50. Jeffrey
Becker of Ayton, consigned three
cows averaging 1,432 lbs. selling for
an average of $62.65 with one black
cow weighing 1,635 lbs. selling for
$70.50.
There were 13 bulls on offer
selling $53.50 to $69.50 with sales
to $72.50. Harvey Forbes Livestock
of Wiarton, consigned one black bull
weighing 2,475 lbs. selling for
$72.50. Brian Parsons of Woodham,
consigned one limousin bull
weighing 1,540 lbs. selling for $60.
There were 150 head of veal on
offer. Beef sold $105 to $140 with
sales to $150; good holstein, $90 to
$99 with sales to $100; medium
holstein, $70 to $80; plain holstein,
$60 to $70; heavy holstein, $85 to
$93. Lamar Frey of Listowel,
consigned eight veal averaging 714
lbs. selling for an average of
$126.02 with one crossbred heifer
weighing 710 lbs. selling for $150.
Gideon Zehr of Newton, consigned
nine veal averaging 739 lbs. selling
for an average of $119.27 with two
charolais heifers weighing 738 lbs.
selling for $143. Ervin Weber of
Listowel, consigned one roan steer
weighing 695 lbs. selling for $133.
Lambs, 50 - 64 lbs. sold $230 to
$278; 65 - 79 lbs., $220 to $255; 80
- 94 lbs., $202.50 to $241; 95 - 109
lbs., $190 to $211; 110 lbs. and over,
$186 to $210.
Sheep sold $80 to $106 with sales
to $180.
Goats: kids sold $100 to $125 to
$140 per head; nannies, $50 to $100
to $125 per head; billies, $150 to
$250 to $350 per head.
Top quality stocker steers under
400 lbs. sold $105.50 to $179; 400 -
499 lbs., $145 to $169.50; 500 - 599
lbs., $130 to $161; 600 - 699 lbs.,
$124 to $159.50; 700 - 799 lbs.,
$126 to $134; 800 - 899 lbs., $105 to
$128.25; 900 - 999 lbs., $110 to
$128.75; 1,000 lbs. and over,
$104.75 to $118.
Top quality stocker heifers, 300 -
399 lbs., $141 to $159; 400 - 499
lbs., $134 to $159; 500 - 599 lbs.,
$127.75 to $140; 600 - 699 lbs.,
$111 to $132; 700 - 799 lbs., $116 to
$125.25; 800 - 899 lbs., $111 to
$120; 900 lbs. and over, $101.50 to
$113.
Drinking water source protection
is taking a big step forward in the
Maitland Valley and Ausable
Bayfield areas. The source
protection committee (SPC) for the
region has announced it is beginning
to prepare source protection plan
policies.
“This is an important time for the
protection of drinking water in this
region as the members of the
committee will begin to tackle the
challenge of creating policies to
reduce risk to drinking water,” said
Larry Brown, Chair of the Ausable
Bayfield Maitland Valley Drinking
Water Source Protection
Committee.
The local committee is sending
formal Notice of Commencement of
Source Protection Plan Policy
Preparation to municipal
administrators, First Nations, and to
owners of properties where potential
significant drinking water threats
may exist. The committee is also
informing those landowners of
opportunities for financial
assistance for their voluntary
projects to protect water, and of
opportunities to provide comments
as plans are developed over the
coming year.
Significant drinking water threats
can exist in the 100-metre radius of
Tony and Fran McQuail of
Lucknow recently joined farmers
from across the Prairies for the sixth
annual Western Canada Holistic
Management (HM) Conference in
Lloydminster, Alberta. The
McQuails have been using HM since
they took a course in 1995
sponsored by the Ecological
Farmers Association of Ontario.
Their training helped them become
full time on the farm and make
decisions which looked after family
and environmental concerns as well
as finances. Fran McQuail led a
breakout session on personal goal
setting with Linda Corcoran from
Saskatchewan. The conference
included a mix of innovative
production sessions with
inspirational keynotes by Kier
Barker and Dr. Elaine Dembe.
Holistic Management is a popular
farm business strategy in western
Canada. Developed by Allan Savory
in the 1980s it differs from other
business strategies by having a
holistic goal as the centre of all the
other planning elements, giving a
focus for evaluating enterprises and
choices. Holistic Management also
has a tool box which includes
financial planning, land use, grazing
and testing questions which help
farm families make better decisions.
Producer panels shared their
experience with winter grazing,
family succession, cropping and
family goal setting.
Jeff Goebel from Portland, Oregon
spoke of his 30 years experience as a
certified educator. He helped a
ranch that was losing $750,000 a
year break even after just 12 months.
He worked with a native community
of 9,000 in the northwest. Using the
Holistic Management model, they
were able to save $17 million in a
$55 million budget without cutting a
program or a job. That budget was
developed three months ahead of
schedule and was passed
unanimously by the band council.
Goebel said helping people create
their holistic goal releases amazing
creativity.
The McQuails are certified
educators and will be offering two
six-day courses in Holistic
Management in March 2011. One
will be held at their farm near
Lucknow and the other will be held
in the Kingston area. The course
helps farm families develop their
own holistic goal and then work on a
financial and biological plan to start
moving toward their goal. It also
includes training in how to use the
testing questions to make
consistently better decisions which
look after the family, the farm and
the finances.
For more information on the
course, contact the McQuails at 519-
528-2493.
Policy preparation begins for SWP
Local farmers learn about holistic management
Series to focus on improving farm regulatory process
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
AgricultureBrussels Livestock report
Calves sell steady, yearlings sell lower
Continued on page 30