HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2011-03-10, Page 17THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2011. PAGE 17.
By Nathan Stevens
OMAFRA and Ontario Power
Generation recently held a forum to
determine the overall feasibility of
“purpose grown energy crops” in
Ontario. In this case a “purpose
grown energy crop” is one that is
grown to be burnt for electricity
instead of coal. This session focused
on the different factors needed to
make growing these crops work in
Ontario.
There were a variety of speakers
sharing a wide range of information
on the different options that growers
have in this area of production.
Some of the key messages included:
• Farmers in Ontario can grow
purpose grown energy crops such as
switchgrass and miscanthus in
Ontario. Standard foraging
equipment can get the job done,
which means that new technology
for harvesting these crops isn’t a
necessity.
• There is a shortage of policies
and programs to encourage
producers to undertake these
projects. It takes three years for these
crops to reach a level of maturity
where the harvest is significant.
Even something as simple as a
lending program that compensates
for this lag time would reduce the
risk for producers and be a solid first
step for these early adopters.
• The ability to harvest crop
residues like corn stover and wheat
straw for energy in Ontario is very
limited. The maximum amount that
can be removed, from a soil
sustainably perspective, isn’t that
significant an amount. Once other
harvesting costs have been factored
into the equation, the prospects are
even less promising.
• The great big unknown in the
equation is what price Ontario
Power Generation is willing to pay
farmers for purpose grown energy
crops. Farmers can grow these crops,
but it really is unknown if they can
do it profitably here in Ontario.
Taking a wider view, there are
other challenges emerging in
moving this project forward. It will
be a challenge to convince farmers to
try these alternative crops when
prices for traditional crops – corn,
soybeans and wheat – are at stellar
levels for cash crop producers.
Finally, there is growing
uncertainty about the Ontario
National Farm Safety Week later this month
Providing fuel with crops instead of coal
Farming is a way of life for many
Canadian families. It is also one of
the most dangerous industries in
Canada. Too often, both children and
parents consider the entire farm a
play space. Farm children live in a
workplace – one that exposes them
to machinery, chemicals, livestock
and other hazards. Children must be
kept isolated from these risks.
March 13-19 is National Farm
Safety Week and Canada Safety
Council encourages all Canadian
farming families to ensure the safety
of children on the farm. Injuries
involving children can be prevented
by attention to details, and a sound
understanding of fundamental safety
principles.
Each year in Canada an average of
115 people are killed and another
1,500 are hospitalized due to farm-
related incidents. According to the
Canadian Agricultural Injury
Reporting (CAIR) program, from
1990 to 2005, 217 children aged 14
or younger were killed on Canadian
farms. Approximately 45 per cent
were under the age of five.
Hazards encountered on a farm are
extremely varied. They range from
runovers, to poisoning, to bad-
tempered livestock. The hazards also
change. For example, a field may be
a good, safe place to walk one day;
but a few days earlier during
harvesting, the same field could have
been an unsafe place for a child to
be.
Runovers and drownings are the
most common cause of fatality
among children. Machine runovers
caused 42 per cent of fatalities,
followed by drownings (15 per cent),
machine rollovers (11 per cent),
animal-related injuries (seven per
cent), and being caught in or under a
non-machine object (five per
cent).
• Machinery: Every year, children
are run over and killed by farm
machinery. Bystander runovers and
extra rider runovers are the most
common causes of agricultural
fatalities among young children.
Bystander runovers occur when
children playing on the farm or
ranch worksite (usually the yard or
driveway) are run over by a tractor,
pickup truck or other farm vehicle.
The vehicle is generally reversing at
the time of the runover. Extra rider
runovers occur when a child falls
from a machine they had been riding
as a passenger and were
subsequently run over. Enforce a “no
extra riders” rule on tractors and
other farm machinery.
• Drowning: Often the victims of
drownings on the farm are less than
six years old. Drowning dangers
include dugouts, lakes and ponds,
manure pits and sewage lagoons,
among others. Fence farm ponds and
manure pits, or any other source of
water that could be hazardous to
children. Supervise children in and
around water at all times.
• Livestock: Even good-tempered
animals can become dangerous.
Cattle can knock down and trample a
toddler without noticing the child is
even there. A calm animal can
become dangerous if it or its
offspring feel threatened. Keep
children away from animals,
especially in livestock-handling
areas.
• Pesticides and Other Chemicals:
Keep children away from farm
chemicals. Store the chemicals in a
cabinet, room or building that can be
locked. Keep them in their original
containers, and ensure they are
properly labelled. Never throw
chemical containers or small leftover
amounts in the garbage or otherwise
accessible to children.
• Flowing Grain: It takes only two
or three seconds to become
helplessly trapped in flowing grain.
Crushed or bridged grain can
suddenly collapse. Flowing grain in
bins and wagons can drag an
unsuspecting victim down like
quicksand. Make grain bins and
work areas off-limits to children.
The best way to keep children safe
is to have a designated play area on
the farm. Provide fenced-in play
areas with high-mounted, self-
locking, gate closures for young
children. By limiting children’s play
areas to a specific location, the
safety zone is greatly increased and
exposure to farm dangers is
decreased.
Teach small children the
fundamentals of safety, such as
which areas are off-limits. As they
grow older, explain why certain
things are dangerous. When they
start helping with the work, make
sure they are properly trained,
keeping their limited strength and
experience in mind. The safe way to
do things is not always obvious to a
child, so always explain and enforce
the safety aspects of the job.
Children often imitate what they see.
Above all, farmers and their workers
must set a good example, both for
their own safety and as a role model
for children.
Total receipts for Brussels
Livestock for the week ending
March 4 were 1,607 cattle, 407
lambs and goats. On Tuesday, fed
steers and heifers sold on a fully
steady market. Choice steers and
heifers sold $104 to $108 with sales
to $113.50. Second cut sold $99 to
$104. Cows sold on an active trade
with prices $2 higher. On Thursday
good quality holstein veal calves
sold steady, while beef veal calves
sold $2 to $5 higher. Light lambs
sold $10 to $20 lower while heavy
lambs were $5 to $10 lower. Sheep
and goats sold steady. On Friday
calves and yearlings sold steady to
last week’s prices.
There were 135 steers on offer.
John Wiersma of Blyth, consigned
six steers averaging 1,639 lbs.
selling for an average of $104.61
with one limousin steer weighing
1,540 lbs. selling to Horizon Meat
Packers for $113.50. Schmidt Brook
Farms consigned thirteen steers
averaging 1,662 lbs. selling for an
average of $104.36 with one steer
weighing 1,660 lbs. selling for
$109.75. Elam W. Martin of
Harriston, consigned nine steers
averaging 1,502 lbs. selling for an
average of $104.20 with three
limousin steers weighing 1,523 lbs.
selling to Horizon Meat Packers for
$107.50. Randy Diebold of Cargill,
consigned seven steers averaging
1490 lbs. selling for an average of
$104.83 with two limousin steers
weighing 1,450 lbs. selling for
$107.25.
Chris Smith of Brussels,
consigned twenty-four steers
averaging 1,575 lbs. selling for an
average of $103.91 with two
charolais steers averaging 1,450 lbs.
selling to Ryding Regency for $106.
Neil Dolmage of Walton, consigned
five steers averaging 1,538 lbs.
selling for an average of $103.66
with four charolais steers averaging
1,529 lbs. selling for $105.25. Brad
Black of Dungannon, consigned ten
steers averaging 1,541 lbs. selling
for an average of $104.34 with five
black steers averaging 1,524 lbs.
selling for a high of $105. Tom and
Ernie Lobb of Clinton, consigned
eight steers averaging 1,471 lbs.
selling for an average of $103.97
with five black steers averaging
1,484 lbs. selling for $104.25.
Francis Riley of Walkerton,
consigned ten steers averaging 1,382
lbs. selling for an average of $102.84
with two crossbred steers averaging
1,430 lbs. selling for $104. Dwayne
and Lorri Dickert, consigned two
steers averaging 1,510 lbs. which
sold to St. Helen’s Meat Packers for
$103.25.
There were 145 fed heifers on
offer. Andy VanderVeen of Blyth,
consigned eight heifers averaging
1,341 lbs. selling for an average of
$105.83 with one limousin heifer
weighing 1,250 lbs. selling for $110.
Terry Murray of Clifford, consigned
nine heifers averaging 1,312 lbs.
selling for an average of $105.14
with one charolais heifer weighing
1,320 lbs. selling for $108.75.
John and Brenda Wright of
Kippen, consigned ten heifers
averaging 1,349 lbs. selling for
an average of $102.97 with one
black heifer weighing 1,490 lbs.
selling to Norwich Packers for
$107.25.
Sellers Farms of Bluevale,
consigned twenty-two heifers
averaging 1,435 lbs. selling for an
average of $105.37 with a group of
ten charolais heifers averaging 1406
lbs. selling to Norwich Meat Packers
for $106.50. Corgercrest Farms Ltd.,
consigned eight heifers averaging
1,365 lbs. selling for an average of
$100.43 with three crossbred heifers
weighing 1,350 lbs. selling for
$105.50.
Eric Versteeg of Clifford,
consigned four heifers averaging
1,275 lbs. selling to Norwich
Packers for an average of $105.25.
Lloyd Vivean, consigned two
charolais heifers averaging 1,310
lbs. selling for an average of
$104.25. George Roney of Staffa,
consigned thirteen heifers averaging
1,366 lbs. selling for an average
of $102.41 with a group of five
gold heifers averaging 1,480 lbs.
selling for $104. John Wiersma of
Blyth had three charolais
heifers averaging 1,437 lbs. selling
for a high of $103.75. Dave Noble
of Glencairn, consigned 15 heifers
weighing 1,298 lbs. selling for
an average of $103.50 with a group
of six black heifers averaging
1,228 lbs. selling for a high of
$103.50.
There were 273 cows on offer.
Export types sold $63 to $70; beef
cows, $65 to $74 with sales to
$79.50; D1 and D2, $50 to $55; D3,
$46 to $50; D4, $35 to $40. Mike
Becker of Ayton, consigned one
charolais cow weighing 1,945 lbs.
selling for a high of $79.50. Larry
Reinhart Jr., consigned two cows
averaging 1,803 lbs. selling for
$76.09 with one red cow weighing
1,910 lbs. selling for $77.50. Jeffrey
Becker of Ayton, consigned six cows
averaging 1,424 lbs. selling for an
average of $65.16 with one limousin
cow weighing 1,515 lbs. selling for
$75.
There were five bulls on offer
selling $66 to $79 with sales to
$85.50. John Rhody of Elmwood,
consigned one limousin bull
weighing 2,040 lbs. selling for
$85.50. Erbshon Farms of Monkton,
consigned one black bull weighing
2,095 lbs. selling for $79.
There were 150 head of veal on
offer. Beef sold $105 to $145 with
sales to $158; good holstein, $90 to
$95 with sales to $100; medium
holstein, $80 to $90; heavy holstein,
$80 to $95. Melvin Shantz of
Wallenstein, consigned two veal
averaging 725 lbs. selling for an
average of $131.82 with one
Belgium blue steer weighing 720
lbs. selling for $158. Levi. H.
Brubacher of Wroxeter, consigned
one limousin steer weighing 760 lbs.
selling for $145. Lamar Frey of
Listowel, consigned eight heifers
averaging 744 lbs. selling for an
average of $120.79 with one
limousin heifer weighing 780 lbs.
selling for $153.
Lambs 50 - 64 lbs. sold $234 to
$255; 65 - 79 lbs., $199 to $247; 80
- 94 lbs., $186 to $214; 95 - 109 lbs.,
$182 to $195; 110 lbs. and over,
$179 to $187.
Sheep sold $70 to $110 with sales
to $118.
Goats: kids sold $80 to $120 per
head; nannies, $50 to $100 to $125
per head.
Top quality stocker steers under
400 lbs. sold $105.50 to $176; 400 -
499 lbs., $146 to $172; 500 - 599
lbs., $123 to $170; 600 - 699 lbs.,
$117 to $151; 700 - 799 lbs.,
$115.50 to $136; 800 - 899 lbs.,
$111.50 to $130.50; 900 - 999 lbs.,
$107 to $120.50; 1,000 lbs. and over,
$95.50 to $117.
Top quality stocker heifers under
300 lbs. sold $139 to $140; 300 -
399 lbs., $123 to $157; 400 - 499
lbs., $133.50 to $150; 500 - 599 lbs.,
$123 to $138.25; 600 - 699 lbs.,
$120 to $141; 700 - 799 lbs., $106 to
$124.75; 800 - 899 lbs., $112 to
$117.50; 900 lbs. and over, $101.50
to $119.
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
Steady market for fed steers and heifers
Continued on page 24