HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2011-09-08, Page 13THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2011. PAGE 13.
Farmers provide counter-points
Annual survey begins
Total receipts for Brussels
Livestock for the week ending Sept.
2 were 1,515 cattle, 644 lambs and
goats. On Tuesday fed steers and
heifers sold steady. Choice steers
and heifers sold $108 to $114 with
sales to $120. Second cut sold $100
to $107. Cows sold on a strong
active trade. On Thursday veal
sold on a very strong market with
Holstein veal selling $5 to
$10 higher from last week and beef
veal trading steady. Lambs sold
steady. Sheep sold on a very
active demand at prices $5 to $10
higher and goats sold on a strong
trade.
On Friday calves and yearlings
sold on a strong active trade. There
were 84 steers on offer. Chris Smith
of Brussels, consigned 24 steers
averaging 1,517 lbs. selling for an
average of $106.95 with two red
steers averaging 1,518 lbs. selling to
Horizon Meats for $111.25. David
Bowles of Brussels, consigned five
black steers averaging 1,433 lbs.
selling to Paradise Farms for $111.
Noah Weppler of Ayton, consigned
three steers averaging 1,408 lbs.
selling for an average of $103.54
with one grey steer weighing 1,360
lbs. selling to Paradise Farms for
$111. K/C McAlpine Farms of Ailsa
Craig, consigned six steers
averaging 1,447 lbs. selling for an
average of $108.34 with three
Charolais steers averaging 1,400 lbs.
selling to Dominion Meats for
$109.50 Leonard and Arthur Black
of Proton Station, consigned 12
steers averaging 1,455 lbs. selling
for an average of $106.70 with
one black steer weighing 1,325
lbs. selling to Paradise Farms for
$109.50. Jim and John Bennett
of Goderich, consigned two
Limousin steers averaging 1,390 lbs.
selling to Norwich Packers for
$108.
There were 224 heifers on offer.
Knechtel Farms of Gadshill,
consigned twenty-eight heifers
averaging 1,192 lbs. selling for an
average of $110.06 with one roan
heifer weighing 1,255 lbs. selling to
Norwich Packers for $120.
Dominion Farms of Erin, consigned
42 heifers averaging 1,279 lbs.
selling for an average of $107.61
with two black heifers averaging
1,295 lbs. selling for $111.50.
Donald Weigand of Dashwood,
consigned three heifers averaging
1,215 lbs. selling for an average
of $106.67 with one red
heifer weighing 1,160 lbs. selling
to Norwich Packers for $110.25. Jim
and Les Stephenson of Ethel,
consigned two heifers averaging
1,348 lbs. selling for an average
of $105.26 with one black
heifer weighing 1,350 lbs. selling to
Paradise Farms for $108.
There were 200 cows on offer.
Export types sold $65.50 to $73.50;
beef cows, $70 to $79 with sales to
$81; D1 and D2, $52 to $56; D3, $46
to $52; D4, $35 to $40. Jesse
VanLoo of Bluevale, consigned two
cows averaging 1,770 lbs. selling for
an average of $79.05 with one
charolais cow weighing 1,930 lbs.
selling for $79.50. Bruce Higgins of
Brussels, consigned three cows
averaging 1,405 lbs. selling for an
average of $74.84 with one
Charolais cow weighing 1,550 lbs.
selling for $78. William Fogel of
Gore Bay, consigned 11 cows
averaging 1,371 lbs. selling for an
average of $68.65 with one
Charolais cow weighing 1,485 lbs.
selling for $77.50.
There were four bulls on offer
selling $62 to $82 with sales to
$83.50.
There were 80 head of veal on
offer. Beef sold $130 to $160 with
sales to $166; good Holstein, $120
to $130; medium Holstein, $100 to
$120; heavy Holstein, $115 to $125
with sales to $128. Lamar Frey of
Listowel, consigned 10 veal
averaging 765 lbs. selling for an
average of $152.01 with one
Limousin heifer weighing 750 lbs.
selling for $166. Kevin Leis of
Harriston, consigned five veal
averaging 678 lbs. selling for an
average of $137.89 with two black
heifers averaging 670 lbs. selling for
$136. Doug Keys of Varna,
consigned two veal averaging 835
lbs. selling for an average of $130.68
with one bwf steer weighing 805 lbs.
selling for $140.
Lambs under 50 lbs. sold $210 to
$220; 50 - 64 lbs., $209 to $249; 65
- 79 lbs., $175 to $237; 80 - 94 lbs.,
$176 to $193; 95 - 109 lbs., $181 to
$199; 110 lbs. and over, $176 to
$192.
Sheep sold $72 to $118 with sales
to $122.
Goats: kids sold $85 to $125 to
$150 per head; nannies, $50 to $80
to $110 per head; billies, $150 to
$290 to $310 per head.
Top quality stocker steers under
400 lbs. sold $118 to $190; 400 - 499
lbs., $134 to $182; 500 - 599 lbs.,
$100 to $164; 600 - 699 lbs.,
$133.50 to $147.25; 700 - 799 lbs.,
$117 to $146.50; 800 - 899 lbs.,
$121 to $131.50; 900 - 999 lbs.,
$113 to $166.25; 1,000 lbs. and over,
$100 to $114.50.
Top quality stocker heifers under
300 lbs. sold $111 to $189; 300 - 399
lbs., $102 to $171; 400 - 499 lbs.,
$121 to $165; 500 - 599 lbs., $127 to
$142.50; 600 - 699 lbs., $117.50 to
$130.50; 700 - 799 lbs., $111 to
$128; 800 - 899 lbs., $109 to
$124.50; 900 lbs. and over, $100 to
$112.50.
The Grain Farmers of Ontario is
once again conducting the annual
wheat harvest survey that will
provide their buyers with qualitative
data from the 2011 wheat harvest.
Results to date show good test
weights and solid grade two wheat
and milling and baking tests have
begun on the first half of the crop.
For the Grain Farmers of Ontario,
having the quality of wheat that
buyers are looking for is essential to
maintaining the domestic and
international reputation of their
wheat and the profitable success of
their farmer members. An annual
survey allows for their customers to
compare this year’s wheat quality to
years past and adjust their grist to
ensure a seamless transition between
crop years.
“The result of the quality
inspection is a snapshot of the
quality of Ontario’s wheat that we
make available to everyone in the
industry,” says Mike Reimer Ontario
Wheat Technologist with the
Canadian International Grains
Institute (CIGI).
The Harvest Survey is conducted
each year at this time right across the
province in order to understand the
overall quality of the year’s Ontario
wheat crop and identify points of
regional differentiation. Harvest
samples are collected from
participating grain elevators and
By Nathan Stevens
Andrew Coyne, one of Canada’s
most respected journalists, has
garnered a lot of attention in his
recent article in Maclean’s that
turned a harsh eye towards supply
management. He makes a number of
strong assertions in his article that
are worthy of further discussion.
This is the first in a series of
commentaries that will provide
counterpoints to those assertions,
this time focusing on why there are
different rules for different farms.
Coyne questions why we should
have one set of rules for some farms,
and another for the rest? I would ask
if having different sets of rules for
different situations is really so
strange? He seems to think that
agriculture is monolithic in
approach, which couldn’t be further
from the truth. Furthermore, in all
areas of employment and business
there are different sets of rules with
advantages and disadvantages. As an
example, there are unionized
electricians and independent
operators. The key feature of
unionized workers is that they have
bargaining power at the cost of
having to adhere to a set of rules that
work for the group as a whole, even
if some individuals could or might
want to do more. Independent
workers have a different set of
vulnerabilities and opportunities. It
is similar in agriculture.
Supply-managed farmers have
accepted limitations on their
opportunities by choosing to only
produce for the domestic market. If
milk and milk product consumption
in Canada goes up, new quota is
made available. If demand goes
down, which it has, production goes
down to match it. In return for
accepting this limitation, farmers are
granted protection from foreign
dumping and receive bargaining
power when determining price. This
is extremely important when dealing
with a product that has a limited
shelf life and sees new supply
produced daily.
Non-supply managed farmers deal
with the boom and bust of
commodity price cycles. There are
good years and bad years, and in the
bad years these farmers usually draw
on government dollars for support.
These farmers are vulnerable to the
vagaries of international commodity
prices. The upside is that there are
times of great opportunity to expand
and engage in very profitable
business. The downside is that the
more export-reliant these industries
are, the greater the crash when
something goes wrong, like the BSE
crisis.
Andrew Coyne turned a harsh eye
towards supply management in his
recent Maclean’s article. Such
scrutiny is necessary and good for
regulated industries from time to
time. However, agriculture is not a
monolithic industry and different
approaches are necessary and good
for different aspects of this industry.
Expect more on the Coyne column
next week.
WHITE BEANS
• Fertilizer • Seed Wheat • Trucking Available
We're all ready to receive your 2011
Come in and see us or give us a call and let us help you
look after your crops.
GRAIN ROASTING AVAILABLE
Glyphosate Herbicide and Custom Application
Elevators 1 1/4 miles east of Blyth on County Rd. 25, then 1/2 mile north
HOWSON & HOWSON LTD.
Flour Millers,
Grain Elevators, Fertilizers & Chemicals
Blyth, Ontario
Blyth 519-523-9624 OR 1-800-663-3653
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
Choice steers and heifers sell up to $120
Continued on page 18