HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2011-11-10, Page 19THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2011. PAGE 19.
Continued investment crucial to agriculture
By John Clement
Ontario is a great place for those
in the farming and food business. In
addition to world class farmers,
processors and marketers, there’s
also an established infrastructure
that undergirds the industry. But
while that’s all positive, it doesn’t
mean that more can’t be done to
ensure that continued investment
takes place to secure future
opportunities.
The Ontario Greenhouse
Vegetable Growers is a case in point.
The organization represents 224
greenhouse vegetable growers in
Ontario who are responsible for
almost 2,000 acres of production and
approximately $641 million in farm
gate value. The group estimates that
another 450 acres of production can
be added in the next five years in the
Essex region alone, equating to $450
million in capital investment, 840
new jobs and at least $158
million per year in production.
That’s good news and something to
applaud.
But there are barriers to continued
investment in greenhouse
production. The greenhouse group
points out that “red tape” has created
a number of frustrations and
concerns. The group says that a
number of its growers have
“indicated frustrations and concerns
relating to the time and resources
required by the complex web of
approvals necessary to operate their
existing greenhouses and
particularly to obtain building
permits for their new greenhouses.”
Their biggest concern is the multiple
authorities involved in these
processes and the wasteful
duplication requirements forced
upon growers, resulting in
significant, unnecessary delays in
obtaining permits and approvals.
Another area of concern is access
to energy and electricity, particularly
in the Essex region. According to the
greenhouse group, larger acreages of
greenhouse construction cannot
proceed without immediate
infrastructure investment for
electricity and natural gas
distribution. In addition, there is not
always support for combined heat
and power generation in the
greenhouse sector, creating further
disincentives.
Ontario’s greenhouse growers
have done a great job of building and
serving markets across North
America. However, they point out
that they need to continue to ramp up
production to build and hold their
spot in the marketplace. To do that
requires a continued investment in
infrastructure at municipal and
provincial levels and a commitment
to cut back on “red tape.”
The Christian Farmers Federation
of Ontario, plus other farm groups,
continue to point out that regulations
and infrastructure need to be
supportive of agricultural investment
in Ontario and not create
unnecessary burdens or
disincentives. The experience of the
Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable
Growers provides a good example of
the barriers we need to continually
work towards eliminating.
Total receipts for Brussels
Livestock for the week ending Nov.
4 were 3,141 cattle, 670 lambs and
goats. On Tuesday fed steers and
heifers sold on a steady market.
Choice steers and heifers sold $110
to $117 with sales to $126. Second
cut sold $102 to $109. Cows sold
steady. On Thursday veal sold on a
strong active trade at prices $2 to $3
higher. Lambs, sheep and goats all
sold on a strong trade at prices $10
to $15 higher. On Friday calves and
yearlings sold on a strong active
trade.
There were 100 steers on offer.
Schmidtbrook Farms of Woodstock,
consigned 15 steers averaging 1,421
lbs. selling for an average of $113.95
with two limousin steers averaging
1,403 lbs. selling for $117.75. Chris
Smith of Brussels, consigned 14
steers averaging 1,620 lbs. selling
for an average of $108.93 with one
black steer weighing 1,490 lbs.
selling to St. Helen’s Meat Packers
for $112.50. Prout Farms of Exeter,
consigned six steers averaging 1,368
lbs. selling for an average of $108.30
with two red steers averaging 1,348
lbs. selling to St. Helen’s Meat
Packers for $109.75. Leonard and
Andrew Black of Proton Station,
consigned 11 steers averaging 1,471
lbs. selling for an average of $107.17
with one black steer weighing 1,425
lbs. selling to St. Helen’s Meat
Packers for $109.50.
There were 102 heifers on offer.
Jim Gibson of Lucknow, consigned
12 heifers averaging 1,296 lbs.
selling for an average of $112.74
with seven charolais heifers
averaging 1,319 lbs. selling for
$113.25. David Bowles of Brussels,
consigned 11 heifers averaging
1,289 lbs. selling for an average of
$109.87 with one white heifer
weighing 1,205 lbs. selling for $112.
Glen Koepke of Palmerston,
consigned 13 heifers averaging
1,187 lbs. selling for an average of
$108.19 with nine limousin heifers
averaging 1,225 lbs. selling for
$109.25.
There were 343 cows on offer.
Export types sold $60 to $70 with
sales to $95.50; beef cows, $60 to
$70 with sales to $81.50; D1 and D2,
$52 to $56; D3, $46 to $52; D4, $35
to $40. Terpstra Farms of Brussels,
consigned four cows averaging
1,270 lbs. selling for an average of
$71.60 with one holstein cow
weighing 1,335 lbs. selling for
$95.50. Ron Kreis of St. Pauls,
consigned three cows averaging
1,458 lbs. selling for an average of
$70.08 with one rwf cow weighing
1,380 lbs. selling for $81.50. Bruce
Hicks of Centralia, consigned four
cows averaging 1,349 lbs. selling for
an average of $66.46 with one
limousin cow weighing 1,200 lbs.
selling for $75.
There were 24 bulls on offer
selling $64.50 to $74.50 with sales
to $98. Clint Murray of Lucknow,
consigned one limousin bull
weighing 1,985 lbs. selling for
$84.50. James L. Taylor of
Wingham, consigned one red bull
weighing 2,245 lbs. selling for
$81.
There were 112 head of veal on
offer. Beef sold $120 to $170 with
sales to $176; good holstein, $118 to
$125 with sales to $130; medium
holstein, $100 to $117; heavy
holstein, $110 to $120 with sales to
$125. Lamar Frey of Listowel,
consigned 10 veal averaging 768 lbs.
selling for an average of $136.97
with one limousin heifer weighing
750 lbs. selling for $176. Terry
Greidanus of Londesborough,
consigned 18 veal averaging 672 lbs.
selling for an average of $123.55
with one gold heifer weighing 650
lbs. selling for $163. Maynard
Brubacher of Wallenstein, consigned
six veal averaging 693 lbs. selling
for an average of $137.51 with one
blonde steer weighing 750 lbs.
selling for $165.
Lambs under 50 lbs. sold $225 to
$250; 50 - 64 lbs., $222 to $247; 65
- 79 lbs., $237 to $280; 80 - 94 lbs.,
$235 to $267; 95 - 109 lbs., $207 to
$245; 110 lbs. and over, $184 to
$214.
Sheep sold $95 to $120 with sales
to $130.
Goats: kids sold $65 to $110 to
$145 per head; nannies, $75 to $130
to $150 per head; billies, $250 to
$300 to $350 per head.
Top quality stocker steers under
400 lbs. sold $103 to $203; 400 -
499 lbs, $141 to $185; 500 - 599
lbs., $137 to $168; 600 - 699 lbs.,
$123.50 to $155.50; 700 - 799 lbs.,
$127 to $150.25; 800 - 899 lbs.,
$119.50 to $140.75; 900 - 999 lbs.,
$129.50 to $136.25; 1,000 lbs. and
over, $107 to $132.25.
Top quality stocker heifers under
300 lbs. sold $112 to $172; 300 -
399 lbs., $121 to $169; 400 - 499
lbs., $134 to $164; 500 - 599 lbs.,
$129 to $152; 600 - 699 lbs., $109 to
$146; 700 - 799 lbs., $119.50 to
$136.25; 800 - 899 lbs., $112.50 to
$132.25; 900 lbs. and over, $114 to
$127.
The Friday night euchre party at
the Cranbrook Hall was held on
Nov. 4. It was hosted by Allan and
Dorothy Martin. There were 26
people playing. Winners were: share
the wealth, Myrna Burnett and Allan
Edgar; travelling lone hand, Jean
Dewar; ladies’ high, Sharon
Freeman; second high, Edna
McLellan; lone hands, Helen
Dobson, Marion Harrison and Neil
Hatt; men’s high, Adrian Verstoep;
second high, Murray Hoover; lucky
tally, Viola Adams, Leslie Knight,
Myrna Burnett, Joan Jacobs,
Isabelle Bremner, Helen Cullen,
Marion Bartman, Allan Edgar, Betty
Wilken, Marguerite Beirnes, Shirley
Verstoep, Yvonne Knight and
Delphine Dewar.
The last card party for the season
will be on Friday, Nov. 18 at 8 p.m.
The Oct. 21 euchre party at the
Cranbrook Hall, hosted by Eleanor
Stevenson and helpers had seven
tables at play.
Winners were: travelling lone
hand, Jean Dewar; ladies’ high,
Myrna Burnett; second high,
Marguerite Beirnes; lone hands,
Dorothy Dilworth and Mary
Davidson; men’s high, Murray
Hoover; second high, Dorothy
Martin; lucky tally, Isabelle
Bremner, Allan Martin, Shirley
Verstoep, Leslie Knight, Helen
Dobson, Adrian Verstoep, Margaret
Peebles, Keith Turnbull, Viola
Adams, Delphine Dewar and Judy
Hahn.
The Brussels Women’s Institute is
hosting a dessert and coffee euchre
party on Wednesday, Nov. 23 at 7
p.m. in the Brussels Library.
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
2011 Special Fall Sales
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14 - 10:00 am
Vaccinated Calves & Yearlings
with Hereford & Angus Influence Sale
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25
Regular Stocker Sale - 10:00 am
Angus Influence - 1:00 pm
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28 - 10:00 am
Vaccinated Calves & Yearlings
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 8 & 15
- 11:30 am
Christmas Lamb & Goat Sale
Agriculture
Brussels Livestock report
Cows sell steady, veal sells on strong trade
Euchre parties held in Cranbrook
Time to harvest
The Harvest Dance was held on Saturday night at the Brussels, Morris and Grey Community
Centre with The Wilbees performing to the delight of those in attendance. Abi’s Awesome
Angels Relay for Life team also held a pub night fundraiser in the upstairs portion of the centre
on Saturday night. (Jim Brown photo)
ON $6.00 THURSDAYS
Drop into either of our offices any
Thursday with your word classified
(maximum 20 words) and pay only
$6.00 + HST (paid in advance).
That’s $1.00 off regular rates.
The Citizen