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Home My WebLink AboutThe Brussels Post, 1978-01-11, Page 13Huron Ag. Rep. THE BRUSSELS POST JANUARY 11, 1978 7-13 Says formers have faith Despite a trying year during 1977 Huron's Agricultural Repre- sentative Don Pullen predicts county farmers ' "remain valiant and' unshaken". Mr. Pullen said he was told by one farmer who failed to harvest 200 acres of white beans and did' not have crop insurance, "well, it's my first crop failure in 16 years." The ag rep added, 'Most of our farmers are eternal optimists like myself or they wouldn't be associated with an industry where there are so many risks which include weather and variable market conditions." The very wet fall weather cut Huron's white bean production by more than 50 percent. Despite this Mr. Pullen says, "I don't think this will have any appreciable effect on the amount of bean acres to be planted this year. We hope this was a once in a lifetime situation." He continued, "The weather this spring will dictate whether more corn ()r beans will be planted to make up for the drastic cut in fall wheat planted last fall." Talking about the white bean ' crop Mr. Pullen said, "the weather certainly turned one problem into another. At a crops day at Centralia early in August everyone was wondering what would be done with all the beans from an expected bumper crop. Germination was the best ever and the beans came on very even. That is, until the rains came." Next to 1975 Mr. Pullen said this past year's corn crop was the best on record. He continued, -"With the exception of some acreage to the north most of our ;corn was harvested with the help of some late Indian Summer weather." "Ironically, silage corn yields :were great but when field condit- ions became so wet, the silage became too dry. Corn prices have now risen to about $1.90, but , this is still below the cost of production of about $2.20", he. added. Some farmers especially in the northern portion of the county who specialize in livestock are finding a shortage of hay and straw. About hay, Mr. Pullen said, "quality of the .first cut was dandy, but due to dry weather was not enough. There was an abundance of second and third cuttings but they couldn't be harvested because of the weather. A lot of hay went down the drain." Quality and quantity of pasture was the best in many years. "We had reports of hefty gains of cattle out on grass", he said. The ag rep said Huron fatmers are showing more awareness to soil erosion. More sod crops are being used to help soil structures, especially on heavy land. The year 1977 will be remembered as the year of phasing out can-shipping for dairymen. On the subject of dairy Mr. Pullen said, "There will likely be some frustrations when' some run out of quotas by the end of the year:" The beef cattle situation which has. been "not so good" for the past three years is expected to take another three years to recover. Mr. Pullen said the poultry industry in Huron was, "stable" with broilers much better than several years ago. Some forecasters are suggest- ing hog prices may be a bit easier in 1978 because of higher production in other areas. The Huron Ag. rep. said some Huron hog operators are con- solidating their operations to include farrowing to finishing.. Bad years like 1977 point up the changing role of the agricultural office. Credit counselling and farm management advice is a bigger part of the ag. ,rep's and three associate:. ag..;,,rep's -jobs when an average 100 acre farm may have an investment of a guar ter of a -million dollars. Mr. Pullen says farm people in this county are very innovative and some of the best farm managers in North America are right here in H iiron. "They are not afraid of risk." Farmers have made more gains in productivity than, any other sector of society "but they are fairly quiet about it" and get animosity from consumers when prices go up. "It's one of the agricultural ministry's jobs to make the cities understand what a small percen- tage of the increase goes to farmers ," says. Mr. Pullen. He admits, "It's an uphill battle since farmers are only about six percent of the popula- tion and most MPP's represent urban ridings, but, OMAF is trying". The four men who work at farm management counselling in Huron, Don Pullen, Stan Paquette, Dennis Martin and Mike Miller are always available when a farmer looking at a major new investment wants to try something new. They can help with cash flows and debt planning that can be crucial' in a year like this. Short farm management courses are offered at Centralia College and there is more and more demand for intensive, one to one counsel- ling since each farm family has its own goals and objectives. Don Pullen and his staff are always updating, their manage- ment knowledge and ' he says "STACK 110" COFFEE MUSS Bottornli 111 POo, Ina lops 30.00 Mom in a wo- nder% ind Wow! NM wir men, Catawba. Mora Want,. Kowa hot prink* not. PIMP IF: Ns IN Pea 601/14 "440406 1F111199t 4240414411 aloui.47.4$ 311, caca emishisrie .c.essrs sed fabrombee THERMOMETER Sftsdll•SISS smartpleaklalln naoplip bow both sawn arra na mad and emcee. • 41170-334.12 11E0 .TA11. 139 PRICE Cl. 01MINIE 1111100111 THERMOMETER SPEWS/ Ins window nano with inotool mayn't $0 you can WWI 1110 nel no not% •Verm.ays ,nr14,1=..naltIsPoo wino, woo caw. •004151-t Eel TAO 199 PUCE EA. NOME RAMIIIIINE 10 PACE GARBAGE HAGS • Large 24Y,%3W auk sanitary 00 0101 "yam wav to We WIWI IWO • 4410-41611.A. rOICE It'PEI. OF 10 MIME 0/1111110AllE ' 12 PACE KITCHEN BAGS Necnotiotwo .loo Ills moot atop-on MO. 4441-501/40 440 11111 plat • .11101. OF 12 111111T-1111•111; SWIM • CLOTHES BASKET ' .nlwaiorse Ma% 14%i r wen .OW0 • MO ih eadouthat mum 43 wlias 21)9 • swot root Amiga .(11/101FECTANTSPRAT MOun P:s41116777414— . ump:111111. - • "from exposure to farmers I'd say we often learn more from them than vice-versa." Land costs' and huge 4n- vestments in farming make this year's extreme weather conditions a lot more significant. The ag office is worried about the young farmer who has been in the business only three or four years and has the highest costs. More established farmers can usually wait out a bad year. The big change in. Huron from mixed farming to cash cropping also makes a year of bad weather more serious. Mixed farmers could hope to "tread water" during a bad year. Right now, the ag. rep. suggests, "Huron's economy is like a car in neutral. The big effect of 1977's disastrous ' weather and commodity prices will hit when the debt comes due. • The pain will be more excrucia- ting next spring." ' But with reasonable plans and I documentation, he sayis, farmers should get a sympathetic ear from the Farm Creit Corporation and other lending agencies. And he ' and his staff will make time \to help Huron farmers do this type of planning. It' takes a special kind of person to cope with the stress and un- certainty of farming these(.days and Mr. Pullen says he is amazed at the optimism and resourceful: ness of farmers who are facing big reverses this. year. There will be more stresses in the future with more people looking for off-farm employ-, ment in a job market that's tight, even in Huron. Mr. Pullen says he has heard some predictgions of land prices doubling in the next 10 years. He added, "Some established farmers see the purchase of another.;;, farm as a good, linve s en] en JpEe LONGSTAOF WEDNESDAY_ . 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