HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1978-03-15, Page 6Huron
A reduction in the size of the
Huron County Milk Committee
was, brought about Monday as a
result of a major decrease in the
number of milk producers in the
county. In December, 1977 there
'were1593 milk producers in Huron.
County as compared to 815 in
December, 1976. It is estimated
the number of milk producers in
Huron County 15 years ago was
1600.
Chairman of the dairy farmer's
annual meeting, John Campbell
of Bayfield, read a proposal to a.
group of about 150 milk producers
requesting a reduction in the sizes
of the milk committee from .15 toj
12 producers. The by-law was
readily accepted by all but about
five of those present.
tePek
HURON 78 . ci
•PSAL Pt°44c,
Ronnenberg
Insurance Agency
INCOME TAX PREPARED
Farmers — Businessmen — Individuals
-At Reasonable Rates —
File early to avoid the Rush
and delay in refunds
[24 years Experience]
NOW PAYING 9. %
'Compound andAnnually
In farm financial matters
farm experience matters...
. 'and that is just what you can count on, farm financial
experience, when you team up with the Royal Bank.
Here is FARMPLAN . . the Royal Bank's financial services
package that provides Line-of-Credit Financing including Credit
for operating, expansion and improvements. Here is FARMPLAN
Creditor Life Insurance, the FARMCHEK Business Record System,
FARMPLAN Income Opportunities and total AGRICULTURAL
DEPARTMENT Services. Here too is the ROYFARM MORTGAGE
Program.
Your Royal Bank manager will be pleased to discuss
FARMPLAN and the many other Royal Bank services with you.
ROYAL BANK
serving Agriculture
BRUSSELS. BRANCH
6 THE BRUSSELS POST, MARCH 15, 1978 '
loses dairy farmers
[By Wilma Oke]
McKillop Township council
appointed Edna Shannon of.
R.R.4, Walton, Monday to licence
and register and collect the
licence fee for dogs in the
township.
The new rates are: one male
dog $5.00; second male, $10.00
and each additional male $20.0(14
Formerly the fee was $2.00 /per
male dcig.
For a female dog the fee is
$8.00 for first; $13.00,:or second;
and $30.00. for earzt additional.
Formerly the fee -was $4.00 for a
female.
Where the owner can produce a
veterinary surgeon's certificate
that a female dog has. been
spayed the licence fee will be the
same as for a male.
The report • on the Elligson
drain was considered and a
by-law was proisionally adopted.
The estimated cost of the drain is
$10,920.
Gravel tenders were opened
and that of Joe Kerr Ltd. of
Wingham was accepted to
supply, crush and apply gravel to
the township roads. for
approximately 20,000 cubic yards
of gravel at $1.90 per cubic yard
Brussels Office Open
Tuesdays & Fridays
Phone 887-6663
One opposer of the by-law said
he felt the north end of the county
was not adequately represented.
The majority of the Hollstein
herds are in the north, he said,
and therefore he felt the milk
producers from the north should
have ample say. He felt the
decision to reduce the numbersof
committee members was made
"at the top".
"Why does the meeting have to
be held in Cli nton?" he asked.
"Why not have it in the north end
(of the county) where the
producers are?"
Campbell answered the
question admitting the ,annual
meeting does not necessarily
have to be in clinton. He pointed
out, however, the ministry of
agriculture for the county is
for an approkimate total cost of
$38,000.
Gravel for farm lanes was se t
at $3.00 per cubic yard.
Council consented to a land
severance of approximately 100
acres for agricultural purposes on
concession 10, lot 8, owned by
Francis S. Murray.
Council established a building
by-law under the Ontario
Building Code: No person will
construct alter, demolish, remove
or relocate unless a permit has
been issued by the building
inspector.
Council made application to
Ontario Housing for an additional
grant of $59,622 for the purpose
of making loans to owners of
homes requiring repairs.
Council paid the levy of $4,739
to the Maitland Valley Conserva-
tion Authority for 1978,, up $1,175
from last year; also the levy to the
Ausable Conservation Authroity
for $500 which is the same as last
year.
J.E. LONGSTAFF,
-OPTOMETRIST-
SEAFORTH 527-1240
Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
9:00 - 5:30
Wednesday, Saturday
9:00 -12:00
CLINTON 482-7010
Monday 9:00 - 5:30
By Appointment
1111onittott Office Open
Monday thru Saturday
Phone; 34772241
located in Clinton so that would
seem the appropriate location for
the milk producers to meet.
Another man from the floor
stated the decision to reduce the
number of committee members
was not made ."at the top". The
decision was made at other
meetings, he said, because there'
are half as many milk producers
as there used to be. He said if
producers from the north of the
county want, to be' heard they
should nominate a representative
in the next election to voice their
opinions. . •
Douglas Trewartha, secretary-
treasurer for the Huron milk
producers, said after the meeting
it was his opinion milk producers
from all over the county are
represented equally. He said the
matter was not brought up again
in , the question and answer
period.
Ian. Kennedy, who works in
milk quality control for the
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture
and food, said the constant
decline in the number of milk
producers.in the county is a result
of large operations taking over
the business. In the last year,
however, he said the decline in
the number of producers stems
from a law passed by the Ontario
Milk Market Board in 1977. As of
September 1 of last year, all milk
producers have to produce in bulk • using mechanical cooling
systems, he said.
He explained dairy farmers had
shipped milk in 80-pound cans in
the past. These were manually
handled and often cooled in
unacceptable ways, such as in
cold water troughs, he said. Now
the milk is pumped into stainless
steel tanks holding from 100 to
several thousand pounds,
Kennedy said.
He explained that faremrs were
faced with either producing in
bulk-, changing to cream
production or quitting, and many
quit clue to the increase in- costs.
"The milk indsutry has had a
difficult year," Kennedy told the'
dairy farmers. "Everyone is
aware of it."
Chairman of the Ontario Milk
Marketing Board, Ken
McKinnon, told those at the:
meeting he was, "really amazed
in the producer reduction in
Huron county." He said the rest
of the provinne have about half as
many milk producers as have
existed but Huron County has
about one-third. He blamed the
high drop in the number of dairy
farmers just recently to the high
milk quota value. He warned
farmers to produce the quota of
milk set for them by the
marketing board and said they
should not worry too much about
over-producing a little.
"We've got to sell this
product," he said. "Industry and
individuals suffer more if dairy
farmers, under-produce."
McKinnon said he does not feel
the last year has been more
'difficult than any other year for
the milk producers. In fact he said
most people had more income
than the previous year.
"It's been a difficult year but
not much more difficult than any
year in the industry," he said.
McKinnon, who is also the
elected representat ive for the
Huron, Bruce and Grey region on
the Ontario MarketingBloiard as
well as chairman of the Dairy
Farmers of entinda, told the
meeting 82 percent of industrial
milk in Canada comes from
Ontario and Quebec under a
national plan.
Some milk producers in Ontario
don't like producing within the
limits of the national plan, he
said, because consumption in
Ontario is going up faster than
any other province.
He warned it would not be a
good idea to move out of the
national plan because of the
benefits of protection the plan
offers the Ontario dairy farmers.
McKillop appoints
Edna Shannon
dog tag seller