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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1978-08-09, Page 5THIS IS IT I THAT'S WHAT YOU'LL SAY WHEN YOU SEE THE BERG HYDRO-MN MANURE PUMP It forces +he manure from the barn, through an underground pipe to the storage area. As the manure. enters storage area from below, the outside surface forms a crust, which retains the important nitrogen and potassium inside the pile and also reduces the cdor and fly problems. And the manure is ready for spreading, when you want it. For details call Keith Semen Plumbing — Farm Equipment R.R.4, Wilton, Ontario Phone 345-2734 EVIIIMYTHINO S▪ ETTER FOIe 111AMNIS As an agent of the Ontario Wheat Producers Marketing Board we will be able to handle your wheat this harvest KEN R. CAMPBELL FARMS Ltd. 527-0249 R.R. 1 Dublin WEEKLY SALE BRUSSELS STOCKYARDS LTD. EVERY FRIDAY At 12 Noon ir Phone 887-6461 Brussels, On BEAN PULLERS 2 Row 4 Row 6 Row $835 $1595 $2095 These Prices are Installed EACH ROW INDEPENDENT Back Half Complete With Hitch & P.T.O. Extension These Units Can also' be Purchased in ,DO.IT=YOURSELF KIT FORM And Installed By You For GREATER SAVINGS YEARS OF RELIABILITY HAVE PROVEN OUR BEAN ULLERS TO B E THE BEST LUKE'S MACHINE SHOP 107 MAIN ST. S. SEAFORTH 519-5274080 Res: 519-482-332/ Vk THE BRUSSELS POST AUGUST 9 1978 _ ot+ No advance bean sales this year [by Alice Glbb]' This year, the Ontario Bean Producers Marketing Board won't be selling any white beans until they have them in hand. Bob Allen, a Huron County director of the board, told members of the Huron County Federation of Agriculture at their monthly meeting in Crediton that the board, won't be able to make any advance sales of the 1978 bean crop. In the past, the Ontario Bean Producers. Marketing Board have made advance committments to supply dealers with 25 per cent the year's expected harvest of No. 1 Ontario white beans. Last year, heavy rains in September created problems for growers trying to harvest their beans, and much of the crop was lost. When the poor weather wiped out much of Ontario's bean crop, the board was able to supply the dealers with only about one- quarter of the 800,000 bags of No. 1 white beans they had promised to deliver. The dealers in turn had to fill orders from. European canning factories with poorer quality beans, beans purchased from American growers or had to buy back the orders from factories with cash. The two largest dealers which the Ontario Bean Producers Marketing Board sell to, the Ontario Bean Growers Co-operative in London and W. G. Thompson's and Sons, blame the farmers for not meeting their committments and so they are holding back the final payment for the beans, Mr. Allen said. Since the dealer's haven't made the final payment to the Ontario Bean Producers Marketing Board, they can't make the payment to growers. The board is now suing the dealers for the final 5 to 7 million dollar Growers of white beans will have an opportunity to see the newest developments in white bean production at Ontario Bean Day on August 22at the Centralia College of Agricultural Technology. The research plots at Centralia College will be featured during tours throughoirt the day. Researchers from Centralia College, Ridgetown College, and the University of Guelph payment and the two dealers are counter- suing the board for a payment for the beans they had promised, but weren't able to deliver. Mr. Allen told federation members he expects the litigation will be tied up in court for some time, which' means it will likely be at least another year before growers receive their final payment for the 1977 crop. When Mr. Allen, a commercial bean seed grower from Brucefield, said he would try to explain "why the bean board is in the mess it is." In tracing the background of the agency, Mr. Allen said when his father started growing beans, in the early 1900's the barter system was the rule of thumb. If his father wanted a bag of sugar. he took a bag of beans into town, and made a trade. Only a Year Gradually marketing boards sprang up to handle beans for growers, including a 1935 board which was empowered to buy and sell all the beans for the growers. This. board lasted only the year. Mr. Allen said the boards for the next 20 year period were "negotiating boards." For every bag of beans growers delivered to the mill, the board would take 77 cents of the purchase price. Then, every few years when there was a five to 10 per cent surplus of white beans, the board would buy this up and dispose of it so the surplus didn't bring down prices. But improved insect sprays and the use of combines allowed bean growers to double their acreage and the board soon faced annual surpluses. In the late 1960's, the board decided to build a mill in Exeter, and suggested taking 10 cents from every bag of beans brought in by growers. The growers. voted down the suggestion, and the government took this a -S. a vote of non-confidence in the board. Mr. Allen said some dealers wanted to be rid of the board anyway, so "trumped up false charges" against the agency which was put out of office by the government. The board member said the only other marketing board which supported the Bean Producers was the hog producers agency. In. 1969, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture sent down a troubleshooter from Toronto to investigate the situation and, he decided the charges were false and alerted farmers. The directors were re-elected and the Ontario Bean Producers Board was back in business. Mr. Allen said the board still faced the same old problem-"what to do with the surplus beans.— World Price He said the board has to sell beans when the market wants to buy them. Since 80 per cent of the Ontario white bean crop is exported. the agency has to accept the world price that's offered. Mr. Allen said for the three years before the agency marketed beans, the growers were averageing $1 per, bag less than Michigan growers and that they averaged $1 per bag more since the beans were handled by the board. The Ontario Bean Producers Board markets all the beans of Ontario growers, • although growers can hold their beans back after harvest. Buy Elsewhere Mr. Allen said the European buyers can - buy beans every day of the year, and "if you hold your beans back, they'll buy some- where else." He said the problem occurs when everyone tries to sell the crop at once, and the price of beans goes down. Although dealers sell the majority of Ontario beans to Britain, Mr. Allen said last year's crop was sold in 51 other countries as well. He said three European buyers were touring Ontario this week, and that "they've got to have our beans and we (growers and board) have to have them." He said the buyers in Britain have assured the board that they would never buy their beans all from one country. One grower in the audience expressed concern that buyers might purchase all their beans from the United States. American growers are expecting a very good crop this year. In response to questions from other bean growers in the audience, Mr.' Allen said as far as the board knows, the dealers cannot put a line on future bean crops. He said dealers can't take the debt from one pool and carry it to the next. Mr. Allen also told the growers that under the federal government stabilization pro- gram for the 1977 white bean crop, pedigreed seed growers do not qualify for assistance. Payments The government stabilization. payments Operation Life/kik Lifestyle is moderation and alcoholism - it's knowing when to get treatment for your alcoholic habits. are expected to be made to bean growers by the end of this month. In response to another question about Ethiopia's entry into the world bean market, Mr. Allen said although the country was the third largest exporter of beans for one year, this was because the government ,encour- aged farmers to go into beans to get money to buy arms. Mr. Allen said the Ethiopian, beans were sold largely to German canning factories since the Germans can their beans in salt brine, and sell them in glass jars, rather than canning them in tomato sauce. The board member said the German factories, preferred the appearance of the Ethiopian beans. In response to another question, Mr. Allen said growers would have taken more of the 1977 crop off the land if there hadn't been crop insurance. He said if this had happened, there would have been more poorer quality beans to be sold to the Japanese market or to be made into dog food. The Japanese buyers use the beans to make bean jam, so don't require the highest grade of bean. Mr. Allen asked bean growers who had any questions about the board to call him or the other three Huron County directors. He said the directors rarely receive calls, despite the many rumours about the board. In other business, members were asked to contact their local papers to ask why they weren't pub fishing the monthly Farmers' Price Index prepared by the Ontario Federation of Agriculture. Peter Hannam, federation president, said in a letter to members, that while the Toronto dailies and other large national dailies were publishing the index, the small town papers didn't seem to be using it. The executive committee of the Huron County Federation of Agriculture is going to draft a letter to the local media about carrying the index 'each month. 50 New Members Bill Crawford, fieldman for the Huron County federation, told members a very successful canvas for new members was completed in the north of the county, with 50 new memberships purchased. He said since the federation coudn't get someone to donate a building for use at (International.Plowing Match, the federation booth will be in a tent this year. Adrian Vos reported that there are rumours Canada Packers and its union are talking about a strike settlement. He said the only problem the Canada Packers and Swift strike is creating is that many hog producers are taking their light hogs to market early in the week. He said producers are lining up to ship their hogs early in the week, and the hogs are losing weight in the barns while waiting to be slaughtered. Mr. Vos advised producers to "ship hogs late in the week." Ontario bean day set for August - 22 will be present to discuss their research and to answer questions about bean pro- duction. The tour will feature work being done on new varieties, disease control, weed control ozone damage and crop rotations. Since many white bean growers are now grow- ing soybeans as well, inform- ation will also be presented on soybean production in short-season areas. The tours will run continuously throughout the day begin- ning at 10 a.m. and again at 1:30 p.m. During the noon-hour the Ontario Bean Producers' Marketing Board will update growers on market outlook for the 1978 bean crop. Also, during the lunch hour, the capabilities of aircraft for applying chemicals to bean crops will be demonstrated. Throughout the day, pro- ducers will be able to visit a large area of commercial exhibits. Many dealers and manufacturers of equipment and supplies for bean producers will be present to display their products and to discuss them with bean growers.