HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1978-11-22, Page 18r •,
Page 18'4uc.knew Sentinel, Wednesday, November 22, 1978 •
N.F.U. ,criticizes underdevelopment in food production
A National Farmers. Union
brief to the Ontario Govern-
ment today was critical of the
underdevelopment process
taking place in food produc-
tion.
The NFU said the folly of
underdevelopment becomes
even more apparent at times
of high unemployment, de -
dining value of the dollar
and growing trade deficits
that are aggravated through
imports of food we have the
capability of producing.
The brief noted that Can-
ada has been a net importer
of beef since 1969 and pork
since 1974. Imports of chick-
en exceed exports by over 24
million pounds. Over 35
million pounds of peaches
are imported; 50 plus million
pounds of pears; almost 32
million pounds of fresh
strawberries, along with 21
million pounds of frozen
strawberries. Canada im-
ports further millions of
pounds of such vegetables as
green beans, cabbage, car-
rots. Tomato imports amount
to 247 million pounds. We
are a substantial net import-
er of fresh and frozen potato
products, yet Canadian pot-
ato growers in 1977 exper-
ienced perhaps one of the
worst income years on rec-
ord.
limit of 3 turkeys to each family .
with every purchase of:
• 5 tonnes of ::any�o- o ®balanced feed
O
• 1 tonne of anyL,)comop°
Suppl�rnent or PREMIX
OR
• 500 kg Mineral's
during the
kueFEED DAY OPEN HOUSE!
Blake Sanford, NFU Co-
ordinator stated our self-suf-
ficiency in food production
will continue to decline, until
such time as federal and
provincial governments rec-
ognize the need for adequate
national marketing agencies
that will in turn encourage a
Canadian owned processing
and packing industry for
Canadian produce.
He said Canadians have
the ability and the resources
to make this country self-
sufficient in meat production
and most vegetables and
fruits with the exception of a
few that require sub -tropical
climates, once favourable
marketing and processing
conditions are created.
In a brief presented to the
Cabinet Committee on Re-
sources Development of the
Ontario Government, the Na-
tional Farmers. Union said
there are thousands of farm-
ers in Ontario who are
struggling to remain in farm-
ing because they must sub-
sidize the farm operations
from off -farm income sour-
ces.
"In 1976 census statistics
revealed 38 per cent of
Ontario's farmers reported
off -farm work averaging
181,1 days or over 36 weeks
per year. Of this number
over 44 per cent worked
equivalent to full time or
268.2 days,"
At the same time the
number of farmers operating
'over 560 acres has risen, but
so have the risks.
"Farm Credit Act figures
indicate total loans extended
t� farmers in Ontario during
1971-72 amounted to 28.2
million, while in 1976-77 total
loans reached $122.9 million.
Higher borrowings are often
based on inflated land valu-
es. Ontario's farm land price
index (1961 equals 100) stood
at 593 in 1976, the highest in
Canada. The national aver-
age index was 388.
The NFU brief stated that
"inflated land values relative
to farm prices and productiv-
ity ratios distorts the farm
economy, all of which points
to a contradictory and un-
stable situation in farming,
especially for the younger
farmers.
Toronto Stock
Yard Report
Receipts at the Ontario
Stockyards for the week end-
ing November 17 were cattle,
9.046; calves, 4,344; hogs,
6,300 and sheep, 968.
Choice steers and heifers
met a slow, inactive market.
with prices fully $1 per cwt.
lower. Chain stores lower
bidding and no movement at
the coolers level, were the
cause. Cows were strong and
higher.
Replacement cattle: There
was a good selection of both
Western and Ontario stock-
ers and feeders this week.
Short -keeps weighing 800 #
and up sold from $64 to $74
with sales to $77/cwt. Steers
weighing 500-800# sold from
$74 with sales to $80/cwt.
Harvesting
isa snap
try
G 4040
Harvey
Livingston
R.R. 7r Lucknow
529.7607
funk's Ts a Brand Narne Winters Idenhly Vanehes
$UNIf SEEDS
INTENNAT1oNA4.
CIBA-GEIGY SEEDS LTD
Cottem. Gntarto
Canada, NOR WO
IThe bmdalioh of warranty
end remedy on the tap at-
tached Id each ba0 of funk's
t-
tachedIdeachbapoffunk's
G•Hybrid sold is a part of
the lerms bl„sale (hereof
k
Western steer calves $85 to
$95 with sales to $102.
Ontario steer calves from $75
to $82 with sales to $89.
Yearling and short -keep heif-
ers were sold from $54 to $62
with sales to $68 and 'West-
ern and Ontario heifer calves
were selling from $74 to $84
with sales to $91.50/cwt.
Veal sold firm. Choice ,yeal
sold from. $80 to $90 with top
choice veal to $105., Good
calves 200 to 300 lbs. sold
from $70 to $80, 400 to 500#
calves sold from $65 to $75,
500 to 750# calves traded
from -$50 to $60/cwt. Plain,
heavy and light calves sold
from $35 to $50.
The lamb trade was sharp-
ly lower. Good, handyweight
lambs sold from $70 to $75
with sales to $80. Light -
lambs were selling from $80
to $95 with sales to $118.
Sheep are selling from $28 to
$40 with sales to $45. Heavy
fat sheep went for $20 to $25.
Hogs ranged from $75.25 -
$76.55.
JUNIOR FARMERS
MEETING
®: The regular meeting of the
West Huron Junior Farmers
was held on Monday, Nov-
ember 13, 1978.
The November 18th dance
was then discussed and all
the committees gave their
reports. Tickets for the annu-
al banquet on December 2,
1978 were passed out to the
members to be sold.
Brock Hasty reported on
the Zone Seven Conference
which he, Ruth Alton and
Nancy and Doug Aitchison
attended on Saturday, Nov-
ember 11, 1978. It was held
at the Ranton Place in
Palmerston, and everyone
had a great time. The Sing
and Swing. Competition is at
Lindsay on Saturday, Nov-
ember 25. The December
meeting is on December 11
with Jim Phelan speaking on
parliamentary procedures