The Lucknow Sentinel, 1998-03-18, Page 75Western company embarks
upon corporate farming
. by Rick f ew
'A the last 12 months numerous farmers
in Perth County have erected hog
barns to capitalize on the increasing,
world demand for pork, . '
' Nor has the woridv4de demand for.
pork gone unnoticed. in Western Canada,.
said Stewart Stone,
chef financial officer
and directd r of mar-
• keting for Heartland
Livestock' Services
(KU
Speaking to pork pito..
du;cerS. tat ^ the • 17th
annual Centralia
Swine Research
Update in Kirkton
' Jan. 28, 'Stone said,
"In the West we are
just :embarking on
large scale pork production."
He •said HLS, which resulted froth the
amalgamation of the livestock operations
of the Saskatchewan • Wheat Pool. and.
Manitoba' Pool Elevators, plans :to lead
.expansiort in the pork industry by invest-
ing its critical components of the produc-
tion chain.
To achieve its goals, HLS has (level-
oiled a business plan which incorporates
large scale development of three -site hog
production units. He explained each pro-
duction site will feature farrow -to -finish
operations; with each operation based on
2,400 sows, leading to production of
55,000; -market hogs from each, site.'
"Key to the success of • the plan, said.
Stone; is a partnership with local.
investors, and HLS refers • to these
investors. as "comtnpnities. "
, However, he said' the partnership will
own 100 per of the sow, :farrowing
.., and weaning facilities and at least 50 per..
cent of the .finishing;;barns. This provides
individuaUariners the opportunity "to.fin-•
ish hogs in their. own barns, said Stone,
Each Heartland project will cost.
between' $93 million and $12.3 million,:
:he 'said, depending .on the number of
farmer -owned barns involved in the pro.;
jest,
Currently 27 communities: have :eon
traeted witb NLS noting they have had"to
refuse further partnerships because HLS:
prefers not to extend its building plans out
past five years, Stone estimated six .pm,
jects could be corn -
"We face the issues. This
is corporate farming. You
can either have it
and particpate or have it
and •not participate.
That is your choice."
Stewart Stone
pleted .each year,
"Ws pretty
ambitious," he said
explaining the shope
of the plan,
Nevertheless,
BLS. does not chase
after communities, he
said. "After the first
contact we make aur
pitch. Then we say,
`You call us. ' We
,...don't push."'
Questioned an. HLS policy on manure.
management, Stone said, " We don't own
land for manure spreading. We sign up
acreage.to spread 'manure .onto,'"
However, he said the goal isto exceed
all environmental guidelines. and' the '
Heartland projeirts use extensive manure.
management and odor control programs.
He noted: that in rsonie projects, in the
West, investors would not sign on unless
they had assurances they would. .have
access to the manure.
If Manure is Managed correctly, prof
its can be increased:"
Initial •land purchases for current pro-
.jects amount to 160 acres, but only 40.
acresis is required for thebuildings,with
the unused, land 'bein,g 'leased back to
investors.
One producer in the audience suggest
ed to Stone .that his Platt was similar to a
plan of a few yearssago thvoiving farmers.
With : Cargill in a hog finishing program.
"Weare different, I have to respond to
that;' said Stone
"We. face the. iss es. This is corporate
farming You :can either havelt and partic-
ipate or have it and not participate. That is
your, choice."
Marigolds replace chemicals
There may be some fast in folklore.
For years,. ` many' Ironic gardeners
believed marigolds deterred some. gar-
den ".pests..: Now research has , shown
these popular annuals effectively control
some types of nematodes: While the
compounds in, marigolds stop these
microscopic;; pests front destroying
plant:roots, the natural pesticidal agents
`do not 'affect the beneticial:= nicrborgan
isms in the soil. •
.Agriculture and Agri -Food' Canada
scientists' at the Southern Crop
Protection and Food Research Centre, -iia,
Delhi and .l:ondoon, 'Ontario, ° 'are now
exploring the commercial;potential of
marigolds as an, alternative to chemi-
cals' used
hemiccals`,used ta> fumigate nematodes in
sandy, soil.
Contact: Bruce' Reynolds, Southern.
Crop -Protectio'n. and; Fuad Research
Centre; •Agriculture and<Agri-Food
Canada,Delhi, Ontario (519) 582'
1950
ig
ss '98 Page WA'
**fifi
GRAND
CARAVAN §
Invaded incl, 4 drs, quad gat,
• 33 Itr., V-6 xnd mach ram
Purchase or
14,988 $29/�p,
Frt., taxes Extra 34r•
DODI
RAM
DAKOTA PICKUPS
FREE AYE,.CQNDIUQNING
OR 3.9 APR FINANCING
`98 NIEQN
132'
44 h p ' -h fist:1C.
A.
Lease $100 ' y Q
30 months ori. Purchase 14988
Frt, taxes Extra,
sTRA' US/
RRE ZE
.30ets o7r/Pwl. s4de 4 .dr.,A/,C,ctuieLssh,J mo.ya$1g/Q8
rt. taxes Elora
1997 GRAND CHEROKEE
TSI-Deap Amethyst, leather inter
riot; PW, PDL, PM, keyless entry,.
power seat, atatm system running
boards. Dadei 15,000 len.
AMMON% A reran
19997 EAGLE VISION TSI .
Platinum paint, leather buckets;',
.auto. fit cond., PW, PDL, PM,
power seats, alarm. system,. auto.
stick. Under 12,000 kin.
1997 AVENGER- Spotty 2 door
silver mist, -cloth buckets, ,PW, ,
PD1';., PM, AM/PM/Cassette, 17"
Alloy wheets, rear spoiler. Under
15,000 km. , .
1998 GR; CARAVAN LE
Loaded! Candy apple red, quad
seats, 3.81, with- trailer.;pkg., PW,
PDL, .PM, alarm. system, keyless
•• entry; trac control, Under 15,000 km.:.
1997 GR. CARAVAN"•SE 1997 NEQN H%GIH,INE,
(AVIS) - Silver fern. 4 -door van," (AVIS used)-: 4 -door, ;;air cond.,
air,- PDL,' PM, tilt, cruise, cruise, - ' AM!%hl/Cassette, radio. Under
brakes, 7 pass, Under 34,000 km,': 30.000 km.
ron
d/
HWY 21 & 9 -- KINCARDINE•
SALES HOURS: Mon: -Wed. 9-6;Thurs. 9-8; Fri. 9.6; Sat 4.5'
SERVICE HOURS. Mon. -Fri 8-S Sat 8:30 -noon
9,61r5000,.or i•-800-701-9455
1997 RAM "' CLUR•'4X4 b
Laramie SLi'-greentgray, cion+ ince,
rior, PW PDL, PM, power. driver's eat,
keyless•cnir$ air. ruining boards, box'.
titer; "mud guards," bag deflector,
265x16" tires. Under 14,000 km
1998 Glt CHEROKEE LTD.
- peep slate,leather rnteiiOe This
one's loaded : incl. heated seats, ,
alarm system,. running :hoards:
Under 14,000 law.
1996 GRAND'` CARAVAN SE
(AVIS used) - Dark ins, 4-doo
van, air, ADL; Pit/, PM, tilt, cniise,
ABS Makes, 7 Pass. 'Udder 60.000
Terry
Morgan
Sales
Manager
0
1r,
Jeff Bytes,
Sales & •
Leasing.
Advisor