The Rural Voice, 1979-01, Page 23country in the world except the United
States and said, dropping import controls
is "absolutely something 1 can't imagine."
Chicken quota up
8 per cent in spring
The Ontario C hicken Producers Market-
ing Board plans to increase their quota by
eight per cent next spring.
' The move comes at a time when prices
are high throughout the entire meat
market.
Jim Chalmers, the marketing board's
chairman, said he is optimistic there will be
an expanded market for chicken next year.
Farmers who belong to the board have
been allowed to fill their entire quotas for
more than a year.
For the February 25 to May 19 quota
period next year, the board will allow 100
per cent of quota and 37,000 pounds
maximum per farmer.
Only those farmers who have applied for
over 100 per cent of their quota can
produce the additional pounds.
Next May the board will introduce a
Class 11 quota system, a new type of
non -transferable quota to be used when
market demands for chicken are high
enough.
Net earnings
down but
Gay Lea optimistic
BY RHEA HAMILTON
Next year may be pretty grim for the
Gay Lea Food Co-operative Government
subsidy cutbacks for instant milk,
decreases in milk quotas and a decline in
butter consumption across Canada is no
way to celebrate a 20th anniversary.
However, at the annual meeting of the
co-operative in Atwood Friday members
reviewed the past year and were optimistic
for the future.
"Problems with milk volume received by
our plants has led us to examine other food
processing opportunities." said president
Walter Hamel.
A lower sales volume this year was
blamed for the sale of egg operations in
Seaforth and Strathroy.
Net earnings were down by 52.1% from
last year and this was due to the reduction
of plant supply quota for milk. The
shortage of volume in turn is reflected in
earnings.
The Gay Lea Foods Co-operative Limited
once known as United Dairy and Poultry
co-operative started with a handfull of
members and now boosts 3,579 members,
an increase of 28 over last year. The
SEASON'S
GREETINGS
from the
staff at
AM B E R L EY GRAIN ELEVATOR
DIVISION OF PARRISH &
HEIMBECKER, LTD.
RR 3 Goderich 395-3300
concept was for farmers to co-operatively
market their own products. .The Co-op
buys the milk and cream for their five
plants from the marketing boards.
Only dairy farmers are members and
they buy shares from the firm at ap-
proximately $15.
Over the past twenty years volume of
products has moved up from the $15
million range to the $75 to $100 million
range. The volume has also changed over
the years. Gay Lea has moved out of
poultry and egg processing into edible oil,
special dairy products, cheeze and frozen
food.
Gay Lea was forced this year to
consolidate their Tara (Owen Sound) plant
with their processing plant in Guelph. Tara
ceased operation for a 7 month period from
October 19771 to April 1978. The milk was
transferred to Guelph. To Compensate for
this loss Gay Lea has commenced pro-
duction of a pharmaceutical product to
keep the Tara Plant in operation.
A government decision to discontinue
the 34c per pound consumer subsidy on
instant milk powder caused a consumption
decine of 25%. To offset this Gay Lea
increased promotions and cheddar cheese
sales.
Representing dairy farmers were the
dairy princesses Jean Siertsema, Huron
and Debra Conebeare, Perth.
"We (Gay Lea) have paid out maximum
ALFRED
KNECHTEL
Spray Painting Ltd.
—SPECIALIZING IN FARM BUILDINGS—
(519) 669-2638
R.R. 2 WALLENSTEIN, ONTARIO
THE RURAL VOICE/JANUARY 1979 Pt.,. 23