The Rural Voice, 1979-12, Page 27Sheep
industry
increasing
ment system prevents increased Ontario
milk production. This system divides the
national market among the provinces,
based on historical production.
Kipping also cited Quebec and national
politics as stumbling blocks to Ontario
producing additional milk.
The reason we can't get any agreement
on how to reslice the national pie is
because of Quebec. It is the biggest
producing province and politically is the
most sensitive."
McKinnon said the milk board agrees
the Quebec political situation is inhibiting
any effort toward better representation of
provincial consumption trends, but said the
milk board stands behind the national
milk -supply management system because
it has prevented Ontario from falling
further behind in milk production.
McKinnon said he understands the bind
of processors because despite his call for a
reduction in Ontario butter production, he
admits Ontario isn't being allowed to
produce enough butter to meet provincial
consumer demand.
"The only beef I have with the
processors is that they blame the supply -
manage nic►►t system, and that's wrong,"
McKinnon said. Supply management has
prevented milk surpluses and low prices,
he argues.
The Ontario farmer board is preparing
new polices to divert milk from butter to
Murray Emke of Elmwood, sheep
specialist for Ontario, talked about new
ideas in the sheep industry when Zone 2
Sheep breeders held their annual Lamb
banquet at the Elmwood Community
Centre on Thursday, October 18.
Mr. Emke said that following a steady
decrease in the industry, there has been a
steady increase over the last few years, and
now Ontario has a sheep population of over
70,000 and is the top province in Canada in
sheep breeding. It was suggested that
zones could be more progressive in setting
up information meetings to pass on some of
their acquired knowledge through years in
the industry to the less informed breeder.
Mr. Emke also showed a film strip on
what the animal research institute is doing
to increase the efficiency of the farmers'
program and ways and means to combat
disease.
A report was given on Zone 2 activities in
1979. Secretary Louis Emke reported that
there are now 150 members in that zone
which covers tive counties and that the
number of sheep breeders attending the
sheep day at Hanover's farmers' week in
January showed a greater interest in the
industry than ever before with a lot of
first -timers attending.
Divert milk from
butter to cheddar
Milk should be diverted from butter
production to cheddar cheese to save
Ontario's shrinking cheddar industry,
according to Ken McKinnon of Port Elgin,
chairman of the Ontario Milk Marketing
Board.
"We've said this for several years. If
Ontario is going to maintain its share of the
cheddar cheese industry, then the butter
industry is going to have to decline," he
said.
Brian Kipping of Toronto, executive
director of the processors' Ontairo Dairy
Council said processors are rankled
because they feel they can produce enough
butter and cheese to meet consumer
demand, but can't get enough milk.
He said the farmer milk board will meet
stiff resistance from the province's butter
and cheese processors, who feel enough
milk should be produced to supply all their
needs. He said a national supply manage -
cheddar cheese production and processors
will be consulted the first week of
December, but Kipping said the processor
council plans to fight the move before
politicians and the public.
Breed improvement
is dairy day theme
Breed improvement through manage-
ment and selection was the theme when a
group of farmers met at the farm of Bill
Mann near Moncrieff for Dairy Day held in
Huron County
Huron County Agricultural Represent-
ative Dennis Martin of Clinton and Gordon
Bell, St. Marys, fieldman for the Holstein
Friesian Association of Ontario were also
there as special guests.
Dairy Day is held to give an opportunity
to young interested dairymen to receive
ideas on how to maintain good milk
production and breed quality livestock
according to Mr. Martin.
"The exercise is designed to give these
farmers some experience in evaluating
their own cattle and to understand sire type
score information," he said.
Dairy Day provides an opportunity for
the dairymen to see how some farmers get
high production such as Mr. Mann has
done with his herd, Mr. Martin said.
COOP
NEW
Elevator Facilities for Handling
SOYBEANS
,,, WHITE BEANS and CORN
Come to the Hensall Co -Op for your complete
FALL WHEAT NEEDS
SEED
•Cert Yorkstar
•Foundation & Registered Frederick
FERTILIZER
• Fluid Blend
• Dry Bulk Blend
• Bags
ASK US ABOUT CUSTOM APPLICATION
H€flSLLDISTRICT COOPERfITIVE
�.�,ao�.o„oPnone 262.3002
THE RURAL VOICE/DECEMBER 1979 PG. 25