The Rural Voice, 1981-12, Page 39PERTH COUNTY PORK PRODUCERS' NEWS
Meetings and the market situation
- Directors from Perth County attended the Semi -Annual
meeting of the OPPMB on October 21 in Toronto. Because of the
continuing economical problems facing the industry, it was
expected, that there would be a lively discussion of the market
and the supply situation. The meeting ws a disappointment in
this respect, as producer delegates were only given limited
opportunity to express their views and discuss the controversial
subject of supply management. A new ruling by the board that
did not allow resolutions to be received, unless they were
approved by over 66 per cent of the delegates. allowed a minority
of delegates to prevent two controversial resolutions on supply
management to reach the floor and be discussed.
The board however promised to release the report of the
Market Study Committee hopefully in early January to the county
associations. This is to provide for maximum time for discussions
at the county level and for resolutions to be submitted by the
counties to the annual meeting of the OPPMB in March of 82
when the 66 per cent rule does not apply.
A summary of the proceedings at the Semi -Annual meeting as
released by the Secretary of the OPPMB is given below.
SEMI-ANNUAL MEETING 1981
The 1981 Semi -Annual Meeting of the O.P.P.M.B. was held at
the Skyline Hotel, Dixon Road, Toronto, on Wednesday, October
21st. Chairman of the Board, Doug Farrell, gave a
comprehensive report on the activities of the Board since the
Annual Meeting in March, including a detailed explanation of
the Board's role in correcting the inequities and confusion
concerning the 1980-81 Federal Stabilization Payment for Hogs.
The detrimental effect of the mail strike and the Federal
Veterinary "sick-outs" on the orderly marketing system was
outlined by Mr. Farrell and in a later presentation the
O.P,P.M.B. General Manager, Helmut Loewen, reported on how
staff coped with these difficulties and explained the emergency
procedures that have been developed to counter act the
inconvenience to individual producers.
CURRENT MARKET
Jim Railings, O.P.P.M.B. Sales Manager, presented his
review of current market conditions, prices and his forecast for
future months. He also showed comparative statistics concerning
the Ontario pork industry in its relationship to the North
American Market.
Staff reports were rounded out with a short presentation by
John Howell, Manager of the O.P.P.M.B. Consumer Com-
munications Department. Mr. Howell outlined the current
promotional efforts of his department in the restaurant, hotel
and institutional trade.
The morning sessions of the meeting were chaired by Cedric
Harrop, Vice -Chairman of the O.P.P.M.B. At noon the informal
luncheon for the 191 registered councilmen and other producers
and guests was hosted by Jim Goodhand and the other members
of the Executive Committee.
The afternoon program was devoted to one topic - the
preliminary report from the "Market Study Committee"
presented by Dr. Gordon Bowman. Other members of this
committee who were in attendance and fielded questions from
the delegates were Stu Lane, Bob Forshaw, Eric Alderson,
George McLaughlin and Carl Moore (Ron Urquhart was absent).
The report was entitled "Implications of Alternative
Marketing Strategies for the Ontario Pork Industry" and Dr.
Bowman gave a scholarly outline of the issues and alternatives
facing the industry.
In the question period following, most of the concerns
centered around the fact that the committee would not be making
any recommendations to the Board, but would only be
presenting facts.
The final item on the program agenda was "Further
Business", and at that time the Peterborough County
Association presented two resolutions. However, the delegate
body did not support a procedural motion with the necessary
two-thirds approval and the resolutions were not accepted for
Sliscussion.
Rod McDowell, delegate for the Peterborough County
Association, who is also Chairman of a group advocating supply
management for the pork industry, had arranged for distribution
of his group's submission to the Bowman Committee, and the
resolutions were a follow-up to this brief.
In short, resolution number one supported the O.P.P.M.B. in
their action in setting up the study, while resolution number two
called on the Board to - "extend the mandate of the study
committee to include the production of a full working model for
supply management."
Because of conditions in the industry, the Semi -Annual
Meeting attracted much interest in the media, and a C.B.C.
television crew gave it complete coverage.
Seasons
Greetings
from the staff at
FARM EQUIPMENT LIMITED
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THE RURAL VOICE/DECEMBER 1981 PG 37