The Lucknow Sentinel, 1993-03-17, Page 21Farm Progress 93 Page 5
1Pllze 4G1F1ESS 9
Machinery ring links custonroperatars with farmers
by Nellie Evans
Linking custom machinery oper-
ators with farmers who can't afford
new equipment is catching on in
Ontario.
It's the objective of a
two-year-old computerized network-
ing service in Centralia based on
systems used in Europe and Japan.
Don McLennaghan of Brucefield
likes the concept if you don't have
it, you can hire someone who does
and still have your crop planted (or
harvested) on time. You are no
longer at the mercy of a neighbor
whose priority lies with his fields.
Hiring a custom machinery oper-
ator, usually another farmer, using
The Ontario Machinery Ring in
Centralia fills in that gap.
McLennaghan was impressed last
year with the integrity of Machinery
Ring members. He hired a Centralia
farmer to plant 160 acres of corn.
He negotiated the fee, arranged the
day and time to begin and was
impressed when the farmer arrived
exactly when he promised.
McLennaghan joined The Machin-
ery Ring in April 1991 because he
was looking for custom work to
justify the cost of operating his
combine. He also offers his seed
drill (for grain and beans) and
square baler.
Ring (inks service
The Machinery Ring is a
non-profit organization in which
farmers purchase memberships and
register their equipment. Fanners
wanting to, hire a custom operator
contact the ring's office in Centralia
which gives him a list of farmer's
names in his area. It is up to the
farmer to contact and hire that
person. The custom operator keeps
track of expenses in triplicate and
gives a copy to the customer, the
ring and keeps one himself. He is
then paid for the work by the ring
which collects from the farmer.
The ring has co-ordinated
approximately $1 million worth of
work since its inception.
International contacts
General manager Jack Janzen said
the goal of the ring is to hire 32
full-time managers across Ontario.
The managers (preferably a husband
and wife team) would oversee the
machinery service in their county,
or counties when several small ones
are combined.
But first, the Machinery Ring.
needs investment from the federal
and provincial governments, he
said. •
Meanwhile, Janzen is working
behind the scenes promoting his
machinery ring. He's attended farm
shows in London, Toronto and
Ottawa and an international farm
congress in Scotland.. Janzei1 said
he's placed a bid to host the I l th
International Congress for Machin-
ery Rings in Canada in 1994. The
congress may be held in London.
"That's why it's important to get
into Ontario quickly," he said.
The Ontario Machinery Ring is
managed by a bo ld of directors of
which Bev. Hill. of Varna ,was
elected vice-president in February.
Five farmers make up the board.
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