The Rural Voice, 1985-11, Page 31(mina;)
All about
the Sheep Marketing Agency
The Red Meat Plan has general-
ly received a much warmer
reception in the sheep industry
than it has among beef producers.
Beef producers pressured the govern-
ment until plans for a beef marketing
agency were curtailed, but the majori-
ty of sheep producers favour their
sheep marketing agency. This new
agency is still in its infancy, but is get-
ting ready to take its first steps
toward maturity. As can be expected,
it will experience a few growing pains.
The Ontario Sheep Marketing
Agency (OSMA) will officially
assume all the responsibilities of the
former province -wide sheep producer
group, the Ontario Sheep Associa-
tion, at the annual meeting November
29 and 30 in Orillia. Resolutions will
not be accepted, however, until the
first independent meeting of OSMA
more than a year from now in
November of 1986.
Some producers are very concerned
about the absence of resolutions, but
producers in each district will have in-
put through their director. As well,
"expressions of opinion" will be ac-
cepted from delegates to the annual
meeting this November, says Reg
Martin, District Two OSMA director.
Resolutions are made to be acted
upon by the directors, quickly. But
the agency believes it isn't established
firmly enough yet to work on hard
and fast resolutions. The membership
of OSMA won't even be formalized
by the annual meeting date. Martin
points out, however, that the man-
date of the agency comes from the
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that they haven't been informed
about the developments in the new
agency. Renwick concedes that better
public relations between the agency
and producers is essential. "It's im-
portant that producers know what's
going on and that they feel part of the
agency," he says.
To give producers more informa-
tion about their agency, Martin pro-
vided some answers to their questions
about the agency's development to
date. The directors have had only
three meetings since November of
1984. The budget is tight and hasn't
allowed for many meetings, he ex-
plained. The former OSA budget of
$75,000 was increased to $200,000 for
the new agency. But about half the
new budget is earmarked for promo-
tion. A full-time person has been
hired and a new office has been set up
in Toronto, leaving the association
with new responsibilities and little
more uncommitted money in its new
budget than in the old. The agency
even had to borrow money from OSA
to cover start-up costs.
But the organization has progress-
ed. Regulations and guidelines have
been drawn up. Jack James, OSMA
chairman, has done a great deal of
work in this area, Renwick says.
Meetings between the new agency and
the Farm Products Marketing Board
have also been held to work out
details of the agency's formation.
After a three-year trial period, if pro-
ducers are unhappy with the agency's
efforts, they can approach the Farm
Products Marketing Board and have
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