The Rural Voice, 2001-12, Page 65PERTH 11T
County Pork Producers NEWSLETTER
Independent or not?
Any opinions expressed herein may
not necessarily reflect the views of
the Perth County Pork Producers'
Association.
What does it mean to be
independent? If you asked most
farmers why they are farming you
would not be very long into the
conversation before you heard some
notion of independence. Something
like, "I am my own boss" or, " I
make my own decisions!"
Most farmers derive a strong
measure of satisfaction out of
planning the project, working on the
details and, hopefully, reaping the
rewards. Many are used to being the
planner, accountant, labourer and
overseer. For years, the model has
worked well. It can still work for
some. But something seems to be
happening that has some of us
wondering whether we are still the
right breed of farmer. It often has
something to do with farm size, often
is a product of consolidation beyond
the farm gate and puts us into a
position where we have to make
choices about how and what we
produce. It may even limit our
marketing options.
Where we used to do all of our
own cropping, now we hire out the
planting and the combining. Where
we used to chore every day, seven
days a week, now we have someone
hired not only for weekends, but
every day because there are too many
animals for one person to look after.
Selling the beans no longer means
taking them to the elevator and
getting a weigh slip. Instead, we
have a contract, which pays. a
premium if we plant a certain variety
and have good quality. Or, perhaps,
our finishing barn is now on contract
with the local feed mill and we are
paid a margin on every pig that goes
out the door rather than owning the
pigs ourselves.
Jim Van Herk, President
519-595-4863
• The Rural Voice is provided to Perth
County Pork Producers by the PCPPA
A number of us have made
choices, not because we couldn't be
independent in the traditional sense
of the word, not because we might
not choose to do so at a later date, but
because we felt that interdependence
was just as appealing as going it on
our own. Are we inferior? No, but it
amazgs me how much some fellow
farmers are worried that my choices
might become theirs or that they may
lose some credibility by
acknowledging that I am a legitimate
farmer.
Several weeks ago Ontario Pork
held a series of regional meetings
across the province. One of the
questions asked was about
representation and whether we are
really hearing from a broad cross-
section of producers at the local and
provincial levels. What came out
amazed me because I thought we had
moved beyond that thinking. Some
folks were worried about contract
producers taking over local
associations, creating their own
agendas and changing policy at the
provincial board. Do we really think
that the person who runs the three -
site production loop has much
different interests than the traditional
farrow -to -finish producer? Stop and
think about it. As an independent I
may likely be concerned about a
number of things: providing for my
family, looking after the land, having
a good production environment free
from undue restrictions, fair market
access, and getting paid in a timely
and accurate manner. Won't the
production group manager have
similar interests? I think so!
We do not have the luxury of
pitting farmer against farmer any
more. It was probably never a good
idea, but now we are so few in
number and the issues being thrown
at us are so complex that we need to
work together to forge new solutions.
Let's put away the negative energy
and respect the differences between
us. There is room for us all.°
— Submitted by Larry Skinner
PERTH COUNTY PORK
PRODUCERS'
PORK PRODUCTS
• Smoked Pork Chops • Fresh Pork Chops
• Stuffed Loin Chops • Smoked Sausage
• Smoked Cheddar Sausage
• Bacon Burgers • Teriyaki Pork Steaks
• Vittorio's BBQ Sauce
AVAILABLE FROM:
Steve Hulshof (Kinkora) 348-8167
Martin van Bakel (Dublin) 345-2666
Walter Bosch (Monkton) 356-9000
Ted Keller (Mitchell) 348-9836
DECEMBER 2001 61