The Rural Voice, 2004-09, Page 3About this issue
It's show time!
September is traditionally the time for farmers to go off
to shows. It started long ago with the venerable
International Plowing Match and more than a decade ago
Canada's Outdoor Farm Show added a new twist.
Since the IPM moves around the province, it isn't
always convenient for people from midwestern Ontario to
attend when the show move east but this year and next the
show is right at home. Grey County hosts this year's match
from September 22 to 26 near Meaford and in 2005 the
IPM will be held in Perth County near Listowel.
Janice Becker has a number of stories on the efforts of
Grey County residents to put on a super show at Meaford.
Also this month we have a preview of what's new and
worth seeing at the Outdoor Farm Show.
September is also traditionally a time to spotlight the
beef industry in The Rural Voice. Finding something
positive in beef is pretty difficult these days but we do have
a story on something unusual. Lloyd Kuntz of Formosa
was Ontario's first breeder of Wagyu cattle, a breed from
Japan that's renowned for its tender beef due to the extreme
marbling of the meat. Even here, however, the shadow of
BSE intrudes. Kuntz was part of an enterprise to send
Wagyu beef back to Japan where it could receive premium
prices but of course that market died with that single
discovery of BSE in Alberta last year.
The trend in recent years has been increasing the ability
to control quality from the farm to the fork and that trend
has moved into white bean production. Premier Foods, the
largest processor of beans in Britain has teamed up with
Hensall District Co-op to change the way beans are
marketed in Ontario. Through a contracting regime the
food processor hopes to benefit from assured quality of the
beans it buys. For the Co-op, it's hoped that better prices
for Ontario farmers will revive the declining industry
where acreage has been slipping for a decade.
In his woodlot column, Steve Bowers discusses the
adaptability, or lack of tolerance, of some trees to shade.
This shade tolerance dictates how a woodlot will develop.
Bonnie Gropp's recipe collection this month features
lunches for kids going back to school while Patti
Robertson's decorating column gives tips for making
college and university students' apartments more homey.0
Update
Biodiesel steps forward
Alternative fuels from farm crops have been a regular
feature in The Rural Voice over the years but often they
seem like good ideas that will never get off the ground. In
September, however, construction is scheduled to begin on
a 60 -million -litre per annum biodiesel production facility
in Hamilton.
Operated by Oakville -based Biox Corporation, the plant
is scheduled for completion early next year and will
increase the North American supply of biodiesel by 50 per
cent (current U.S. capacity is 110 million litres per year).
The plant promises a new market for Ontario soybean
growers. One bushel of soybeans produces six litres of
clean -burning biodiesel. "A faciliity of this size has great
potential in creating new market opportunities for Ontario
soybeans," said Bill Allison, chair of the Ontario Soybean
Growers.
"The development of an alternative market for soybeans
would also result in an increase in the domestic crush of
soybeans and a reduced dependancy on imported
soymeal," said Matt McLean, research and bioproducts
manager for the Ontario Soybean Growers. Last year about
one million tonnes of soybean meal were imported into
Canada.0
°`Rural Voice
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Pearce, Bob Reid, Mervyn Erb, Sandra
Orr, Janice Becker, Larry Drew
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