The Rural Voice, 2004-12, Page 22undalk District Credit Union Limited
Community Banking & Investment Service.
Chequing, Savings and Term Deposits
Personal Loans, Residential and Farm Mortgages
Agricultural and Commercial Loans
Mastercard. Money Orders, RRSP's, RESP's.
Travellers Cheques, Financial Planning & Mutual Funds by W.H. Stuart
Holiday Greetings to
all our customers
from Directors and Staff
79 Proton St. N. DUNDALK, Ont.
519-923-2400
Fax 519-923-2950
Proud to Provide Quality
Member Service Since 1943
519-923-2400
Livestock Feeding & Handling Equipment
• Loading Chutes • Feed Carts • Head Gates & Crates
• Gallagher Fencing Supplies (Custom Installation) & Gates
• Hay Feeders • Feed Carts • Mineral Feeders • Ritchie Horse & Cattle Waterers
• Wheelbarrows & Other Agricultural Needs • Pharmaceuticals, etc.
• Feed • Horse Tack & Supplies • Calf Hutches
• Shavings • Bird Seed • Saddles
gait yeas Chxiatm.aa Sliapping. Need&
• Country Artist Figurines (NEW!)
„- • Canada West Cowboy Boots
• Budµeiser Figurine Collections • Belt Buckles • Bolo Ties, etc.
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Our own home -raised beef 69
by the quarter or half 1 lb.
Hamburger patties, ground beef and summer sausage always available
Open Monday - Saturday 8:00 am - 5:30 pm
R.R. #3, Listowel, Ont. N4W 3G8 (Hwy. #86, East of Listowel)
Tel: (519) 291-1094 Fax: (519) 291-5065
18 THE RURAL VOICE
got," Becker adds. "You realize when
you're there that it's no fault of their
own why people are there.
"Those are the reasons you do it.
You don't get a cheque at the end of
the day but when people are leaving
and saying thank you, you've been
paid in full."
The number of cows donated
during the summer dropped but it has
picked up again recently. Ritsma
speculates that during the summer
with pasture available it wasn't so
pressing for farmers to cull their
herds but with winter approaching
and barn space at a premium, the
older cows have to go. Even with
Gencor's new cull cow plant opening
there is still a backlog of cattle to be
processed. As well, Becker says,
several farmers who donated cows
last yearare coming back with new
donations.
The pain of the BSE crisis
extends beyond the cattle
industry to sheep, deer and
other commodities and recently some
sheep were donated by one producer.
"So we're going to try lamburger
meat," Ritsma says.
Even after the crisis is over the
pair hope to keep the program going.
Becker says they've had farmers
telling them its a good program that
should be kept going even after the
crisis is over and want to support it.
"I think that regardless of what the
price is you're always going to have
that group of farmers who will
donate that one or two cows."
"Obviously we'd like to see the
border open so farmers can get back
to getting 45-45 cents a pound for
cull cows," Ritsma says, recalling a
conversation with an Ohio farmer at
the Kitchener stockyard this summer
who couldn't believe cows were
going for eight or nine cents a pound
Canadian while he was getting 60
cents American at home.
"Our goal in the long run is to
make it a seasonal activity," Ritsma
adds, "where these foodbanks and
community kitchens can get a
product that they normally don't
get."
"We'll go as long as we have the
cows," says Becker.
Anyone wanting to donate cows
or cash can do so by contacting Gary
Becker, 273-4091 or Martin Ritsma,
271-1279.0