The Rural Voice, 1991-01, Page 60HURON
County Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER
Box 429, Clinton, Ontario NOM 1L0
519-482-9642
* The Rural Voice is provided to all farmers
in Huron County by the HCFA.
HCFA MEETING
Monday, December 10/90 Seaforth Public
School, 8:30 p.m.
President Brenda McIntosh welcome every-
one to the meeting.
Minutes of the last meeting were passed as
printed in The Rural Voice on a motion by Jeanne
Kirkby, seconded by Bill Wallace. Carried.
Brenda introduced guests Dave Dalzell and
Jack Jansen, representatives from the Machinery
Ring. Dave is the area manager for Huron
County; Jack is the general manager for Ontario.
At present the Machinery Ring is in its initial
stages of being formed.
What it it? A computerized network for
farmers who need custom work done and/or want
to do custom work. The machinery ring system
matches up the needs of its members to ensure that
equipment is used efficiently and productively.
How does it work? Whether you have cus-
tom work to offer or need custom work done — or
both—you register with the Machinery Ring. All
of the members' names are entered into a data-
base along with addresses, phone numbers, types
of equipment, and rates. The data -base is con-
stantly updated.
Service is available day or night. Equipment
is inspected, accounting support is offered, and
the office ensures that the network operates
smoothly.
Farmers who have custom work to offer have
a listing in the computer data -base. Farmers who
need custom work done call into the ring office,
which responds immediately with listings of the
closest available custom operators. The farmer
can choose a custom worker or ask the office to
make the arrangements. Fast and reliable service
is the key.
The advantages:
- gets you a custom operator during critical
periods - fast
- lowers your overhead costs
- makes available a wide range of state of the
art equipment
- reduces the cost of investment in mechani-
zation
- gets the most out of your machinery capac-
ity
- ensures the careful and skilful use of equip-
ment
- responds day or night to custom work needs
- offers unlimited listings and enquiries to
members
- serves various sizes of farrn operations with
modem equipment
The Philosophy: The Machinery Ring is an
organization operated by farmers for farmers. It
is a way of sharing skills and resources. Co-op-
eration in "the better way" to efficiency.
In Europe, machinery nngs are already popu-
lar — and growing. The ring system expands the
concept of the "bee" and adapts it to the competi-
tive world of modem agriculture.
Today's computerized network creates a
broad-based, well -organized system that matches
a wide range of equipment and working partners.
An extensive data -base ensures that farmers who
need custom work done get it —quickly. It also
ensures that farmers available to do custom work
find it — fast.
What does it cost? The initial registration
fee is $200. An annual membership fee of $100
entitles any member of the Machinery Ring to an
unlimited number of listings and enquiries. A fee
of two per cent of the amount of each transaction
that is matched through the machinery will be
collected for administration (payable by both
parties).
At present the 'ring' is financed by Canadian
Agra. However, once it gets on its feet, Canadian
Agra wants out of it and it will be run on its own
by a board of directors which will elected by farm-
ers. An annual meeting will be held each year.
Anyone who is a member can attend and have a
say.
Chris Palmer thanked Dave and Jack follow-
ing many interesting and controversial questions.
Convention Reports 1990 (Huron County dele-
gates)
THEME: Farm Locally - Think Globally
Keith Williamson: Bob Rae opened the
convention Monday a.m.; he stated "faun eco-
nomics are in recession and the auention and
priority of the NDP goverrunent will be given to
this."
Bob Harrison: Carl Sulliman introduced
Brigid Pyke who said she is saddened to be
stepping down after four years as president of
OFA.
Heinz Claus: Auditors report for OFA:
Income for past year from memberships: 2.4
million; other income $300,000; $94,000 was
made by OFA this past year. In Feb./91 member-
ships will go up to $140 (a $10 increase).
Task force reports were presented: safety net
on oilseeds and grain by Roger George; finance
and management by Jack Wilkinson.
Ralph Scott: A panel discussion was held
about competitiveness with Ken Crawford from
the Turkey Board and Phil Kudelka of Cuddy
Farms.
A report on the dairy task force came from
John Core, chairman of the Ontario Milk Market-
ing Board and Don Knoerr, president of CFA.
Mason Bailey: On the topics of farm fi-
nance, he asked farmers to lobby their MPs to
have faun credit made more adaptable to farmers.
Farm Debt Review — lobby personally to
MPs to keep the board going.
Jeanne Kirkby: Report about the organic
workshop.
Ian Sutherland, chairman on the commission
on natural foods (Agriculture Canada), ... the
strongest selling point of organic farming is "its
benefits to the soil."
Jeanne also reported Huron's resolution on
sustainable agriculture was passed at the conven-
tion:
Whereas an increasing number of Ontario
farmers are engaged in organic farming, and
Whereas there have been concerns expressed
about OFA's representation of these farmers,
Therefore be it resolved that OFA present the
needs of these farmers to all levels of government
while recognizing that there is no conclusive
information which suggests that food produced
by organic farming is either more or less safe for
the consumer.
Bill Wallace: Reported about competitive-
ness on red meats by Lome Goldstein, a cattle
producer in Ontario who stated that in 1985,
440,000 cattle were moved west but in 1990,
200,000 cattle were moved west. Slaughter is
down 20 per cent in the past 5 years.
Bob Down: Roger George was acclaimed
president. Jack Williamson was acclaimed vice
president. Bill Weaver was elected second vice
president after of two ballot Nominees for second
vice president were: Dona Stewardson, Ken
Kelly, Ed Sedgsworth, Ken Yarrow, and Bill
Weaver.
Panel discussion of competitiveness in horti-
culture: Gary Fread - president of operation
service, Campbell Soups; and Marshall Schuly-
ler, chairman of the Ontario Vegetable Growers
Marketing Board.
New Business: resolution on input costs ...
moved by Keith Love, seconded by Bill Wallace.
Motion carried.
Whereas the prices farmers are receiving for
their products have fallen below the cost of pro-
duction and
Whereas fuel prices have escalated dramati-
cally and will be increased further by the removal
of the Excise Tax rebate
Therefore be it resolved that OFA should
vigorously lobby the federal government to re-
verse their decision.
It was sent to the OFA for the December 19
board meeting as an emergency resolution.
Copies to: Murray Cardiff, Don Mazankowski,
Michael Wilson, and Otto Jelenik.
Adjournment: 11:05 by Doug Gamiss, sec-
onded by Jeanne Kirkby.
HCFA Members' Meeting
Thursday, January 10, 1991
Brucefield Public School, 8:30 p.m.
TOPIC: Ontario Hydro — Initiatives
(Future Plans)
Speaker: Lionel LeBrun
(Clinton Area Manager Ontario Hydro)
New HCFA committees will also hold
initial committee meetings.
EVERYONE WELCOME!
56 THE RURAL VOICE