The Rural Voice, 1987-11, Page 66RAINY RIVER Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER
Box 416, Emo, Ontario
NEWS FROM THE DISTRICT
The fine farming weather continued
through September and into October in
the Rainy River District. In early Octo-
ber, many District farmers were harvest-
ing their third crop of hay for this season.
Otherwise, all harvesting has been
completed, and most of the regular fall
field work is finished. Many District
farmers, however, are still on the land,
taking advantage of the fine weather and
dry soil to make improvements to their
fields and farms.
The abundance of hay and other
crops on District farms, however, is in
contrast to the low numbers of cattle
believed remaining on these farms.
CATTLE SALES
The Rainy River Cattlemen's Asso-
ciation received less than 1,300 entries
for the October calf sale. This is about
30 per cent less than had been antici-
pated. Combined with the 1,000 head
sold at the yearling sale on September
21, this means that less than 2,300 head
will pass through the Stratton Sales
Yard in 1987.
The directors of the RRCA think that
about 2,000 head are needed to sustain a
viable operation. If cattle numbers drop
too low, can the Stratton Sales Yard
continue to operate?
The directors of the RRCA have
worked hard over the years to improve
the marketing opportunities for District
producers. More than 27 years ago, they
built the Stratton Sales Yard to save the
individual producer from the sharp
cattle buyers travelling the back roads of
the District.
Even though they have never mar-
keted more than one-third of the District
cattle through the Stratton Sales Yard, it
has provided all District producers with
an alternative market.
In recent years, the directors of the
RRCA have led the way in testing new
modem methods of marketing. Several
years ago, video sales presented the
larger operators with a profitable
method of selling right off their farms.
But video selling was not viable for the
smaller producers.
64 THE RURAL VOICE
The directors then introduced satel-
lite selling at the Stratton Sales Yard.
This was the first satellite sale to origi-
nate from Ontario.
All these different marketing meth-
ods were to lure more bidders to assure
District producers of fair prices.
Now the cattle shortage has brought
the return of the sharp cattle buyer trav-
elling throughout the Rainy River Dis-
trict.
"Are District producers
receiving a fair price for
their cattle without a
competitive bid? If too
many producers bypass
the Stratton Sales Yard,
will it still be here when
needed?"
Are District producers receiving a
fair price for their cattle without a com-
petitive bid? If too many producers
bypass the Stratton Sales yard, will it
still be here when needed?
OMAF RURAL
LEADERSHIP MEETING
On October 1, the Ontario Ministry
of Agriculture and Food sponsored a
rural leadership meeting at the Stratton
Hall. The purpose of the meeting was to
recognize District agricultural problems
and plan methods to improve these ar-
eas. The participants were divided into
four groups to address these problems.
Marketing appeared to be the main
concern of most of the groups participat-
ing. Beef producers wanted more alter-
natives for marketing District cattle.
Dairy producers still feel a cheese fac-
tory could benefit their industry in the
District. Soil and crop people felt that if
a market could be established for excess
hay, it would provide all District farm-
ers with a marketing alternative.
Another group felt that the District
lacked leadership to steer all these sepa-
POW 1 E0 807-482-2051
rate associations in the right direction.
The final concensus of the evening
was for OMAF to provide leadership
seminars for interested individuals such
as the leaders of District agricultural
groups and, later, to plan seminars for
this coming winter to investigate mar-
keting problems and possible solutions.
It is hoped that the agricultural
community would attend these semi-
nars, possibly in the form of a Farmers'
Week, and become more involved in
seeking solutions to these festering
problems.
MEETING OF THE
FEDERATION
On October 5, the Rainy River Fed-
eration of Agriculture held its regular
monthly meeting at the OMAF office in
Emo.
Attending, along with president Bill
Gibson, were Norman Cain, Debbie
Zimmerman, Kristine Carpenter, Jac-
quie Hunsperger, Linda Armstrong,
Ralph Hunsperger, John vanden Brand,
Allan Teeple, Paul Heyens, and Dean
Hodgson.
Secretary Norman Cain will invite
Jane Gillon of the Ontario Skills Devel-
opment Office to address the directors at
the November meeting.
Bill Gibson has prepared a resolu-
tion for the OFA annual convention
concerning the predator control policy
of the MNR.
Problems concerning the
Workmen's Compensation Board will
be postponed until the new executive is
elected.
Membership in the Rainy River
Federation of Agriculture is down about
10 per cent. This problem will also be
addressed when the new executive is
elected.
The entertainment committee of
Linda Armstrong, George Hyatt, and
Allan Teeple reported that arrange-
ments for the annual meeting have been
completed. The annual meeting and
election of officers for 1988 is October
24 at the Emo Arena.0
Dean Hodgson