The Rural Voice, 1989-04, Page 86PERTH
County Pork Producers NEWSLETTER
Garry Van Loon, President
R. R. 2, Dublin 345-2942
• The Rural Voice is provided to Perth
County Pork Producers by the PCPPA
OPPMB ANNUAL
Another well -attended annual con-
vention was held at the Royal York in
Toronto last month.
Chairman Dave McDonald in his
address stated that we must refocus our
vision on some very important chal-
lenges.
Number 1: The changing of con-
sumer perceptions, attitudes, and needs.
Number 2: The growing environmental
needs. Number 3: Animal welfare.
Number 4: The increase in regulations.
Number 5: The changing government
climate.
He went on to say that the consumer
will continue to be the most important
factor in our industry.
Over the years, consumers have
come to reject products that are too fat.
Pork has probably gone further than any
other meat in becoming one of the lean-
est sources of animal protein available.
However, satisfying today's consumer
requires more than providing a lean
product.
Consumers demand a product that is
lean, nutritious and wholesome, and
free of hormones, sulpha, or any other
drug residues.
Perth County delegates supported
the carried resolution to increase the
promotion budget by 10 cents per hog.
This increase was necessary to make the
national and provincial promotion pro-
grams more effective.
Also carried was a resolution re-
questing changes in the regulations to
enable the fining and punishment of
repeated offenders who are not abiding
by the recommended withdrawal peri-
ods for medications.
• GOOD ARTICLES • GOOD COVERAGE • GOOD HUMOUR •
Lynn Lowry, of Lynn Lowry Farm Systems Ltd. at Amberley,
has been advertising in every issue of The Rural Voice since
1976!
"Farming isn't all doom and gloom and The Rural Voice tells
the positive side of farming. I enjoy reading the magazine; I
believe my customers do too."
See the Lowry ad, page 69. Call 519-524-7668 to place your
ad or stop in at 10A The Square, Goderich, Ontario.
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84 THE RURAL VOICE
PERTH GROUPS MEET
The Perth County Federation of
Agriculture called a meeting last month
of the major commodity groups in Perth
County. The theme was "A Positive
Approach to Agriculture in the '90s."
President Clare Schlegel repre-
sented the PCPPA. Other Perth County
groups were the Christian Farmers Fed-
eration of Ontario, the County Corn
Producers, the County Milk Committee,
the County Wheat Producers, the Soy-
bean Growers, and Perth County
Women for the Support of Agriculture.
Each group submitted a written
brief. Nine central themes were com-
piled by PFA representatives to give the
discussion a positive and constructive
direction. Brigid Pyke, Elbert van
Donkersgoed, Dr. George Brinkman,
and Bob Seguin were guest panelists.
The topics discussed were: (1) grad-
ing standards, (2) research and develop-
ment, (3) safety net programs, (4) edu-
cation, (5) conservation, (6) lobbying
(commodity groups working together),
(7) taxation, (8) interest rates, (9) GATT
and free trade.
Many of our groups have similar
interests in most of these topics and
realize the value of working together
rather than against one another. The
task is large as farmers are only about
three per cent of the population. But
each commodity group is even smaller,
so our corporate efforts are essential.
The Perth Federation of Agriculture
is to be commended for bringing the
commodity groups of this diversified
agricultural county together.
DIRECTORS' MEETINGS
On March 7, 1989 an information
day was held for all Perth County asso-
ciation directors. The purpose of this
meeting was to bring directors up to date
about what the goals and objectives of
the association should be.
Parliamentary procedure was ex-
plained. Robert Stephens and Ken
Aitcheson did an excellent job prepar-
ing for this program.
The next directors' meeting is
April 5 at 7:30 p.m.
Arnold Van Moorsel, Mitchell