HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1992-11-04, Page 14PAGE 14. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4,1992.
Brussels Livestock Rejjorh
run of pigs but cattle sell higherLight
Sales at Brussels Livestock for
the week ending Oct. 30 were: fed
cattle, 1045; cows, 291; veal
calves, 142; sheep and goats, 68;
stockers, 2200; and pigs, light run.
The market at Brussels Livestock
saw fed cattle selling $1 - $2 higher
with cows $1 - $2 lower.There
were 638 steers on offer selling
from $88 to $93 to the high of
$103. Twenty-five steers consigned
by Gerald Geisel, Elmira,
averaging 1352 lbs. sold for an
average of $93.70 with sales to
$103. Six steers consigned by Irvin
Schenk, Petersburg, averaging
1430 lbs. sold for an average of $91T7—* —
r arm
OFA to meet with Premier
to discuss future of farms
The Ontario Federation of Agri
culture (OFA) will be meeting
Wednesday, Nov. 4 (today) with
Premier Bob Rae and his Cabinet
to address concerns about what
they perceive to be the governmen
t's continued lack of commitment to
agriculture. The message is that
with one in seven Ontario jobs
dependent on agri-business, there
will be a dramatic effect on the
economy and social structure of
rural Ontario if things don't change.
"There's more at stake here than
the future livelihood of thousands
of Ontario farm families," said
OFA President Roger George.
"We're talking about the potential
loss of hundreds of thousands of
jobs linked to our agricultural pro
duction. Ontario will pay a tremen
dous price if we lose our farming
industry."
The OFA meets annually with
No-till cropping saves time
No-till cropping holds many
advantages for use on the farm
today1. Not only does it save time
by reducing tillage hours, but it
also saves on fuel costs and reduces
soil compaction. No-till breaks the
oil open by use of a coulter directly
in front of the seeding units. This
means that the ground is opened
only seconds before the seed is
planted. Because you do not need
to plough or cultivate before
planting with no-till, soil moisture
is retained and the time previously
spent on tillage can now be used
working at other farm duties. Less
fuel is used on the farm due to
fewer passes, and compaction is
reduced. By not working the soils
prior to planting the potential for
soil erosion is greatly reduced as
the soil is not as exposed to the
elements, and crop residue cover
holds the soil in place.
Crops can be planted directly into
the residue of the previous crop
using the no-till method, even only
a short time after the harvest. This
is a great advantage when planting
winter grain crops. During the busy
harvest season crops can be planted
no-till in a minimal amount of time,
when compared to conventional
methods. As well no-till equipment
can be used with smaller tractors
leaving larger machinery available
for the harvest.
With soil erosion being such a
problem in this area of southern
Ontario, there has been a move
towards conservation tillage
practices. No-till is one practice
that greatly reduces soil erosion. By
with sales to $98.50. Forty-two
steers consigned by Maple Emblem
Farms, Dungannon, averaging 1342
lbs. sold for an average of $92.30
with sales to $97.75.
Three steers consigned by
Gordon Daer, Auburn, averaging
1200 lbs. sold for an average of
$94.47 with sales to $95.50. Four
steers consigned by Scott Geisel,
West Montrose, averaging 1553
lbs. sold for an average of $93.31
with sales to $95.00. Twelve steers
consigned by De Kroon Farms
Ltd., Dublin, averaging 1437 lbs.
sold for an average of $89.14 with
sales to $94.00. Eight steers
the Ontario Cabinet and the key
message of this year's brief is the
need for government action
towards retooling Ontario’s floun
dering agricultural sector. "Farmers
are spending more and more dollars
on repairing old buildings, old
equipment, old technology," says
Mr. George. "The tools to do the
job are wearing out and must be
replaced if Ontario farmers are to
remain competitive in the global
market."
The agri-food sector is the sec
ond largest in the Ontario economy
and as such is affected by influ
ences from a number of Ontario
ministries. Included in its presenta
tion to Cabinet, the OFA will dis
cuss trade, the Environmental Bill
of Rights, waste management, the
Labour Relations Act, farm credit
and Ministry of Natural Resources
activities.
limiting the amount of soil tilled to
only a small trench into which the
seed is placed, no-till leaves very
little soil susceptible to erosion.
Because no-till goes directly into
crop residues, the residue cover
helps to hold the soil in place. No
till planting is not only a time
saving method, but also a good
means of preventing soil erosion.
In Huron County a no-till
program has been established by
the Huron Soil and Water
Conservation District in conjunc
tion with the Ausable-Bayfield and
Maitland Valley Conservation
Authorities and the Huron County
office of the Ontario Ministry of
Continued on page 15
THURSDAYS
FRIDAYS
9 a.m. Finished
Cattle& Cows
LI:00 a.m. Dropped Calves
Veals followed
by Goats
Sheep & Lambs
10:00 a.m. Stocker Cattle
1:00 p.m. Pigs
consigned by K & A Beef Farms,
Wroxeter, averaging 1328 lbs. sold
for an average of $91.88 with sales
to$94.00.
Twenty-eight steers consigned by
Lome Forster, Lucknow, averaging
1260 lbs. sold for an average of
$92.13 with sales to $93.25.
Twenty-four steers consigned by
Glen Johnston, Bluevale, averaging
1320 lbs. sold for an average of
$90.76 with sales to $93.00. Forty
steers consigned by Dale & John
Taylor Farms, Creemore, averaging
1408 lbs. sold for an average of
$88.70 with sales to $91.00.
There were 383 heifers on offer
selling from $88 to $93 to the high
of $96.25. Eleven heifers consigned
by Bruce and Margot McCormack,
Fergus, averaging 1063 lbs. sold
for an average of $90.57 with sales
to $96.25. Seven heifers consigned
by Sellers Farms, Bluevale,
averaging 1157 lbs. sold for an
average of $94.99 with sales to
$96. Ten heifers consigned by
Murray Smith, Dublin, averaging
1110 lbs. sold for an average of
$93.25 with sales to $95.25.
Fourteen heifers consigned by John
Hunter, Grand Valley, averaging
1106 lbs. sold for an average of
$92.35 with sales to $95. Four
heifers ^consigned by Lyle Noble,
Glencaim, averaging 1178 lbs. sold
for an average of $89.01 with sales
to $94.75. Twenty-two heifers
consigned by Terry Dalton,
Lucknow, averaging 1047 lbs. sold
for an average of $87.84 with sales
to $92.50. Eleven heifers consigned
by Lloyd Shaw, Moorefield,
averaging 973 lbs. sold for an
average of $90.92 with sales to
$91.75. Four heifers consigned by
Ray Zettler, Walkerton, averaging
1278 lbs. sold for an average an
average of $90.61 with sales to
$91.00.
There were 291 cows on offer
selling from $47 to $57 to the high
of $75.25. Five cows consigned by
John McLean, Tara, averaging
1226 lbs. sold for an average of
$55.85 with sales to $75.25. Four
cows consigned by Barry Riehl,
Monkton, averaging 985 lbs. sold
for an average of $59.64 with sales
to $68.00. Two cows consigned by
Mike Gutscher, Mildmay,
averaging 1350 lbs. sold for an
average of $60.17 with sales to
$66.50.
There were 142 veal on offer
selling from $70 to $100 to the
high of $110.00. Three veal
consigned by John Martin,
Lucknow, averaging 580 lbs. sold
for an average of $98.87 with sales
to $110.00. Four veal consigned
Doug Marriott, St. Marys,
averaging 590 lbs. sold for an
average of $94.23 with sales to
$105.00. Five veal consigned by
Bill Beuermann, Dublin, averaging
600 lbs. sold for an average of
$90.41 with sales to $100.00.
Lambs: 50 - 80 lbs. sold from
$78 to $105; 80 lbs. and over sold
from $77.
There were 2200 stockers: 400 -
500 lbs. sold from $110 - $125;
500 - 600 lbs., $105 - $118; over
600 lbs., $100-$110.
Heifers: 400 - 500 lbs. sold from
$100 - $115; 500 - 600 lbs., $100 -
$108; over 600 lbs., $85 - $100.——
Speaking
of Farming
I By Keith Roulston
Some things never change
Some Huron County residents last week heard about a new political
movement in the '90s: a movement concerned because farmers had less
and less impact in a society that was growing increasingly urbanized; a
movement that was unhappy with the main line political parties and
concerned with the future of farming at a time prices were at rock bot
tom. Haven't heard of this new movement? That's because we're talking
about the 1890s, not the 1990s.
The Patrons of Industry was the subject of a talk at the Huron County
Historical Society's annual fall banquet in Brucefield last week. The
Patrons was a movement that started in the U.S. and spread across the
river from Michigan. Huron, Grey and Wellington counties ended up
the hot-beds for the party during its short lifetime. The new movement
fed on frustration and discontent, particularly on the part of farmers.
There was a depression in the 1890's too, particularly in farm prices.
The world was changing for farmers. Years of growing wheat had
undermined the fertility of the soil. Industrialization was luring more
and more people to the cities. Others were leaving their Ontario farmers
to take up land in the Northwest, or the American west.
In frustration, the people of rural southwestern Ontario turned to a
new party. Between 1890 and 1896 the party prospered, then died
almost as quickly as it was bom. The party tried to be all things to all
people. It tried to represent farmers and workers at the same time, tried
even to bring small business into the mix. The one common thread was
that everybody was fed up with the rest of the political parties. In the
long run, the party couldn't keep everybody happy and people drifted
off to other movements. To some extent, the Patrons of Industry paved
the way for another rural political movement, the United Farmers of
Ontario, a group that eventually got enough support that it formed the
government in Ontario before it too faded into oblivion.
The lesson, perhaps, is that some things never change, that discontent
on the farm has always been with us, that urban influence has been
growing for a long time. It isn't comforting to know that, particularly,
but it is reassuring to know that despite a century of doom and gloom
about the future of farming, we're still here.
Northrup King is
proud to introduce
Blair Fraser
R.R. #2, Blyth, Ont. N0M 1 HO
(519) 887-9283
Your New Dealer
’’Because, you're
in the business
to grow. And
we're here to
help"
CT
NORTHRUP KING
I
A Company on the move