HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1992-11-25, Page 15THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25,1992. PAGE 15.
Speaking
of Farming
Advice for dairy farmers
Seeing is disbelieving
Generally, farmers have the comfort of knowing that, even if they'll
never get rich, they're providing the most essential service in the world:
feeding people. What happens, however, when you find out that the
product you've been producing for years is suddenly supposed to be
harmful to people.
Nearly every day some "expert" comes out with a warning of some
damage that may be done to you from eating this or that. A couple of
weeks ago it was Dr. Spock, making a controversial statement that
cow's milk, once regarded as nature's most nearly perfect food, shouldn't
be consumed by children at all. Farmers have heard so many of these
warnings over the years that they generally don't even get excited any
more unless they see sales of their product start to drop. But what do
you do if your whole way of life is based on something that is proven to
be harmful to the people who use it.
In some cases, you try to ignore all the evidence to the contrary. That
kind of defence comes up now and then when tobacco farmers, faced
with losing a very profitable way of farming, try to ignore all the evi
dence that smoking is harmful to your health. Local writer Adrian Vos
was recently taken to task by a letter writer in Farm and Country for
suggesting that in taxing the tobacco industry out of existence, the fed
eral government was really only doing what the majority of voters want.
The Japanese smoke twice as much as North Americans but live longer,
the writer claimed. "So much for medical studies".
Taxes, not a new awareness of health risks, are blamed by many
tobacco growers. They see themselves as persecuted by government. At
least in public statements, few tobacco farmers have any moral doubt
about producing a product that kills thousands of Canadians a year.
It's part of human nature that we don't want to believe what we don't
want to hear... especially if we've been showing a neat profit doing what
we're doing.
So far there's a lot of doubt about Dr. Spock's statements, even in the
medical fraternity, let alone farmers. More recent research shows the
jury still seems to be out on cholesterol, even though public perception
is that it's bad for you. If evidence mounts, however, that some food we
now take for granted is a health hazard, how will farmers react?
Assoc, postpones meeting
due to late harvest of crops
by Dennis Martin
Farm Management Specialist
for Huron County
The secret to maintaining high
milk production is to maximize on
harvesting and feeding quality
roughage. However, Mother Nature
does not always co-operate!
Most dairy producers would
agree this year was difficult to
harvest good quality milking cow
hay. Some first cut hay harvested in
early June got into storage without
any rain. Many other producers are
faced with feeding a barn full of
mostly weathered hay. So WHAT
CAN BE DONE?
First of all, analyze the hay you
have. Rained-on hay will be of
much poorer quality. The amount
of damage depends upon species,
plant maturity, timing and amount
of rainfall. Rainfall during the first
24 hours after cutting causes less
damage than rain falling on dry hay
still in a windrow. First-cut legume
hay has ranged from five per cent
to 22 per cent in protein.
If you have poorer quality hay,
be prepared to increase protein and
energy supplementation this winter
to compensate. Feed quality can
influence so much more than just
production. Health, conception,
heifer growth and the size of your
monthly feed bill can all be related
to the quality and management of
your home grown roughage.
W. Wawanosh council hears
Since a good feeding program
can directly affect profit, I would
encourage producers to routinely
test feed and balance rations
accordingly.
Feed sample bags and input
forms on feed testing are available
at the Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture and Food, Clinton. A
ration can then be formulated based
on the analysis of your feed. If this
service is of interest to you, feel
free to contact our office.
SPECTACULAR
SPECIAL
By Brian Hall
Farm Management Specialist
for Huron County
The annual meeting of the Huron
Soil and Crop Improvement
Association has been postponed,
due to the late harvest of field
crops. The meeting has been
rescheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 12.
Guest speakers at the annual
meeting will address crop storage,
handling and 1993 crop production
considerations in regards to the
Renewal period
for driver's license
extended
If you are an Ontario driver you'll
be making fewer trips to the licence
office to renew your driver's
licence as a result of a Ministry of
Transportation initiative to extend
the renewal period.
“Changing the renewal period is
one way we are taking steps to
improve customer service and
make the best use of ministry
resources,” said Ontario
Transportation Minister Gilles
Pouliot.
Currently, Ontario's six million
licensed drivers must renew their
licence every three years. The
change in the renewal period goes
into effect for drivers whose
licences expire on or after Jan.20. It
will take seven years for the change
to affect all drivers.
The renewal process will remain
the same for most types of licences.
People with licences to drive
tractor-trailers, buses, trucks and
ambulances will still be required to
have medical examinations every
three years.
The annual fee for a driver's
licence remains unchanged at $10
per year.
Notification of an upcoming
renewal with the fee will continue
to be sent out well in advance of
the expiry date of a licence.
current com and soybean harvest.
The meeting will be held during the
day at the Stanley Township
Community Centre, Varna.
Producers are encouraged to
continue sending in corn hybrid
trial results. Trial results will be
valuable to growers in evaluating
relative hybrid maturity. Producers
may also wish to take bushel
weights on varieties in evaluating
maturities.
crop damage complaint
Neil Rintoul, RR2, Lucknow,
attended the Nov. 3 meeting of
West Wawanosh council to discuss
crop damage he has suffered due to
the unsatisfactory condition of the
Gaunt Drain. Council told Mr. Rin
toul the drain in on the list for
cleanout in 1992, but the hold-up
has been obtaining Ministry of Nat
ural Resources approval for the
work.
Roy Taylor was present to
answer questions regarding receipts
and expenditures reported by the
Warrior Days Committee. Council
had no questions.
Marion Zinn presented a brief
report of activities of the Wingham
and District Hospital board.
Representatives, including Gloria
Workman of the Wheels Away
Special Transit Corporation are to
be invited to the December meeting
of council to make a presentation
on behalf of the organization.
A one-year subscription to
Municipal World magazine is to be
purchased in the name of Clerk
Joan Armstrong as an office copy.
Leonard and Pat Lugsdin, owners
of east half Lot 26, Cone. 6 and
Cynthia Fisher, Huron County
planner attended the meeting to dis
cuss Mr. Lugsdin's appeal to have
his property zoned AG 1 rather than
NE3.
Council agreed to consider the
change in accordance with the rec-
ommendations of the Maitland Val
ley Conservation Authority and
will hold a public meeting to
address the proposed changes.
Neighbours abutting the property
will be informed of the meeting.
Reeve Bob Hallam and Mrs.
Armstrong were given authoriza
tion to apply for an interim pay
ment of subsidy money on road
expenditures, totalling $346, 187,
to the end of October.
A letter is to be sent to G.H.
Brindley, regarding the hazardous
condition caused by parked vehi
cles on the road during sales at the
auction centre. Mr. Brindley will
have to provide adequate parking
off the road.
Road accounts totalling
$115,258.61 and general accounts
in the amount of $24,617.33 were
approved for payment.
Council concurred with a resolu
tion from Georgian Bay Township
opposing the implementation of the
Cousineau Commission recommen
dation by the Ministry of Education
regarding the establishment of both
French and English separate and
public school boards across
Ontario.
A rating by-law to impose special
rates on certain lots to cover tile
drainage loans in the amount of
$5,600 was passed.
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