HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1995-03-15, Page 15Meeting the members
Stephen Thompson (second from left), president of the Huron County Federation of
Agriculture, introduces the head table at the Federation's Members of Parliament Dinner in
Clinton, Saturday. Taking part in the day-long discussions were (left to right): Paul Steckle,
MP Huron-Bruce; Mr. Thompson; Bruce Machan, warden of Huron County; Paul Klopp, MPP
for Huron and Henry Boot, vice-president, Huron Federation.
MP hears Ag. groups concerns
arm
Steckle advocates faster
pesticide registration
BRUSSELS LIVESTOCK
Division of Gamble & Rogers Ltd.
UPCOMING SALES
TUESDAYS 9 a.m. Finished
Cattle & Cows
THURSDAYS 9:00 a.m. Dropped Calves
Veals followed
by Goats
Sheep & Lambs
FRIDAYS 10:00 a.m. Stocker Cattle
1:00 p.m. Pigs
SPECIAL EASTER LAMB & GOAT -
THURSDAY, MARCH 30 & THURSDAY, APRIL 6
In lieu of Good Friday the sale will be held
Sat. April 15th
411111
BRUSSELS 887-6461
Coming event. Inform The Citizen
THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15, 1995. PAGE 15
Brussels Livestock report
Veal prices drop $2, beef average $90 to $108.50
Sales at Brussels Livestock for
the week ending March 10 were:
fed cattle, 689; cows, 292, veal
calves, 173; sheep and goats, light
run; stockers, 729; and pigs, 55.
The market at Brussels Livestock
saw fed steers and heifers selling
on a good strong active trade. Cows
sold steady. Thursday saw veal
selling $2 lower. Lambs sold on a
strong trade. Friday saw stockers
selling steady.
There were 346 steers on offer
selling from $96 to $100 to the
high of $118. Thirty steers
consigned by Cunningham Farms,
Lucan, averaging 1,441 lbs. sold
for an average of $97.25 with sales
to $113.50. Thirty-eight steers
consigned by Keith Griffith,
Chatham, averaging 1,426 lbs. sold
for an average of $98.81 with sales
to $108.25. Twelve steers
consigned by Johnston Farms,
Bluevale, averaging 1,383 lbs. sold
for an average of $98.63 with sales
to $103.
Ten steers consigned by Paul
Johnston, Bluevale, averaging
1,398 lbs. sold for an average of
$100.03 with sales to $102.
Thirteen steers consigned by James
McCarthy, Granton, averaging
1,453 lbs. sold for an average of
$97.76 with sales to $101.50.
Eleven steers consigned by Bob
Rice, Staffa, averaging 1,379 lbs.
sold for an average of $100.37 with
sales to $101.20.
Thirteen steers consigned by
Schmidt Brook Farms Inc.,
Woodstock, averaging 1,471 lbs.
While few farm groups attending
the Huron County Federation of
Agriculture's Members of Parlia-
ment dinner on Saturday had major
complaints about the recent federal
budget, several were concerned that
the government hasn't thought its
cuts through.
Eldon Bowman, speaking for the
Huron County Milk Committee
criticized some of the budget's cuts
from the agriculture budget that
will see less money spent on
research, an area of government
support that would have been
"green" (permissible) under GATT
regulations. Instead of cutting
research, he said, the government
should be channeling, savings else-
where into more ways to help farm-
ers that would be "green". If there
arc further cuts in the dairy subsidy
beyond the current 30 per cent, he
said, those cuts should be used to
fund more "green" programs like
research.
Paul Steckle, MP for Huron
Bruce, said that is exactly what the
government has in mind but Bill
Wallace, HCFA past president
wondered why Agriculture Canada
is then cutting such programs. He
told Mr. Steckle that there needs to
be an overall plan to help farmers
face the trade challenges of the
sold for an average of $97.91 with
sales to $101.10. Two steers
consigned by Hammond Bros.,
Monkton, averaging 1,513 lbs. sold
for an average of $97.43 with sales
to $100.75. Two steers consigned
by Paul Schmidt, Gadshill,
averaging 1,388 lbs. sold for an
average of $97.98 with sales to
$99.25. Twelve steers consigned by
Ron Coulter, Creemore, averaging
1,361 lbs. sold for an average of
$94.94 with sales to $98.75.
There were 226 heifers on offer
selling from $96 to $100 to the
high of $118. Twenty-one heifers
consigned by Wayne O'Brien,
Centralia, averaging 1,295 lbs. sold
for an average of $88.26 with sales
to $118. Five heifers consigned by
Kevin Johnston, Bluevale,
averaging 1,190 lbs. sold for an
average of $104.67 with sales to
$109.50. One heifer consigned by
John Brown, Walton, weighing
1,205 lbs. sold for $104.
Fourteen heifers consigned by by
Mux Lea Farms, Woodstock,
averaging 1,208 lbs. sold for an
average of $98.20 with sales to
$103. Eight heifers consigned by
Lloyd Weppler, Ayton, averaging
1,331 lbs. sold for an average of
$99.02 with sales to $100.85. Three
heifers consigned by Warren
Weppler, Clifford, averaging 1,225
lbs. sold for an average of $97.02
with sales to $100. One heifer
consigned by Mel Weber,
Wingham, weighing 1,010 lbs. sold
for $99.
Two heifers consigned by
future at the same time the govern-
ment cuts costs.
Mr. Steckle said that while
research facilities would be cut,
some research would continue to be
carried on with other private com-
panies. But Ken Kelly, second
vice-president of the Ontario Feder-
ation of Agriculture (OFA), won-
dered who gets the rights for profits
from research where the taxpayer
funds research with a major compa-
ny. Mr. Steckle said he'd have to
find that out, saying he didn't like
the idea of companies getting prof-
its for research supported by the
public.
Mr. Bowman said dairy farmers
were prepared to accept the 30 per
cent subsidy cut on industrial milk
although it came right off their bot-
tom line, but he wondered if they
would be allowed to pass the costs
on to consumers. The last time the
cost of production formula indicat-
ed that farmers should get more,
their application for an increase
was appealed by the industrial pro-
cessors and the full increase wasn't
granted.
Mr. Kelly said the cabinet hasn't
allowed several price increases
requested by dairy farmers. ".1 he
government talks about getting it
out of the marketplace but won't
Murray Bancroft, Milverton,
averaging 905 lbs. sold for $99.
Four heifers consigned by Ron
Jackson, Stratford, averaging
1,206 lbs. sold for an average of
$97.47 with sales to $98.75. Six
heifer consigned by Mery
McPherson, Orangeville, averaging
1,183 lbs. sold for an average of
$96.92 with sales to $98.75.
There were 292 cows on offer
selling from $45 to $65 to the high
of $74. Four cows consigned by
James Winger, Listowel, averaging
1,118 lbs. sold for an average of
$60.12 with sales to $74. Two
cows consigned by Ellen Keith,
Teeswater, averaging 1,625 lbs.
sold for an average of $70.64 with
sales to $71.50. Eight cows
consigned by Roy Taylor, Orton,
averaging 1,196 lbs. sold for an
average $64.16 with sales to
$67.75.
There were 14 bulls on offer
selling from $56 to $74.50 to the
high of $97.50. One led bull
consigned by K & A Beef Farms,
Wroxeter, weighing 1,1810 lbs.
sold for $97.50. One black bull
consigned by Mike Courtney,
Ripley, weighing 2,050 lbs. sold
for $94.75.
There were 173 veal on offer
selling, Holstein, $89 to $90; and
Beef $90 to $108.50. Ten veal
consigned by Rob Weppler, Tara,
averaging 668 lbs. sold for an
average of $94.31 with sales to
$108.50. One veal consigned by
Ezra Mast, Desboro, weighing 600
lbs. sold for $105. Four veal
allow it out of the marketplace."
Mr. Steckle said that while farm
ers must get their returns from the
marketplace, they must also have
internationally competitive prices
and pointed out prices in New York
State are lower than in Canada. But
Mr. Wallace pointed out 35 per
cent of New York dairy farmers'
income is from taxpayer subsidies.
There is no real international
trade in dairy products, he said,
with only seven per cent of dairy
production world wide moving
between countries. "There is no
export market for us in the U.S.
because the Americans have, as
usual, arranged their trade agree-
ments to block imports."
While the tone of the meeting
was generally supportive of the
federal budget, Mr. Kelly said he
was worried by the "warm and
snuggly" reception it had received.
This was the fourth hit in four years
the agriculture budget had taken, he
said and while people spoke of
"only $400 million" cut from agri-
culture programs, there was also
$750 million cut from the trans-
portation budget for WGTA subsi-
dies. "For the fourth time in a row
agriculture took a hell of a bigger
hit than anyone else in society."
consigned by Jim D. Thompson,
Seaforth, averaging 503 lbs. sold
for an average of $86.15 with sales
to $104.50.
Lambs sold $150 to $230.
Stockers: steers, 400 - 499 lbs.,
sold $106.50 to $131; 500 - 599
lbs., $102 to $131; 600 - 699 lbs.,
$90 to $121; 700 - 799 lbs., $89.50
to $107; 800 - 899 lbs., $90 to
The federal government is taking
steps to speed up registration of
new pesticides, Paul Steckle,
Huron-Bruce MP said Saturday,
but even the "improved" process
may be slower than the competitors
for Canadian farmers.
Mr. Steckle told farmers attend-
ing the Members of Parliament din-
ner of the Huron County Federation
of Agriculture that where four
departments had previously been
involved in registering a pesticide
for use by Canadian farmers, one
agency has now been set up to han-
dle the approval. It's hoped to
By Alan McCallum
Soil and Crop Advisor for
Huron County
The feature speaker for Huron's
Spring Crops Update, on March 21
in Seaforth, has been confirmed.
Brian Doidge, Head of Financial
Management at Ridgetown
College, will shed some light on
the grain and oilseeds markets after
some volatility in the world
currency situation.
In addition, Gordon Scheifele, a
Corn Researcher from Ridgetown
$108.50; 900 - 999 lbs., $93.50 to
$112; 1,000 and over, $72 to
$94.25.
Heifers, 400 - 499 lbs., $97 to
$121; 500 - 599 lbs., $86 to
$112.50; 600 - 699 lbs., $84.50 to
$110; 700 - 799 lbs., $87.50 to to
$105; 800 to $899 lbs., $85.50 to
$100.50; and 900 lbs. and over,
$67.50 to $94.
shorten the approval time to 18
months from three or four years.
Recently one new spray for pota-
toes was approved in only six
months.
But Ken Kelly, second vice-pres-
ident of the Ontario Federation of
Agriculture, said he had heard
recently that California had devel-
oped an approval system that put
all government agencies at one
table and would shorten the
approval time to one year. That
might give California farmers a
seven-year lead on Canadian farm-
ers in getting to use some, of the
chemicals, he said.
College, will be sharing his
findings on narrow row corn
production. Updates on nitrogen on
red wheat, edible bean production
and soybean extrusion will round
out the program.
The meeting will be held at the
Agricultural Society Building in
Seaforth. Registration will begin at
9:30 a.m. on March 21. The fee for
the day will be $12 if you
preregister at the Ontario Ministry
of Agriculture, Food and Rural
Affairs office in Clinton by March
17. The fee will be $15 at the door.
Financial manager speaks
on volatile grain markets