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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1996-02-07, Page 23CONVEYAIRTM Easier, Healthier, Safer GRAIN MOVER Ready to Vac!? as low as: $13,100.00* Includes Hoses and Dust Collector System • MSL - Dealer may sell for less authorized dealer Huron Feeding Systems Brussels 519 /887-6289 USSELS LIVESTOCK 'vision of Gamble & Rogers Ltd. TUESDAYS 9 a.m. Finished Cattle & Cows THURSDAYS 10:00 a.m. Dropped Calves Veals followed by Goats Sheep & Lambs FRIDAYS 10:00 a.m. Stocker Cattle 1:00 p.m. Pigs BRUSSELS 887-6461 ALMETAL UNLOADER AND DISTRIBUTOR 4.9% 2 year financing available OAC $2,500 minimum for financing FREE Installations on silo unloader, mixer, feeder and conveyor for January & February • Electrical extra "Call Joe for free estimates" HURON FEEDING SYSTEMS Brussels 887-6289 THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1996 PAGE 23. Brussels Livestock report Better quality veal brings prices up $3 to $4 Sales at Brussels Livestock for the week ending Feb. 1 were: fed cattle, 369; cows, 125; veal calves, 198; sheep and goats, light run and stockers, 692. Fed steers and heifers sold under pressure at prices $2 lower. The cows sold actively at prices $2 to $4 higher. A better quality offering of veal calves traded $3 to $4 higher, with pressure on the heavy and plain calves. On Friday calves sold steady with the yearlings selling $2 to $3 lower. There were 247 fed steers on offer selling from $80 to $84 to the high of $95.50. A RWF steer consigned by Cunningham Farms, Lucan, weighing 1,440 lbs. sold for $95.50 and was purchased by Norwich By Amy Neilands Huron County farm leaders gathered in Clinton last week to discuss the future of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA). Faced with a proposed 35 per cent cut to the OMAFRA budget, leaders from the county's farm groups met at the OMAFRA office to discuss courses of action to take against further cuts to agriculture. After facing a 25 per cent reduc- tion to the OMAFRA budget in 1991, the Progressive Conserva- tive election promise was no further cuts to the ministry. Steve Thompson, president of the Huron County Federation of Agriculture (HCFA), presented a breakdown of the present $451.6 million budget: 34.8 per cent of the budget is made up of the Farm Tax Rebate Program, 32 per cent is made up of transfer payments from GRIP, NISA and crop insurance and 33 per cent is made up of direct operating of the ministry. "We could eliminate any one program completely and we would still be short 35 per cent," said Thompson, adding that unfortun- ately the one-third that will be cut will likely be the "people out in the field doing things; the people who deal with you, who work with you." "We're here to find out what OMAFRA can do without," he said. "Can there be a cutback of 35 per cent and still provide a meaningful level of service? Cuts of this magnitude cause me personally a great deal of concern. Especially when we hear the government say one thing and mean another." The groups present listed a number of OMAFRA services they use. They ranged from the use of the building for meetings to secretarial work such as photocopying by the staff. The possibility of a user-pay system was presented for such services as the use of the building, staff and equipment. 500,000,000 - Half a billion dollars is spent by Ontario snowmobilers each season. Packers, with their total offering of 35 steers averaging 1,458 lbs. selling for the overall price of $81.81. Fourteen steers consigned by Howard Martin, Brussels, averaging 1,407 lbs. sold for an overall price of $82.87 to the top of $88.75. Twelve steers consigned by Gerald Rathwell, Brucefield, averaging. 1,431 lbs. sold for an average price of $76.73 to the high of $85.25. Thirteen steers consigned by Schmidt Brook Farms, Woodstock, averaging 1,448 lbs. sold for an average price of $80.61 with sales to $84.75. Thirty-eight steers consigned by Mac Willits, Wing- ham, averaging 1,472 lbs. sold for the overall price of $79.37 to the top of $84.50. Thirty-two steers Great concern was voiced by the Huron County 4-H program. Added up throughout the year, the club depends on OMAFRA for 1,000 hours of work. 4-H uses the facilities, equipment, and a large amount of secretarial work from OMAFRA. The total cost of running the Huron County program is $27,000 and with $1,400 coming from fundraising from the program, representatives from 4-H were concerned about the future of the club without OMAFRA. "We should keep OMAFRA at any cost," a representative from the wheat producers stated, adding that any reduction in the budget would not make OMAFRA useful to anyone. "If we're looking at a 35 per cent reduction, OMAFRA will be of no use to anybody," it was noted by a participant. "We have to justify its existence at the level of funding now. We must go to them with real numbers. That's our first step; to get the numbers." "We shouldn't be accepting any cuts to agriculture," said Jeanne Kirkby, adding that agriculture is the number two industry in Ontario. "It's like killing the goose that lays the golden egg...But we have very little time to accomplish anything before this hits us," she consigned by Norm Stewart, Mount Forest, averaging 1,538 lbs. sold for an average price of $79.25 with sales to $83.25. Eight Charolais steers consigned by Bill Van Dyke, Lucknow, averaging 1,401 lbs. sold for an overall price of $79.29 to the high of $82. Seven steers consigned by Noah Weppler, Ayton, averaging 1,535 lbs. sold for an average price of $76.64 with sales to $82. There were 116 fed heifers on offer selling from $80 to $84 to the high of $90. Two red heifers consigned by Dave Bender, Palmerston, averaging 1,115 lbs. sold for $90 and were purchased by Dominion Meat Packers. Fourteen heifers consigned by Mux-Lea Farms, Woodstock, averaging 1,293 lbs. sold for an average price of $81.43 to the high of $87. A Limousin heifer consigned by John Miller, Ayton, weighing 1,345 lbs. sold for $85.75. Eight heifers consigned by Ahren Bros. Farms, Mitchell, averaging 1,283 lbs. sold for the overall price of $80.92 to the top of $84.rA black heifer consigned by Ross Henry, Goderich, weighing 1,260 lbs. sold added as the cuts are expected to come by the end of March. "We need these tools to carry on," another participant said of the agriculture ministry. "We need these photocopiers. If we start eroding from the bottom up there will be nothing to stand on." The consensus at the meeting was for the different farm groups to band together as one voice and present their opposition to the government. "If we speak with one voice and if everybody works together, we can accomplish something," stated Kirkby. "When we fall on tough times the government is there to help us," said Tom Pollard. "Now the government is having a tough time and we can help them; let's come to their rescue," he added, stating that this is the chance for their groups to aid the government financially. "Ontario agriculture has already taken its share of hits," said Bill Wallace, past president of the HCFA. Wallace suggested that the government look at other ministries for cuts before coming back for more cuts to agriculture. After debating the issue, the group decided to gather the facts and figures on agriculture in both Huron County and Ontario and present that information to Huron for $83.25. There were 125 cows on offer selling from $32 to $52 to the high of $62.25. A Limousin cow consigned by John Winger, Palmerston, weighing 1,355 lbs. sold for $62.25. A Holstein cow consigned by Terpstra Farms, Brussels, weighing 1,450 lbs. sold for $57.50. A Simmental cow consigned by Francis Moran, Williamsford, weighing 1,560 lbs. sold for $56.60. A Holstein cow consigned by Arnold Lamb, Goderich, weighing 1,415 lbs. sold for $55.50. A light run of bulls sold from $55 to $62. There were 198 veal on offer selling - Holstein, $62 to $72; Beef, $72 to $92 with sales to $93; Heavy and Plain, $50 to $58. A white veal consigned by Ducharme Farms Ltd., Zurich, weighing 740 lbs. sold for $93. A veal consigned by Don Smith, Mount Forest, weighing 640 lbs. sold for $86. Seven veal consigned by Pioneer Creek Farms, Ayton, averaging 585 lbs. sold for an average price of $79.39 to the high of $85.. Steers, 400 - 499 lbs., sold MPP Helen Johns. "We must show the importance of Huron County in agriculture," said Kirkby. "We are one of the biggest producers of agricultural products in Ontario. We must give Helen Johns the ammunition to take back (to the govern- ment)...Helen Johns is just one voice. But if we speak loud enough, more than Helen Johns will hear us." $62.50 to $109; 500 - 599 lbs., $64.50 to $87.50; 600 - 699 lbs., $63.50 to $83; 700 - 799 lbs., $70 to $80.50; 800 - 899 lbs., $67.50 to $94.50; and 900 lbs. and over, $78 to $81. Heifers, 300 - 399 lbs., sold $51.50 to $85.50; 400 - 499 lbs., $53 to $95; 500 - 599 lbs., $61 to $81; 600 - 699 lbs., $58.50 to $73.50; 700 - 799 lbs., $52.50 to $71.50; and 800 lbs. and over, $68.50 to $79. arm Farm leaders discuss OMAFRA future