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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1994-03-16, Page 340 N 0' Farmers must utilize technological changes by Debbie Davidson CHESLEY--A hog producer from Waterloo shared his ideas on management techniques for dealing with changes in the industry. Bob Hunsperger, who has been in the swine industry since 1968, told farmers attending Grey -Bruce Fanners Week that advancing technology usually takes more than one generation to get assimilated. He said the industry is in the middle of two technological changes right now; computeriza- tion and biotechnology. Comput- ers are being used on everything from record keeping to monitor- ing combines. In the field of biotechnology, advancements have made if possible to predict which animals will be the ones to get sick, even as far as which of these animals will survive or die. Hunsperger commended the Ontario Pork Producers' Market - Bob Hunsperger ing Board for its process of discussion and feeling its way in areas' like NAFTA and GATT. He feels supply management won't be lost under GATT as "Canadian commodities can be internationally competitive, espe- cially if human aspects get added to our products. "It's a fact that people are always going to have to eat, but they don't have to eat what we produce." Hunsperger also spoke about the dramatic results of split -sex feeding and batching. He started using these methods in 1992 and has seen an increase in mortality rates. "The pressure is on you and I, ordinary hog farmers in rural Ontario, to find ways to use this technology. However, few farms in Ontario will be able to incor- porate these technologies on their own." As hog producers change to meet new challenges, so must the boards and governments change to meet new needs, he said. Open communication be- tween all segments of the indus- try is. necessary. Many conditional ideas are now proving tg, be wrong, so farmers much "also change the way they think, he said. Farm Progress '94 -Page 17 Now did You Do ? Answere _1 S TOR K (: 1) G ) S NTMPS Y ECSC F 1. 't TA (; M V tl Y (' ( () 11 1, R O O F O R 11 O M A It R( G 1 X 11 F. P. S f:) P F 1) M I S K T () l► A 1 A 11 P c; BRO CC 0 1. 1 li N M F F. ?. 1 11 I 1, i. P F K T II "1 I R R F R N S M 1 Y S t. R I O A X R N NW M 1, 1) N F M M P F T (; 11 N F Z 1 0 () W 1. () 11 V 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 �— PGG CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING CENTRE BUILDING SUPPLIES CONTRACTING FREE ESTIMATES 588-3780 RESIDENTIAL• COMMERCIAL •AGRICULTURAL LOCATED ON HWY. #86 AT THE EAST END OF TOWN LUCKNOW RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL • AGRICULTURAL *Daly. Barns *Hog Barns 'chinking of building or renovating GIVE US A CALL NOW! reVigft-y Aluminum and Vinyl Sktng, Windows, Doors, Fascia, Soffit, Eavestroughs. If you are planning a new building or renovating your existing one this year, call. "FLEE ESTIMATES" We have the experience to build "WHAT YOU WANT... WHEN YOU WANT IT." 1' New Home Construction HOME RENOVATIONS