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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1995-03-01, Page 22 -THE HURON EXPOSITOR, March 1, 1995 Agriculture Uncertain future for dairy industry BY TIM CUMMING Expositor Editor A member of the Ontario Milk Marketing Board made it very clear to dairy farmers that the high value of milk quotas may not stay that way forever. Dairy producers must be aware that trade deals are being signed world-wide which may affect the Canadian industry. "The future is not known but the future could contain a number of roadblocks, hazards that could potentially influence us," said Bruce Saunders, who was speaking to the annual meeting of the Huron Milk Committee on Wednesday. "When the next trade agreement says tariffs will be at zero in 10 years that will be us." Essentially, he told dairy farmers to keep their eyes open when they were making decisions. "With what I've just said how can anybody justify $40 quota?" he asked. Saunders said he feared one day producers would approach him to say they were misled. "I fear individuals will come to me and say you lied to us, you told us to go bankrupt." He urged farmers to use a pencil and do some financial figuring and make sure they can afford the quota. TIM CUMMING PHOTO CHANGES FACE INDUSTRY - Bruce Saunders, a member of the Ontario Milk Marketing Board, gave a sometimes bleak look at possible future trade developments in the dairy industry when he spoke to the annual meeting of the Huron Milk Committee. The tariff walls will eventually come down, he warned. "There is no doubt tariffs will be removed over time," he said. "The next GATT round we'll have lower tariffs." * * * Canada must defend the right to impose tariffs on the import of milk products from the United States, said Bruce Saunders, a member of the Ontario Milk Marketing Board. The Americans are arguing the tariffs violate Canada's require- ments under the North American Free`rade Agreement. Canada insists that the recently -concluded GATT agreement takes precedence. "The legal side of it would seem to be very strong (in Canada's favour)," said Saunders. He said he opposed negotiations with the U. S. over the tariffs because any change would not be in Canada's favour. Huron MPP Paul Klopp also spoke to the annual meeting of the Huron County Milk Committee and said that the federal government has been asked "not to drag this on." He pointed to the case of the pork industry, saying it has been "nickled and dimed to death" by trade retali- ations from the U.S. Klopp told the assembled group of farmers that lawyers believe Canada has a strong case in the tariff issue. * * * Livestock genetics programs are the wrong area to cut government spending, said Bruce Saunders, a member of the Ontario Milk Mar- keting Board. "In livestock genetics our success has been phenomenal," Saunders told the annual meeting of the Huron County Milk Committee on Wednesday. "We pull the plug on programs they should be putting the dollars in." It's not big dollars in expenses, he said. About 200 people attended Wednesday's meeting of the Huron County Milk Committee. PUDDING FUN - Grade three students Henry Unger, Tuna Smith make pudding on Monday from Kim Baan, Huron Dairy Educator. class at Walton Public School. TIM CLAMING PHOTO and David McClory learned how to She was visiting Mrs. Laura Scott's Huron bids farewell to couple Friends and neighbors gathered at the Seaforth Curling Club Saturday night to show their appreciation and wish fond farewell to a popular and innovative area farmer and his family. Steve and Karen Carruthers will be returning to Bowmanville, where they are originally from, after five years in the Seaforth area. They have four boys. The Carruthers farmed 500 acres of th'eir own at RR 4 Seaforth in addition to 100 acres in a cash cropping venture this past year. He is a past director of the Huron County Federation of Agriculture. Also a stewart at Egmondville United Church, he was deeply involved in the Seaforth and Area Food Grains Project in which volunteers grow grain for the Canadian Food Grains Bank. Area volunteers help to feed thousands of starving people overseas because of their involvement. In 1994, its second year, the project resulted in six area churches and 40 volunteer farmers grow 114 acres of soybeans. Prior to this local churches raised money to help send food to the starving but were not involved in the actual growing of the grain. SERVICE APPRECIATED - Friends and acquaintances of Steve and Karen Carruthers gave the popular local family a farewell party at the Seaforth Curling Club Saturday night. They are moving back to Bowmanville after five years farming at RR 4 Seaforth. A past director of the Huron County Federation of Agriculture, Steve was also a driving force behind Seaforth Area Food Grains Project. Fellow farmer and friend Barry Gordon, also of RR 4 Seaforth, says about 70 people attended Saturday evening's farewell. He adds Carruthers remains on "the cutting edge of innovation" when it comes to growing techniques, such as no - till technology, and he and his family will be missed in the Seaforth area. Local 4-H leaders honoured The organizational and first meet- ing of the Huron 4-H Agricultural Machinery Club takes place on Tuesday, March 7, at 7:30 p.m. at Becker's Farm Equipment, Exeter (South end of Exeter on Highway 4). The topic is one of- the newest forms of tillage - 10 inch zone tillage for corn, soybeans and white beans. • All parents and friends are invited. For further information on this club, please contact Allan . Haugh, 522-0248. 4.11 LEADER AWARDS The following leaders were recog- nized at the 4-H Leader's Annual Meeting on Feb. 3: Five Year Award - Paul Betties, RR 3 Kippen; Janet Boot, RR 4 Clinton; Lori Cox, RR 2 Lucknow; Carolyn De Boer, RR 1. Bluevale; Ken De Boer, RR 2 Lucknow; Thellna Dougherty, Londesboro; Phil Garriock, RR 2 4 Auburn; Kiln Higgins, RR 5 Brus- sels; Helen Lapp, RR 1 Auburn; Ingy Marshall, RR 1 Londesboro; Doug Miller, RR 1 Lucknow; Carol McDonnell, RR 3 Blyth; and Jim Storey, RR 3 Clinton. Ten Year Award - Lavern Clark, Blyth. Fif- teen Year Award - Les Falconer, RR 5 Clinton; Florence Pullen, RR 4 Clinton. Twenty Year Award - Pat Saundercock, Clinton. Thirty - Five Year Award - Don Dodds, RR 1 Seaforth. Fewer dairy farmers in Huron Here are some of the changes which occurred in the dairy industry in Huron during - 1994, according to the Field Services Report of the Ontario Milk Marketing Board: •There were 345 producers as of Jan. 1, '95. Committee supports fund •Sixteen producers quit and sold their quota. •Two producers moved out of Huron. •There were two new producers. •There was one producer who con- verted from cream. The Huron County Milk Commit- tee has endorsed the Ken McKinnon Memorial Endowment Fund. The fund will raise money for research, further education and an agricultural leadership course. Ken McKinnon was a former chairperson of the Ontario Milk Marketing Board. 'HM CUMMING PHOTO MMMMI GOOD! - Brette Dietz, grade three student in Laura Scott's class at Walton Public School, enjoys pudding during the visit of Huron Dairy Educator Kim Baan. Huron milk production up Huron County may have had its highest milk production ever of 103.5 million litres in 1994, up 8.3 per cent. Ontario Milk Marketing Board field representative Eric McLeod Old assembled dairy producers that the industry had moved into a unified quota system with an ease which would never have seemed possible ten years earlier. ' He predicted that quota prices will be high in the next six or eight months. Huron County Dairy Farmers were warned on Wednesday to watch their cash flow as there has been a change in the way milk refunds are given and the handling of over -quota shipments. To be eligible for refunds a pro- ducer must meet all maintenance requirements and have had continu- ous production throughout the dairy year. There will be no holding back of quota for over -quota producers, according to an Marketing Board field services report. An over -quota cheque will be issued for those producers who exceed their quota. It could be one third the value of a regular milk cheque. Milk committee has chairperson The Huron County Milk Commit- tee has a new chairperson. Eldon Bowman, of RR 1 Gorrie, was elected to the position at the group's annual meeting on Wednes- day. Vice -chair is Harold Van Aaken, of the Bayfield area and Janet Boot, of RR 4 Clinton, was re-elected secretary -treasurer. Past chair is Barry Elliott. Stu Steckle and Jim Ginn were elected to the Huron County Milk Committee at the organization's annual meeting on Wednesday. Also running were Raymond Verburg and Lyle Martin. Heinze Claus and Bob McNeil were elected to the Milk Committee's milk reporting, or DHI, committee. Alternates are Steve Hallahan and Abe Versteeg. Huron County has 19 cream pro- ducers. The Milk and Cream Boards are discussing the amalga- mation of two boards into a com- bined dairy board. 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SEAFORTH 527.1803 Conservation Authority your local environmental partner VOW connection #o Al3C,1 The ABCA's 32 member municipalities appoint 14 people and the Province of Ontario appoints two representatives to the ABCA Board of Directors. Together the 16 directors set policies, programs and budgets for the entire watershed. Joe Gibson 233-3229 Hullett McKillop Seaforth Bob Bell 263-6349 Hensall Tuckersmith Directors link the com- munity and the ABCA, ma- king the ABCA locally ac- countable. Your director represents your interests in ABCA decision-making and represents the ABCA in your community. If you have any questions, compliments or concerns about the ABCA, please contact your director or the. ABCA office. A message from your local environmental partner telephone 519-235-2610 fax 519-235-1963 Residents of Huron County Are Invited To Attend The 1st Annual General Meetings Of The Huron Community Futures & Business Development Corporations To Be Held On Wednesday, March 8, 1995 6:30 pm-9:OOpm Clinton Town Hall Auditorium 6:30 pm - 7:00 pm Wine And Cheese Reception 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm Annual Meetings 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm Social Gathering Individuals wishing to attend are requested to R.S.V.P. Donna at 527-0305 • 6