HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1998-03-18, Page 75Western company embarks
upon corporate farming
by Rick Kew farmer -owned barns involved in the pro -
In the last 12 months numerous farmers ject.
in Perth County have erected hog Currently 27 communities have con -
barns to capitalize on the increasing tracted with HLS, noting they have had to
world demand for pork. refuse ftrther partnerships because HLS
Nor has the worldwide demand for prefers not to extend its building plans out
pork gone unnoticed in Western Canada, past five years. Stone estimated six pro -
said Stewart Stone, jects could be com-
chief financial officer
and director of mar-
keting for Heartland
Livestock Services
(HLS).
Speaking to pork pro-
ducers at the 17th
annual Centralia
Swine Research
Update in Kirkton
Jan. 28, Stone said,
"In the West we are
just embarking on
large scale pork production."
He said HLS, which resulted from the
amalgamation of the livestock operations
of the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool and
Manitoba Pool Elevators, plans to lead
expansion in the pork industry by invest-
ing in critical components of the produc-
tion chain.
To achieve its goals, HLS has devel-
oped a business plan which incorporates
large scale development of three -site hog
production units. He explained each pro-
duction site will feature farrow -to -finish
operations, with each operation based on
2,400 sows, leading to production of
55,000 market hogs from each site.
Key to the success of the plan, said
Stone, is a partnership with local
investors, and HLS refers to these
investors as "communities."
However, he said the partnership will
own 100 per cent of the sow, farrowing
and weaning facilities and at least 50 per
cent of the finishing barns. This provides
individual farmers the opportunity to fin-
ish hogs in their own barns, said Stone.
Each Heartland project will cost
between 59.3 million and 512.3 million.
he said. depending on the number of
'We face the issues. This
is corporate farming. You
can either have it
and particpate or have it
and not participate.
That is your choice."
Stewart Stone
pleted each year.
"It's pretty
ambitious," he said
explaining the scope
of the plan.
Nevertheless,
HLS does not chase
after communities, he
said. "After the first
contact we make our
pitch. Then we say,
'You call us. We
don't push.—
Questioned on HLS policy on manure
management, Stone said, " We don't own
land for manure spreading. We sign up
acreage to spread manure onto."
However, he said the goal is to exceed
all environmental guidelines and the
Heartland projects use extensive manure
management and odor control programs.
He noted that in some projects in the
West, investors would not sign on unless
they had assurances they would have
access to the manure.
"If manure is managed correctly, prof-
its can be increased."
Initial land purchases for current pro-
jects amount to 160 acres, but only 40
acres is required for the buildings, with
the unused land being leased back to
investors.
One producer in the audience suggest-
ed to Stone that his plan was similar to a
plan of a few years ago involving farmers
with Cargill in a hog finishing program.
"We are different. I have to respond to
that." said Stone.
"We face the issues. This is corporate
farming. You can either have it and partic-
ipate or have it and not participate.'That is
your choice."
Marigolds replace chemicals
There may be some fact in folklore.
For years, many home gardeners
believed marigolds deterred some gar-
den pests. Now research has shown
these popular annuals effectively control
some types of nematodes. While the
compounds in marigolds stop these
microscopic pests from destroying
plant roots. the natural pesticidal agents
do not affect the beneficial microorgan-
isms in the soil.
Agriculture and Agri -Food Canada
scientists at the Southern Crop
Protection add Food Research Centre. in
Delhi and London, Ontario. are now
exploring the commercial potential of
marigolds as an alternative to chemi-
cals used to fumigate nematodes in
sandy soil.
Contact: Bruce Reynolds. Southern
Crop Protection and Food Research
Centre, Agriculture and Agri -Food
Canada, Delhi, Ontario (519) 582-
(950
Farm Progress '98 -- Page 19A
March Maness!
`98 digiaik
GRAND
CARAVAN SE
Loaded incl. 4 dn, quad rats
3.3 Itr., V-6 and much more
Purchase
$24,988 °Lease $229/mo.
Frt., taxes Extra 30 months, $3,170 down
'98
DODGE
RAM - -`
& DAKOTA PICKUPS
FREE AIR CONDITIONING
OR 3.9 APR. FINANCING
IPP1101/0113011ECtJN'fYDEPOSIT
Just Shin end
iiitT,Atlt: INCLUDED!
Drive Leeserst
`98 NEON
4dr. -A/C
132 h.p., etc.
Lease $299/mo. x14,888
30 months or Purchase
Frt., taxes Extra
'98
STRATUS/iii
BREEZE
Lease $379/mo. 24A, 4 dr., A/C, cruise
30 months or Purchase 518,788
Frt., taxes Extra
1.
A r
1997 GRAND CHEROKEE
TSI - Deep Amethyst. leather inte-
rior, PW. PDL. PM. keyless entry.
power seat. alarm system. running
boards. Under 15.000 km
Alb
1997 EAGLE VISION TSI -
Platinum paint. leather buckets.
autoair condo. PW. PDL. PM.
power scats. alarm system. auto.
stick. Under 12.000 km.
.Zratt
1997 AVENGER- Sporty 2 -door
ilver mist, cloth buckets. PW.
PDL. PM. AM/FM/Cassette. 17"
Alloy wheels, rear spoiler Under
15,000 km.
1998 GR, CARAVAN LE
Loaded' Candy apple red. quad
scats. 3.8L with trailer pkg . PW.
PDL. PM. alarm system. keykss
entry. frac control Under 15,000 km
1997 RAM CLUB 4X4 Cab
Laramie SLT• green/gray. cloth inte-
rior. PW, PDL. P51. power dnver seat.
keykss entry. air. running boards. box
liner. mud guards. bug deflector.
265216" ares. Under 14.000 km
1998 GR. CHEROKEE LTD.
- Deep slate. leather interior. This
one's loaded mcl. heated seats.
alarm system. running boards.
Under 14.000 km.
1997 GR. CARAVAN SE 1997 NEON HIGHLINE
AVLS) - Silver fem. 4 -door van. (AVIS used)- 4 -door. air cond..
au. PDL. PM. tilt, cruise. ABS AM/FM/Cassette. radio Under
brakes. 7 pass. Under 34.000 km 30,000 kit.
caniatii
Jee p
andipcif
Eagle
I FIsmassi
Huron Shores
CHRYSLER 0
HWY 21 & 9 — KINCARDINE
SALES HOURS: Mon -Wed. 9-6:Thurs 9-8; Fn. 9-6: Sat. 9-5
SERVICE HOURS: Mon. -Fn. 8.5, Sat. 8:30 -noon
396-5000 or 1-800-701-9455
1996 GRAND CARAVAN SE
(AVLS used) - Dark ms. 4 -door
van. au. PDL. PW. PM. nit. cruise
ABS brakes 7 pass Under 60.0011
km
Terry
Morgan
Sales
Manager
rfli.
Jeff Byles
Sales &
Leasing
Advisor