The Huron Expositor, 1998-12-23, Page 2/I -TM HURON EXPOSITOR, DICtt'MUR 23, 1999
Motion supported to legislate
packing plant employees back
FIOM Page 1
there is some linkage in the
provincial schemes but he
doesn't expect farmers will be
required to use all their MSA
funds.
One farmer asked why
Alberta and Saskatchewan had
already given farmers money.
in response to the agricultural
disasters out there and Hope
said it was. because those
provinces have provincial
lending agencies which can
make immediate loans.
Many farmers have
expressed concern about the
slaughter capacity of packing
plants being too low
especially with a current strike
at Quality Meats.
Ontario Pork's Director of
Sales and Marketing, Ian
Muir, said the board is trying
to move more hogs._
"We have shipped hogs to
four different states in the
U.S., that doesn't come
easily."
Muir said there is a risk in
exporting too much pork
because there could be a
backlash from U.S. producers.
He also said there have been
12,000 tonnes of pork
imported into Canada by
processors.
A former employee in the
meat packing business, Muir
said the processors are entitled
to make a profit but he
expressed his wish that it not
come at the expense of
farmers.
How long is the freefall in
hog prices going to last? The
picture painted by Muir didn't
look good. He cited prices as
low as nine -cents a pound for
pork (20 -cents a kg) in the
United States.
One woman farmer said
producers might need a job in
a packing plant because they
could be pushed off their
farms.
Although there were
moments of exasperation at
the end of the meeting there
were also moments of
surprising brevity at other
points in the night.
One came when a farmer
asked Muir if the processor
Maple Leaf Meats wanted to
raise all its own hogs.
"Are there any more
questions?", Muir
deadpanned, and then went on
to say "that doesn't mean yes
and doesn't mean no."
A guaranteed supply of
pork is considered important
to the packing industry, said
Muir, and the price is almost
secondary to the large
processors.
The frustration felt by many
farmers was evident in those
who rose to ask questions or
state their opinion.
Farmer John Donkers, of
Monkton, wondered how long
banks could continue to carry
producers with increasingly
large loans. He characterized
relief money as "chump
change."
"This is our life," he said.
"Let's get to the heart of the
problem, let's fix it now."
The President of the Perth
County Pork Producers, John
Nyenhuis, said the stress on
family fanners is so high there
is a concern that a farmer
might commit suicide.
The Perth County Pork
Producers have hired a stress
counsellor for farmers and
their families facing
depression because of the
current market situation. The
counsellor will be in place in a
few days, said Dan Carlow,
Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture, Food and Rural
Affairs (OMAFRA) field
services manager. The
counsellor can be reached at
(519) 271-0280 or 1-800-265-
8502, ext. 227.
One idea presented at
Thursday's meeting was a
small, farmer -owned niche -
market meat packing plant. A
spokesperson for the
Progressive Pork Producers
said a consulting firm would
do a market analysis. "The
meat packing business is a
volatile one,". said Bob
Hunsberger.
One pork producer,
however, didn't see the point
in being cautious at this point.
Ivan Roobroeck, of Gadshill,
called for action now.
"If we're going to go down
let's go down in a blaze of
glory."
The crash in hog prices
could not have been predicted,
said speaker Robert Parras, a
pork producer from
Hammond, Ontario.
"Who was predicting this?"
he asked. "Certainly not
myself and certainly not all of
us here "
Parras described a Quebec
price stabilization program
which protects producers in
that province from
fluctuations in the price by
guaranteeing them the cost of
production.
"We're being asked to
compete against the Quebec
govemment ... this crisis is not
going to affect the Quebec
producer," he said. "We lost
market share in Canada
because other provinces have
programs to assist their
producers.
Parras also spoke against
the power of two major
processors in Canada.
"If you're not in with them
you're not growing anything,"
he said. In reference to the
president of Maple Leaf
Meats, Michael McCain, he
said, "We have to do
something about the McCain
empire ... If we don't change
anything we're going to be
Michael's slave."
Speaker Brian Simpson said
farmers can't divide
themselves into camps of
`large' and `small' producers.
He cited the example of a
farmer who recalls raising a
family on 100 sows looking at
a 1,200 -sow barn being built
down the road.
"That isn't big, we don't
even have a big barn in this
province," said Simpson.
"Let's look after each other so
nothing happens to our friends
and neighbours."
Pork producers, he said,
have to "work together or die
alone." He said the entire
Ontario pork industry could
easily be replaced by
production in other areas.
He proposed two plans of
action to deal with the current
crisis. One, he said, was to
legislate striking Quality
Meats employees back to
work. Secondly, he said
Woman defrauded
cash by fake cop
Huron Detachment of the
Ontario Provincial Police is
alerting citizens of a phony
bank scam.
On Dec. 16, an elderly
woman was defrauded of
money from her personal
account.
A male pretending to be a
bank official in need of help
to trap dishonest bank
employees contacted the
victim at her residence. Once
the bogus bank official
gained the co-operation of
the victim, the victim was
instructed to attend her
personal bank and withdraw
a predetermined sum of
money from her account and
proceed to a nearby parking
oPP
report ,
lot to tum t money over to
a person acting as a police
officer. The victim is then
instructed to drive straight
home and not tell anyone of
the incident and await further
contact.
Police are asking that if
anyone receives this type of
call, please report it
immediately to your local
police agency. Do not submit
to the request without first
contacting police and known
bank officials.
without any subsidies the
government should guarantee
a floor price of $1.20 a kg
with loans to producers to
make up the difference.
"We need cashflow in the
next six months"
Simpson suggested farmers
might have to get a "little
militant." Although not going
so far as recommending
controversial actions, he did
talk of farmers walking up to
politicians' offices with 20 or
30 pigs or giving pigs to the
Humane Society as some
farmers can't afford to feed
their pigs.
"I would never suggest you
go out and do that (but) what
would happen if...?"
Producer Jim Van Nes, of
Stratford, said it was a good
meeting but farmers had to
think through the implications
of proposed answers to the
current price crisis. Instead of
the province giving $40
million as a pay -out to farmers
that money should be used to
pay interest on a much larger
loan program that could put
more dollars in the hands of
producers, he said.
"If the industry gets
profitable they would get it
back."
In terms of the increasing
power of integrated farms and
meat processors• Van Nes
points to the state of Iowa and
says it's against the law there
for packers to own hogs.
"Corporate farming is not
allowed," he said. "It's quite
simple to do (that) in Ontario."
Ontario Pork's CEO said it's
important to educate the
consumer, to educate the
politicians and to remind the
banks of the economic
importance of the industry.
"The reason the price is
dropping in North America is
we have market hogs
competing for hook space,"
Knechtel said.
He said Ontario Pork would
not support legislating packing
plant employees back to work
or pressure either the
management or the union.
"You can't make somebody
want to talk, you can't make
somebody want to cut," he
said. "It's not the right thing to
do, in my opinion."
Zurich's Durand said he
would take some pigs to the
office of Huron MPP Helen
Johns to highlight the plight of
area pork producers.
Federation says
relief cap n
'The /futon County
Federation, Of Agriculture.. at
its Ibecember - Board of
Directors melting,=endorsed
Ibe fead`for-a cap on any
ardifilea'tolbe=received'by
iieiividual(farm=:operators
from :the -farm :income
dilater relief programs.
'The federal government has
punt to:commit $900 million
to help=Canadian farmers
stfffe tin. 4ha2tdeclines in
vial
tted
ifatap
uron Federation
keenly discussed the two
pt! anss of both
praise ,and concern, were
debated about the need for
sucit programs,.cligibility
criteria, poasible payout
scenarios, for Ontario their
relationahlp to Other °safety
net :progratns, andlhow they
will affect export and
Concern of:ddllasiheading
into the •coffers of large
corporate ' b ar froom"
fanners 'versus ,the mily
farm, was :the impetus'. in
calling for a cap -on the total
dollars received ' by an
individual producer.
They have taken their stand
to the Ontario:Federation of
Agriculture, u t4 dasur`lo
rapport ,t a Ira t t attadlleil
qap : and will , bociradllltitllik
their stand, to • other 'County
Federations'for support.
The Huron Federation
emphasizes cthat :both the
Federal and 'Provincial
programs are whole farm
income relief programs,
which will apply to all
commodities.
SEAFORTH VETERINARY CLINIC
NOTICE TO CLIENTS
HOLIDAY OFFICE HOURS
OPEN
Dec. 24 - 8:00 a.m.-12 noon
Dec. 25 & 26 - CLOSED
Dec. 31- 8 a.m. to 12 noon
Jan. 1 -CLOSED
In Case of Emergency Call
519-527-1760
Have a
Very Merry Christmas
Here We Grow
Alain!
At Edward Jones we are committed to serving the
investment needs of the individual investor by providing a
comprehensive line of products and services.
Keeping with this philosophy we are proud to announce
the opening of our new office in Mitchell.
Please join us as we celebrate our
GRAND OPENING
on Wednesday, December 23, 1998
2:00 pmto6:00pm
79 Ontario Road
Mitchell, Ontario
Official Ribbon Cutting at 3:00 pm with refreshments.
Christmas Carollers - Wine & Cheese
Joe Waite
79 Ontario Road
Mitchell, Ontario NOK 1NO
(519)348-9873
&dwarJones
Serving Individual Investors
"Wow otrr
CONGRATULATIONS
TO ALL THE SEARS CHRISTMAS
WISHBOOK DRAW WINNERS
Breadmaker - Mary Ann Holland
. Sony CD Player - Nancy Sue Thompson
$100 Merchandise Certificate &
Oscar De La Renta - Irma Pryce
14K Gold Diamond Stud Earrings - Mary Reynen
Craftsman Tool Set dr Duracraft Radiant Heater
- MaryLou Driscoll
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year
from Pete, Tammy & Elaine
19 Main St., Seaforth 527-1681
For real peace of mind,,
look for this symbol of protection.
We provide insurance protection that lets you sleep at night. That's
because the collective strength of our 50 community based mutual
insurers makes us among the most financially secure insurance networks
in the world.
For you, it means friendly knowledgeable service from people who
understand your needs and provide the protection and service you want.
Sebringville uuai.9.ruwimv,
393-8402 •
1-800.263-1961"'"0i0""'
d,lNk MINNNN M11MM,te A1160014.1
411
O