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Huron Expositor, 2007-08-01, Page 6Renewable Energy Summit August 8. 2007 - Noon to 9 pm he Columbus Center, Goderich A Bridges to Better Business Event Page 6 The Huron Expositor • August 1, 2007 News Grain and oilseed producers invited to RMP pilot meeting Aaron J a c k l i n Grain and oilseed producers will have a chance next week to attend a public meeting on the risk management program being devel- oped with the provincial government. "It'll be an update meeting to tell the farm- ers about the risk management program we sat down with the government to develop," said Leo Guilbeault, chair of the Ontario Grains and Oilseeds Committee. The Ontario Grains and Oilseed Committee represents the 29,000 grain and oilseed farm operators in Ontario. Guilbeault explained the risk management program is a three-year pilot program that will start with this year's crop. He said the meeting will let farmers know what the program looks like, how they can enroll, what the criteria are and what it'll do for them. "It's a safety net program that we developed over two years ago," he said. "We've been working on it for the last two with the provin- cial government to come up with a final prod- uct." Since Agriculture Minister Leona Dombrowsky announced in June the provin- cial government would be going ahead with the risk management program, Guilbeault said they've been putting finishing touches on the risk management program with coopera- tion from the government. Guilbeault said it's essentially a price sup- port program similar to crop insurance. He said producers "will pay a premium to guarantee themselves a certain level of cover- age as far as commodity price goes." Guilbeault and Pete Tuinema, program and policy manager for the Ontario Wheat Producers Marketing Board will be doing the presentation at the Seaforth information meeting at the Seaforth and District Community Centre on Aug. 7 at 7 p.m. Guilbeault said there will be a political com- ponent to the presentation that will detail how they came to be where they are with the risk management program. He said there will also be a technical side about the numbers and how the program would work for farmers. "Then there'll be a question and answer period," he said. The meeting will be open to growers, politicians and whoever else might be interested. You are invited to attend these area churches • Green Roots • Energy Solutions • Bio -Fuels • • (15 M. C 0 0 0 w • 0 0 rn • 0 0 iT • w a3 0 0- 0 0• - Renewable Energy Trade Show Children's Activities by the Scientists in School Micro Seminars Solar Car Demonstration An Inconvenient Truth Slide Presentation & Panel Discussion 7:00 pm with cash bar Centre for Applied Renewable Energy 519-887-2694 Huron Small Business Enterprise Centre 519-527-0305 x35 This Employment Ontario project is funded in part, by the Government of Canada. • Environmental Organizations • Appliances • . sweJ6oJd equaouI w 0 0 n w (47 v UT) 5 stood ua0/9 m CD N 0 N Recent rains didn't bless every farm Jordan Baker And then the rain came. After stealing every last drop of moisture from the county's crop fields, the sky finally paid farmers back with a healthy dash of rain over the past two weeks. But the rain has been isolat- ed and hasn't blessed all of the fields with equal measure. Bob Hallam, Auburn farmer and president of Corn, Soys and Wheat of Huron County, says where fields got rain, corn and soy beans are mostly looking good. "There's still some places that didn't get much rain. There's still some crops hurting." He says even with the rain it's too late for wheat. Hallam says county farms closer to the lake have received less rain. "Farms on light land are in trouble, espe- cially those close to the take," Hallam says. Otherwise the local fields are "spotty" but in relativelyood shape, he adds. Menoning corn, he says at this time of year, "If it ain't up to your shoulders and tas- seling, it's done." Ontariocorn.org, a web site with input from Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) field specialists, men- tions in its July 11 report, if corn crops endure moisture stress for seven days before tas- sel emergence, yield loss- es could be as high as 10 to 20 per cent. �� Continued stress inthe tassel stage, which most local fields are in right now, could lead to losses of 20 to 45 per cent. Hallam says crop insurance will cover some of those losses but notes, not all farmers carry it. "Those that don't, could be in trou- ble." Crops that are just blooming now are "toast" he says. Corn prices are low this year with a higher production of the crop in Southwestern Ontario than ever. "If corn prices don't come back they could lose money," says Hallam. He mentions if soy beans were flowering, they might have aborted the flowers, reducing the yield the crop would nor- mally produce. "But [the crops] will come in better than a lot of [farmers] think," Hallam says, but adds, "we never know till the combines go through it. That tells the tale in the end." Hallam says at least the pests haven't been a real problem for Huron County's crops. He says farmers need to be opti- mistic. 114e Empty Spots in Your Carden &, ~7 Flower Be( s or Making a New Ones yo Hive tQ ill Ilomv of Ted:. Task Tomatoes Summer !lows gam lipm I1aii� Godoec Ile Fin Nursery Stock... Now Flowering, Buddyh•a & Rose of Sharon Perennials... New Shipment! New VarietiesTr Orders ere ov ems Taken for Pickling Cokes. Coming Soon. Tomatoes and Green & lello�� Beans. I \ I i Tk I kl 77688 Orchard Line. R.R.1 Ila ',, 482,3020 • Teem ream e -Em F St. Thomas Anglican Church A CorgeQrlon albs Parish d The Hoy Sol Jarvis St. Seaforth 519-527-1522 Rector. The Revd Sue Malpus. M Div St. James Roman Catholic Church Welcomes you 14 Victoria Street, Seaforth Sunday, August 5 519-527-0142 Worship at 9:30 am Sunday Mass 11:00 am Everyone Welcome! St. Patricks, Dublin "Doors Open" Heritage Tours Sun. Sat. Mass 5 pm - Sun. Mass 9 am Aug. 5 & Mon. Aug 6 11 am to 3 pm Fr. Chris Gillespie Bethel Bible Church E mondville An Associated Gospel Church 126 Main St. Seaforth 519-527-0982 United Church August 5 Sunday Worship 10:00 am CLOSED FOR HOLIDAYS Pastor Mark Kenneth "God Doesn't take EVERYONE WELCOME Holidays but we do" NORTHSIDE UNITED First Presbyterian CHURCHChurch Goderich St. W., Seaforth 54 Goderich St. W. Rev. John Gould Rev. Henryuberts CLOSED is on vacation FOR VACATION NO SERVICE July 8 -August 5 AUG. 5, 12, 19TH • Green Roots • Energy Solutions • Bio -Fuels • • (15 M. C 0 0 0 w • 0 0 rn • 0 0 iT • w a3 0 0- 0 0• - Renewable Energy Trade Show Children's Activities by the Scientists in School Micro Seminars Solar Car Demonstration An Inconvenient Truth Slide Presentation & Panel Discussion 7:00 pm with cash bar Centre for Applied Renewable Energy 519-887-2694 Huron Small Business Enterprise Centre 519-527-0305 x35 This Employment Ontario project is funded in part, by the Government of Canada. • Environmental Organizations • Appliances • . sweJ6oJd equaouI w 0 0 n w (47 v UT) 5 stood ua0/9 m CD N 0 N Recent rains didn't bless every farm Jordan Baker And then the rain came. After stealing every last drop of moisture from the county's crop fields, the sky finally paid farmers back with a healthy dash of rain over the past two weeks. But the rain has been isolat- ed and hasn't blessed all of the fields with equal measure. Bob Hallam, Auburn farmer and president of Corn, Soys and Wheat of Huron County, says where fields got rain, corn and soy beans are mostly looking good. "There's still some places that didn't get much rain. There's still some crops hurting." He says even with the rain it's too late for wheat. Hallam says county farms closer to the lake have received less rain. "Farms on light land are in trouble, espe- cially those close to the take," Hallam says. Otherwise the local fields are "spotty" but in relativelyood shape, he adds. Menoning corn, he says at this time of year, "If it ain't up to your shoulders and tas- seling, it's done." Ontariocorn.org, a web site with input from Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) field specialists, men- tions in its July 11 report, if corn crops endure moisture stress for seven days before tas- sel emergence, yield loss- es could be as high as 10 to 20 per cent. �� Continued stress inthe tassel stage, which most local fields are in right now, could lead to losses of 20 to 45 per cent. Hallam says crop insurance will cover some of those losses but notes, not all farmers carry it. "Those that don't, could be in trou- ble." Crops that are just blooming now are "toast" he says. Corn prices are low this year with a higher production of the crop in Southwestern Ontario than ever. "If corn prices don't come back they could lose money," says Hallam. He mentions if soy beans were flowering, they might have aborted the flowers, reducing the yield the crop would nor- mally produce. "But [the crops] will come in better than a lot of [farmers] think," Hallam says, but adds, "we never know till the combines go through it. That tells the tale in the end." Hallam says at least the pests haven't been a real problem for Huron County's crops. He says farmers need to be opti- mistic. 114e Empty Spots in Your Carden &, ~7 Flower Be( s or Making a New Ones yo Hive tQ ill Ilomv of Ted:. Task Tomatoes Summer !lows gam lipm I1aii� Godoec Ile Fin Nursery Stock... Now Flowering, Buddyh•a & Rose of Sharon Perennials... New Shipment! New VarietiesTr Orders ere ov ems Taken for Pickling Cokes. Coming Soon. Tomatoes and Green & lello�� Beans. I \ I i Tk I kl 77688 Orchard Line. R.R.1 Ila ',, 482,3020 • Teem ream e -Em F