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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1986-01-29, Page 15The readers write . Times -Advocate, January 29, 1986 Page 15 Area farmers ou#IIne clews on turnips, hog produce's Dear Editor; What comes first, the chicken or the egg? Recent comments regarding virus in the turnip crop, in your week- ly paper, by Mr. Eric Devlaeminck and Mr. Harry Knip prompted me to try to clarify some items discussed by these two gentlemen. As a grower for more than 30 years and past chairman of the Huron - Middlesex Rutabaga Growers association during the middle 1960's and early 1970's, I wholeheartedly agree with Mr. Knip that we had bet- ter pool all our resources and research together to come up with a solution. 1 do not agree with Mr. Knip that GAY LEA WINNERS — Lee Webber's rink won the overall championship of Sunday's Gay Lea mixed curling bonspiel. Above, Gay Lea director chairman John Campbell of Bayfield congratulated Lee and Helen Webber and Ross and Kay Hodgert. At the right is Gay Lea director Edwin Miller. T -A photo WIN SECOND DRAW — An Exeter rink skipped by Gerry Prout won the second draw of Sunday's Gay Lea Better Butter bonspiel, Gay Lea chairman John Campbell,.left and director Edwin Miller, right con- gratulate Gerry Prout, Bill and Fern Dougall and Dorothy Prout. Farmers have been doing a profes- sional job of informing the public -- -BRANDY POINT FARMS CENTRED AROUND ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION • Our breeding stock provides our buyers with proven genetics from the top 3°° animals tested across Canada. • Our program enables us to offer quality and health at a price that is hard to beat • We have on ongoing supply of A.I. sired Hamp Duroc, York Landrace boars 8 Fl York Landrace gilts • Our closed herd is ranked Good- by the OMAF standards of Herd Health Classification. Come and take a look at our stock anytime! Delivery available KURT KELLER R.R. 1, Mitchell, Ont. 519-348-8043 consumers -- about their debt problems. Any time a penny auction has been held, the public has been informed and lots of publicity ensued. A couple of books such as Allen Wilford's Farm Gate Defense (NC Press Limited) have been graphic studies which have brought the plight of farmers into the public eye. But efforts to tell the other part of the story -- the price farmers get for their products and the price paid in the supermarkets -- have not been as successful. Farmers, especially the red meat producers, should look for more sup- port from consumers and consumers' groups if they want supermarkets to lower prices. Consumer groups keep a constant surveillance on super- market prices. They know when a product is over -priced and they do not hesitate to tell the world about it. But farmers should get the co- operation of consumer groups ' to publicize the fact that, although farmers are getting less for their pro- ducts, the supermarkets are charging the same or even more. Slaughter steers are bringing 15 or 20 percent EARLY ORDER PLANTER SALE! Utit. Tat' ORDER NOW! Place your New Idea planter order now and receive: • Guaranteed availability • Guaranteed 1985 -price • Free finance until 5-1-86 Sove money by ordering your 1986 planter now' With every purchase of a planter get a chance on a lawn and garden tractor. Offer expires April 30/86 Model 696 1 1 HP 5 Spied Trensesle NEW IDEA FARM SUPPLY LIMITED Sales and Service - Repair Phone 236-4934 236-4321 Box 39. 22 Main St. E. Zurich Ont. less this year than they were last year at this time. But I have seen no evidence of beef prices being lowered 15 or 20 percent at the checkout counter. The same is true of pork although the drop in price to farmers is more like five to eight percent. But have these lower prices paid to the farmer been reflected at the retail level? As mentioned, I have seen little evidence of passing the sav- ings, on to consumers. When the drought hit so much of Western Canada last year, a great many farmers were forced to sell cat- tle and cut their herds to a bare minimum because they did not have grain to feed them. But it was six weeks into the winter before beef prices at the retail level dipped a few cents. I am not suggesting there is a huge ripoff by retailers. They are having problems keeping prices reasonable under fiercely competitive conditions. I am suggesting that they could lower prices a few pennies a pound when they pay less for the raw product. And farm organizations must learn to be more vocal in getting their message across to the public. They have tried many ways. They have some competent people in their public relations departments but I would suggest they get together with con- sumer organizations so their story can be told. ' In so doing, they could embarrass the big retailers into dropping prices. When the United States slapped a countervailing duty on Canadian hogs last year, we had a surplus. The old law of supply and demand promptly applied itself and the price of pork paid to farmers dropped because of that surplus. But it took several months for that lower price paid by the buyers to be reflected at the retail level. Again, the only solution to the pro- blem is for farmers and consumer organizations to get together and em- barass the big boys. Farmers cannot do it alone. For starters, they do not have the money to put on the big publicity push. But farmers and con- sumers together might have enough clout. The golden rule of friendship is to listen to others as you would have them listen to you. 1141,14 Au,.' reer canola growers have done more research than the turnip industry. We did have a serious outbreak of virus during the early 1970's and through research by different agricultural col- leges, and on area farms we were able to solve it. The solution was that we should not plow refuse under in the fall, but on- ly use chisel plowing in order to have the freezing and thawing actions destroy all life and insects in cull tur- nips and refuse. This is also to ensure that any volunteer growth would be destroyed for the following spring. This method proved to successful on all normal planting dates. Late plantings, such as in July, are still subject to the virus. We were able to solve many other problems as they came along such as water core and monitoring peak periods of insects, etc. For 20 years, the turnip industry has put money into research through a container levy -by law: I was the first person to voice my concerns to Dr. Nonneexe, seed researcher at Guelph, at a grower's meeting in April 1984. I did not get a satisfactory answer. My concerns were based on information gained from rapeseed and canola grown in Western Canada. I do not agree with Mr. Eric Devlaeminck that the virus is the main reason of the decline of several turnip growers. It has been mostly economics and virus combined. We still don't know for certain whether the introduction of winter rapeseed which is seeded in the fall every year is the only cause of the turnip mosaic virus. Weather patterns, such as dry spells during the summer could have played a role in it. However fields grown closest to winter rapeseed plantings were most affected and some were totally wiped out. This shows that rapeseed is a fac- tor. We cannot ask winter rapeseed growers in this area to stop growing this new economical crop. A task force, set up by Mr. Jack Riddell, is looking into it. It will be a most difficult problem to solve. Input by both turnip and canola growers will be most welcome. In the meantime, we as growers will likely try to grow a crop this year, although we have been told by O.M.A.F. researchers that we will very likely have a repeat of the virus during the 1986 crop year. Farmers, whose crop was totally lost and who may be facing bankrupt- cy will need some federal and provin- cial compensation to help them over this crisis. For 1986 we will need crop insurance. In my thirty years of growing tur- nips I have not lost -a crop, although last year we had a significant reduc- tion in the size of the turnips. It is essential that an effective solution be found before the 1986 planting time if at all possible. Frank Vanneste RR 2, Lucan. Dear Editor: On February 5 at 11:95 a.m. the pork producers in this county will have the opportunity to vote for their 28 representatives to the Ontario Pork Producers Marketing board's annual meeting in Toronto. These 28 representatives are an im- portant part of the democratic pro- cess in representing the views and wishes of the 1600 or so producers in this county. These elections take place every three years at the annual meeting of the Huron County Pork Producers Association. The 28 elected representatives will go to Toronto to a 2 day annual meeting of the O.P.P.M.B. where they will vote on some 40 resolutions concerning The Industry and the out- come of these votes will shape O.P.P.M.B. policy for the next year. With more and more uncertainty in the industry about stabilization, marketing strategies and free trade. this year more than ever will be of grw t importance. As a 6 year mel�iber of the Iluron County board i have been elected twice to represent the township of Stephen. At all the elections involved, just over 100 peo- ple would show up representing about seven percent of the active pork pro- ducers in our county and this sever percent would shape the future of our industry. in the past i spent time on the phone trying to encourage producers to at- tend and besides some of the regulars i never had much luck. Well this year i am not going to phone anyone. Every producer in this county has received a notice from Toronto about this annual meeting. it is up to each producer to make the time to attend this meeting and help shape the future of this industry. People are always great at com- plaining when they disagree hut not too many are swilling to spend five <, Hyland Seeds...A Growing Tradition Soybean Seed Apache, Crusader Corn Seed LG 2350, HL 2280 Canola Seed Hanna Marion and Dennis Pfaff RR 2 Crediton 234-6471 hours of their time once a year to be Tickets for February 5 can be ob- tained before January 31 from the following directors in your area; Mar- tin de Bruyn 234-6798, Rick Reaburn 294-6487, John Muller 238-8536, Andy Durand 236-4668, J.P. Rau 236-4747, Paul Passmore 235-2719. Do not lose by default. Martin DeBruyn RR 1, Exeter involved. Well, I say to you pork producers of Huron County, get off your rocking chairs and get interested. This in- dustry is going to survive with or without you but you might as well get involved. Can you imagine with only 100 pro- ducers attending how many it would take to swing a vote into a direction sought by a minority group, represen- ting certain ideas, and it is all very democratic? Most of the present directors are willing to run again but they would like to see many people out so the best ones can be elected to shape and mould the future of our industry. Men may be divided almost any way we please, but I have found the most useful distinction to be made between those who devote their lives to con- jugating the verb "to be," and those who spend their lives conjugating the verb "to have." S,dne, J 11err,. B3Rorinees Dbecia ACCOUNTANT -PUBLIC Nrri�� omuth Chartered Accountants P.O. Box 1690, 497 Main Street, EXETER, Ontario NOM 1S0 (519) 235-0101 WARD MALLETTE Chartered Accountants 476 Main Street St. S., Exeter, Ontario 235-0120 Resident Partner: John S. McNeilly, C.A. x519-235-0345 KIME, DiTCHFIELD, MiLLS & DUNLOP CHARTERED ACCQUNTANTS GERALD W. MILTS, C.A. Managing Partner JOSEPH F. DARLING, C.G.A. 347 MAIN STREET EXETER, ONTARIO NOM 1S0 J AUCTIONEERS Hugh Tom FILSON and ROBSON AUCTIONEERS 20 years of experience of complete sale service Provinciolly licensed Conduct sales of any kind any place We guarantee you more To insure success of yoursole or opprolsol Phone Collect 666-0633 666-1967 Ontario .Auction Service Get Action -Sell By Auction Complete Soles Service Auctioneers and Appraisers "Sue" Edginton RR 2 Lucan, Ont. "Bud" McIver (519) 227-4210 INVESTMENTS Debentures, G.I.C. s, R.R.S.P.s & Canada Savings Bonds Contact Joan Love RR 3, Parkhill, Ontario NOM 2K0 Phone Grand Bend 238-2644 REPAIRS Sewing Machine Repairs to all makes Free estimates 90 Day Warranty Experienced since 1952 Sew and Save Centre Ltd 149 Downie St., Stratford Closed Monday Phone 271-9660 NORM WHITING LICENSED AUCTIONEER & APPRAISER Prompt Courteous Efficient ANY TYPE, ANY SIZE ANYWHERE We give compute sale service PROFIT BY EXPERIENCE Phone Collect 235-1964 EXETER Auction Services Book Your 1986 Sale Now Call 236-4814 Auctioneer John Finlay Anytime - Anywhere FARM SERVICE AL'S ESSO Kirkton Specializing in ON FARM TIRE SERVICE Calcium Service Tires Complete Radiator Repairs & Recoring CALL ANYTIME DAY OR NIGHT 229.8952 WEDDINGS Let us help you with your wedding inviations TA _es: . Advocate 235-1331