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Home My WebLink AboutTimes Advocate, 1992-02-26, Page 11t New people outside the farming community seem to care a hoot about the results of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trades talks. 1 have, been harping on the out- come for months. In fact. at least one editor who roads this deathless prose has chastised me gently for heating a dead horse. "Methinks," he said, in a note not long ago, "thou dost protest too much.' Hamlet I can do without. And at the risk of losing his paper as li subscriber and a fewTeraders along with it, I must repeat that 1 believe Canadian farmers are being sold out by negotiators who do not un- derstand supply management mar- keting boards. Mors-orthese-boards are le- gion. They -are rarnpant-in•the'pro- cessing industry and abound in the mainstream media. But there arc plenty of them in the ranks of the farmers themselves, especially in the beef industry. Many years ago when 1 was working as the agricultural editor of a city newspaper, 1 was asked to speak at a beef producers' annual meeting. t mentioned in that speech that I was a proponent of supply management marketing boards. The silence in the room after my tilt Furrow y Bob T'retter..... speech was deafening. Beef pro ducers at that time, were deed ggainst any type of supply manage- ment. 1 was not asked to return as a -guest speaker. I believe in marketing beards. 11 Canadians want to continue to con- trol the quality, the safety and even the wholesomeness of the farm products produced in this country, then what is wrong with marketing hoards? This • is exactly what they do. If Canadians want a steady, de- pendable supply--of-eggs,--Athicken, turkey and milk, then what is wrong with marketing boards? Yes, yes, 1 know. The chicicery board is still struggling with allocating sup- ply but the shortages in Ontario are alleviated --by --draper -permits -so avtrat'sthe-bitch? Supply management marketing boards, with a few exceptions, have been -able to prevent over- production and still keep the prob- lem of 20 years -ago has almost been solved except for some of the commodities without controlled production or, if you prefer the term, inventory control. That is ex- actly what supply management is:" control of inventory. Do you know the major teason Japanese car makers have been able 111111194, February 26, 1992 Gel The Alpine Advantage For Corn, I5 ans & Wheat Pape 11 ' to out -produce American manatee turers'? They practice strict supply management. They control every- thing, right down to the last nut and washer. And that is what supply management tries to do. l'o suggest that marketing boards increase the cost of food to the con- sumer is also a red herring. Canedi- play less for food than any oth- country in the world except for the United States. How can an, Inc in his/her fight mind suggest that the cost of eggs, chickens, milk or turkeys is artificially high? These vests- nay--be-higher-Shan-inAke United States but producers here have completed control over the quality and the wholesomeness of the food they sell. Marketing boards provide that se- curity. And marltetiug boards_ have al- lowed farmers to take full advan- tage of genetic imprpvernents, nu- trition and management practices that have made Canadian farmers, even •in this country that has only a 90 -day growing season, the envy of the rest of the world. Why should these things be bar- gained away just to appease our big neighbour to the south? 1 cannot understand it. 8 Hoof up with Sukup! do?il‘c, NOcto%‘`‘ Poi It•ERSD 4 4'k -WHESE2 Rp BECKER FARM EQUIPMENT Hwy. 4 South, Exeter Put Your Oattivator On Automatic Pilot It doesn't take much talking to sell the field -proven Auto Guider" system. These features speak for themselves: • Hydraulic Top -ink Standard • Fi vet Any Cultivator • Electronically -Controlled H lc Action dhow Crop ail +firniN, ulw Term!! wce System em Virtuallty Solis itself. a.+ MINI M. Biateliftralle FARM EQUIPMENT - EXETER, ONTARIO ales, Service & Rentals since 1932 (619) FAX (519) 2352121 1400-265-2121 235-279 1111W t IMO MR' Joint project for cattlemen For Alpine Liquid Starter Planters and Drill Hook-ups Poly Storage Tanks Micro -Nutrients • Coil Soatt Cooper 263-6108 O Si1C -228-6215 - GUELPH - The Ontario Caule- men's Association and Better Beef Ltd., Ontario's largest beef proces- sor. are co-operating in a joint pro- ject which will allow cattlemen to sell small lots of cattle on a carcass weight and grade basis. Until now, this option has not been widely available to cattlemen because packers must pen and handle each producer lot separately and small lots use up holding pen space and increase paper work in settlement. Many cattlemen with only a few cattle to sell at one time would like to sell on a carcass weight and grade basis in order to obtain data on the quality of cattle they breed and feed. The upcoming change in the beef grade standard. due for im- plementation in early April, will likely increase demand for ibis sell- ing option -for small lots of cattle. Better Beef Ltd. will purchase and supply a special ear tag for such lots of cattle. The tags will be available to eauiemen or their agent truckers from the Ontario Cattle- men's attic- mens Association. The cattle must be tagged by the seller or his truck- er/agent before the cattle aro deliv- ered to Better Beef. As well, a man- . ifest must bc completed and accompany the cattle. ManifesLs can be obtained from the OCA of- fice with the ear tags. Cattlemen wishing to use this op- tion can call the buyers office at Better Beef to obtain a price quota- tion and grade/weight discounts for cattle that will be processed the fol- lowing day. All small lots of cattle delivered to Better Beef .will bc processed at the end of the day us- ing additional staff en the process- ing line to ensure tag transfer and retention. To offset additional processing and handling costs, Better Beef will charge a fee of $2 per betrd.wbich- wili be deducted from the proceeds of sale on small lots. The tagging option will also be available to sellers of load Jots of cattle who want to match identity of live cattle and carcasses. (1992 t. JOIN THE 60th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION AT OUR EXETER STORE WED., FEB. 26TH TO SAT., FEB. 29TH WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 26TH 8:30 a.m - 6:00 p m BFE Pans Trade Fair 8:30 - 11:00 a.m BFE Pancake Breakfast 10:30 a.m - SHARP Auction - BFE 2nd Annual THURSDAY FEBRUARY 27TH 1:00 -p.m. - 10:00 p.m. BFE Parts Trade Fair 1:00.p.m. - 2:15 p.m. Hardi Sprayer Clinic 2:30 p.rn. - 4:00 p.m Sukup Equipment Clinic 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Case IH Oil/Filter Clinic: FRIDAY FEBRUARY 28TH C:30 a.m - 6:00 p.m BFE Parts Trade Fair 8:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m BFE Open House 9:00 a.m 11:00 a.m "Opportunities in Agriculture" Guest Speakers: Mr. Pater Johnson Ontario Ministry of Agricukure and Food Mr. Peter Tv ynstra Presient, The Great Canadian Bean Company Men, Ralph Fegueen MP Lanthton/Midrlesex Moderator: Mr. aa,vy Long Delaware, Ontario 11:00 a.m -11:30 a.m. 11:30 a.m - SHARP Case IH Product Introduction Mr. Pete Mosey Special Guest: Rosalie wyeooki Mississauga Montano Pertormance Motivator SATURDAY FEBRUARY 29TH 8:30 a.m - 6:00 p.m BFE Parts Trade Fair Windup Session Enjoy the festivities with your family (SEE LAST WEEKS ONT. FARMER FOR FULL DETAILS) BOW FARM EQUIPMENT - EXETER, ONTARIO Sales, Service & Rentals since 1932 (519) FAX (519) •= 5-2121 1$00-265-2121 235-2791 I.PC:11111 seehowwe stack up. Our modular products and an impressive array of options are ready to be stacked in your favour Order your House Lots of Lockwood Windows by March 6, 1992 and Save 52% Double your glass insulation R -Values with optional Low -E coating and Argon Gas filling \ \tt �V REDUCE soar NOME Argon Gas reduces sound transmission through the glass. INCREASE YOUR 61A 11-VAU ES Add Argon Gas to low -E Glass to almost doable the standard unit's insulating R -Mahle. Centralia Farmers Supply Ltd. 2284638 /1 LynneLlaboon Tan McGalium Ch.rwaln. 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