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Home My WebLink AboutTimes Advocate, 1999-06-23, Page 27Wednesday, June 23, 1999 Exeter Times -Advocate 27 Farm news Farmers bottom lines are a top priority By Agriculture and Agri - Food Minister Lyle Vandief As farmers across Canada work through some trying economic times, concerns about the cost of doing business and withering profit margins are at the forefront. The perception among some is that the cost of essential materials like fertilizer and feed are ris- ing while the amount of money earned from: com- modities shrinks or stays stagnant. When commodity prices plummet and income 'erodes, it's easy to see how farmers look at their expenses with a more crit- ical eye. But the key to restoring bottom lines doesn't rest with input costs alone. Statistics Canada data for 1998 shows a moder- ate increase in input costs of 0.5 per cent. This is the smallest increase since 1990. Input prices are largely determined by market conditions and are not regulated by the govern- ment. For inputs that are commodities, such as fuel and fertilizer, prices can fluctuate significantly in short periods of time. Studies recently completed for federal. and provincial tffffi teles ' of agriculture indicate these markets are generally competitive. On the commodity price side of the equation, the Government of Canada has responded to the diff-,., culties created by the dis- astrous drop experienced in some commodities last year, and is taking steps to help farmers Work through these tough times. The Agricultural Income Disaster Assistance (AIDA) program is up and run- ning and money is flowing to farmers who were blindsided by falling prices in 1998. The key to mitigating the .effects of these risks, should they become a reality, is managing them as effectively as possible. Emergency funding such as AIDA :is just one strand in the web of safety nets designed to help protect farmers from the unpre- dictable hand of fate. The NISA, or Net Income Stabilization Account, pro- gram is another part of this web. NISA partici- pants can annually deposit up to three per cent of their eligible net sales into NISA accounts and receive a matching contribution. from the federal and provincial governments, plus a three -per -cent' interest bonus. The inter- est.earned on deposits and, the. government contribu- tions are tax deferred until withdrawn. Farmers can make con- tributions to their accounts during good years and draw upon NISA account funds to make up shortfalls in bad years. Other management tools, such as Agriculture and Agri -Food Canada's Advance Payment Program (APP), allow farmers to exert a mea- sure of control over fluctu- ating and unpredictable market prices. Canada's current safety net system is solid, but there is room for improve- ment. Federal And d provin- cial officials are reviewing the system and recom- mending adjustments. These recomendations, along with the idea of cre- ating a permanent disas- ter assistance program, will be on the agenda at the Federal -Provincial - Territorial Agriculture Ministers' Meeting in July. Federal and provincial governments will consult with industry following the July meeting. The results of the meeting will also be discussed with the National Safety Nets Advisory Committee. If you have any com- ments about this column or other topics you would like to see addressed, please don't hesitate to contact. me .at: http J/www. agr. c a/cbilm ail/ emailmin.html Or, you can write to me at: Lyle Vanclief, Minister of Agriculture and Agri - Food, Sir John Carling Building, 930 Carling Ave., Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 005 Denfield Livestock sales report Denfield Livestock Sales Market report for June. 14. The market at Denfield Livestock Sales traded at fully steady prices on a strong demand, cows sold higher. Mike Pickering, Dashwood, sold 4 steers avg. wt. 1338 avg. price 99.47 to a high of 110.00 purchased by M.G.I. Packers. Norman Hodgins, Parkhill sold 16 steers avg. wt. 1350 avg. price 95.63 with sales to 107.00 and 104.25 pur- chased by M.G.I. Packers. Jim Brandon, Forest sold 10 steers avg. wt. 1125 avg. price 98.50 with sales to 102.50 purchased by Norwich Packers. Bob Hodgins, Lucan sold 16 steers avg. wt. 1,389 avg. price 96.18 with sales to 102.50. Prospect Feedlot, Wyoming sold 7_ steers avg. wt. 1214 avg. price 95.16. Tim Kerrigan, Wyoming sold 5 steers avg. wt. 1334 avg. price 94.55. Don Crawford, Glencoe sold 5 cows avg. wt. 1710 avg. price 64.85 toe high of 68.00 purchased by Packerjand. Choice steers 95.00-100.00 sales to 110.00 Good steers 90.00-95.00 Plain -steers 85.00-90.00 Choice exotic cross heifers 95.00- 100.00 Good heifers 90.00-95.00 Common and medium 84.00-89.00 Heifery cows 65.00 - 78.00 Good cows 60.00-65.00 sales to 68.00 Canners and cutters 50.00-55.00 Shells 25.00-45.00 Direct to packer cows 115.00 Direct to packer bulls 120.00 Sows 40.00-48.50 Boars 20.00-25.00 c76r-d '.•, :84:4 egg '84.•84. X4'. � w.r.4, ',. +V& .^ .. c. .� �4. � ... 8w;•. de' ..t.•,.=•aye s. s : x. •'4 ....,147,-. , . . 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