HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1999-09-22, Page 21Wednesday, September 22. 1999
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21
Why the fuss over the WTO talks?
By Aviculture and -Food Mid
LyleVandlef
"Why are you so concerned about
these so-called WTO talks when farmers
are hurting now because of low prices
for their products? Nothing is supposed
to come of these talks for three years -
at least!"
I've been asked that, and it's a legiti-
mate question. Let me try to explain
why we are taking these trade negotia-
tions so seriously. It is because, in the
long term, we believe those negotiations
can help farmers get what they deserve
for their production out of the market-
place, which is all that farmers want
themselves.
Right now, there are two reasons for
. those low prices: oversupply because of
a series of good crops worldwide and
reduced demand in Asia and •Latin
America; and huge foreign subsidies of
those products, which further drive
down the price in the marketplace. The
size of the crop in the future will be
decided by farmers' planting decisions
and the weather, so what we are con-
centrating on are those foreign subsi-
dies. We have to convince the United
States and the European .Union, the
prime subsidisers, that over the long
term farmers need - and want - to get
a reasonable return in the marketplace
and not from the mailbox.
Canada is not alone in this belief. Last
month, I met with the Cairns Group,
some 15 like-minded agricultural
exporting countries named after Cairns,
Australia, the place they first met.
Canada is a member of this group, along
with major trading countries like
Australia, South Africa and Argentina.
At the end of our latest meeting, we
agreelire14-40immon negotiation frOsit
freer, fairer and more market-oriented
trading conditions.
This is what we will be pushing for.
wken talks begin this fall in Seattle,
Washington. It is there that the latest
round of WTO agriculture negotiations
will be launched. It is there that we have
to try our best to convince our other
trading partners and competitors to let
farmers make their decisions based on
the market rather than on the size of
national treasuries.
I've said it before and I will be repeat-
ing it in Seattle: farmers are among the
most efficient business people in the
world - they have to be, given the thin
margins associated with the industry.
Our farms are fertile and our desire to
succeed is beyond compare. If we can
curtail these destructive foreign subsi-
dies, our farmers will be able to com-
pete with those of any other country in
the world.
In the meantime, we have had to take
short-term measures to deal with what
Els- happened to commodity prices. With
the co-operation and support of the
provinces, we have made our existing
farm support program more flexible by
increasing access to the Net Income
Stabilization Account (NISA) program,
and we have introduced the $1.5 -billion
Agricultural Income Disaster Assistance
(AIDA) program. We are working on
improvements to AIDA and we are
exploring ways to implement a long-
term disaster program.
However, no oneargues that the best
long-term farm support program is a
healthy market bringingfair returns to
farmers for their efforts, unencumbered
by trade -distorting subsidies. That is our
aim at the WTO talks and that is why
you will see and hear so much about
those. talks in the coming months.
If you have somethoughts on this col-
umn, or other topics you would like.te
.
see addressed, please don't= hesitate: to
contact me . at:
.agr.eafhmati/em a n
Or you can write to me atm. Lyle
Vanclief, Minister, Agriculture and Agri -
Food Canada, Sir John Carling Building,
93,0 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 005
Until next month.
Brussels Livestock weekly sales report
Total receipts at Brussels
Livestock for the week end-
ing Sept. 17, were 3462
head of cattle, 434 lambs
and 35 goats.
There were 442 steers on
offer selling from 89.00 to
94.00 to the high of 102.00.
On Thursday veal sold on a
very strong active trade.
Lambs sold steady. Stocker
calves sold $2-$3 higher
with yearlings selling on a
steady trade.
Two gold steers consigned
by Bender Beef Farms,
Hensall averaging 1382 lbs.
sold to Dominion Meat
Packers for 102.00 with
their overall offering of 102
steers averaging 1454 lbs.
selling for an average of
92.75.
One limo steer consigned
by Walter Riddell, Granton
weighing 1375 lbs. sold to
Norwich Packers for 100.50
with his overall offering of
ten steers averaging 1334
lbs. sold for an average of
92.64.
Twenty-two steers con-
signed by Doug and Murray
Wagg,, Mitchell averaging
1229 lbs. sold for an average
of 95.03 with sales to 96.5
Twenty steers consigned
by Murray Shiell, Wingham
averaging 1376 lbs. sold for
an average of 93.49 with
sales to 95.75.
Eleven steers consigned by
Schmidt Brook Farms Inc.,
Woodstock averaging 1415
lbs. sold for an average of
93.36 with sales to 97.50.
Three steers coby
Allan Thornton, Go a aver-
aging 1318 lbs. sold for an
average of 90.81 with sales
to 93.00.
'Thirty-seven steers con-
signed by Cunningham
Farms, Lucan averaging
1384 lbs. sold for an average
of 90.50 with sales to 94.75.
Two steers consigned by
Amos Knorr, Lucknow aver-
aging 1070 lbs. sold for an
average of 90.35 with sales
to 94.75.
There were 148 fed heifers
on offer selling from 89.00 to
94.00 with sales of 98.25.
Two red heifers consigned
by Dale Gammie, Lucknow
averaging 960 lbs. sold to
Howatt Bros. Ltd. for 98.25
with his overall offering of
ten heifers averaging 1045
lbs. selling for an average of
92.62.
One gold heifer consigned
by Leroy Gould, Exeter
weighing 1125 lbs. sold for
98.00 to Dominion Meat
Packers with his overall
offering of ten heifers aver-
aging 1184 lbs. selling for an
average of 91.04.
There were 193 cows on
offer selling:
Dl and D2 cows 54.00 to
59.00 with sales to 65.50. D3
cows 50.00 to 53.00. D4
cows 45.00 to 50.00.
One char cow consigned
by Brent Scott, Holyrood
weighing 1665 lbs. sold for
65.50.
One hol. cow consigned by
Hank Hofman, Wroxeter
weighing 1480 lbs. sold for
65.50.
Three cows consigned by
Dimas C. Arruda, Arthur
averaging 1518 lbs. sold for
an average of 59.01 with
sales to 64.00.
There were .17 bulls on
offer. selling from 59.00 to
68.50 to the high of 72.50.
One limo bull consigned by
Frank Mahy, Owen Sound
weighing 1980 lbs. sold for
72.50.
One limo bull consigned by
John Hoogendoorn Sr.
Clinton weighing 1705 lbs.
sold for 71.50.
There were 193 veal on
offer: Beef: 100.00 to
'135.00. Hol: 95.00 to
110.00. Plain hol: 80.00 to
90.00.
Lambs; 50-65 lbs. 96.00 , to
120.00. 65-80 lbs. 96.00 to
135.00. 80-95 lbs. 96.00 to
1134.00. 95-100 lbs. 97.00
to 108.00. 110 lbs. and over:
99.00 to 104.00. Sheep:
50.00 to 65.00. Goats:
$32.50 to $145.00 per head.
Stockers: Steers - Under
400 lbs. 140.00 to 166.00;
400-499 lbs. 129.50 to
160.00; 500-599 lbs. 126.00
to 147.00; 600-699 lbs.
114.00 to 130.50; 700-799
lbs. 104.00 to 120.75, 800-
899 lbs. 100.50 to 116.50,
900 and over lbs. 82.00 to
110.50.
Heifers - 300-399 lbs.
132.00 to 143.00, 400-499
lbs. 113.50 to 139.00, 500-
599 lbs. 116.50 to 139.00,
600-699 lbs. .110.00 to
125.00, 700-799 lbs. 97.25
to 117.7 5, 800-899 lbs.
98.25 to 113.00, 900 and
over lbs. 94.00 to 110.75.
Plain stockers: 47.00 to
66.00.
Huron federation meeting charts course
CLINTON -♦- October 7 is a date not to
miss if you are interested in agricul-
ture. Six prominent agricultural lead-
ers are coming to Brussels to tell us
what they want agriculture to look like
in the next centiuy. The theme of the
meeting is 'Charting a Course for
Agriculture".
Four heads of leading farm organiza-
tions are among the panelists: John
Core. dairy; Will Nap, ' pork; Anna
Bragg, corn; and Ed Segsworth,
Ontario Federation of Agriculture will
be joined by board directors John
Maaskant, chickens and Stan Eby,
beef.
Each person will have ave minutes to
present their version of what they want
their industry to be like. Twenty min-
utes of questions from the floor and
among the panelists should stimulate a
lively discussion. At the end of the
question period, each panelist will have
two minutes to give us an action plan.
The audience will have a chance to
create their own action plans. These
ideas will help HCFA board of directors
to chart our course as we enter the
next century. HCFA directors are very
pleased that so many of our farm lead-
ers were willing to commit to being a
part of this challenging evening.
The meeting takes place in Brussels
at the BMG Community Centre with a
social time at 6:30 p.m. followed by
dinner at 7:00 p.m. The tickets cost
$10 and can be reserved by phoning
HCFA at 1-800-511-1135.
Come and hear our agricultural lead-
ers as they help us chart a course for
the future.
Denfield Livestock weekly
The market at Denfield
Livestock met a moderate
demand at steady prices
on the good well fed cattle
with the second cut cattle
trading lower. American
orders were a bit sluggish
due to the rising dollar.
Cows sold $1.00-$2.00
lower, veal steady, stock-
ers strong, sows traded at
strong prices.
Rick Davidson, Thedford
sold 7 steers average
weight 1256 average
price. 95.76 with sales W
102.00 purchased by
Norwich Packers.
Harold . Carroll,
Wardsville sold 25 steers
average weight 1434
average price 90.52.
Allan Carroll, West
Lorne Sold 13 steers aver-
age weight 1415 average
price 91.68 with sales to
103.00 purchased by
Norwich Packers.
Ernie Tellier, Tilbury
sold 5 steers average
weight 1255, average
price 102.35 with sales to
106.75 purchased by
Norwich Packers and
104.00 purchased by
Norwich Packers and
M.G.I. Packers.
McCormick Farms,
Inwood sold 7 steers
average weight 1179
average price 95.92.
Ed McCann, Parkhill
sold 21 steers average
weight
1414 average
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DRAINAGE
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price 90.71 a,11 another
21 steers averaging 1310
average price 91.97.
Morley Hodgins,
Parkhill sold 20 steers
average weight 1353
average price 90.33.
Prospect . Feedlot,
Wyoming sold 7 heifers
average weight 1131
average price 90.76.
Jerry Goens, Highgate
sold 6 steers average
weight 1188 average
price 93.28.
Walter Riddell, Granton
sold 10 steers average
weight 1314 average
price 91.80.
Paul : McTavish,
Alvinston sold 7 steers
average weight 1245
average price 90.56.
Choice steers 92.00-
95.00 sales to 106.75
Good steers 88.00-92.00
Common steers 85.00-
90.00
Choice exotic cross
heifers 91.00 -94.00
Good heifers 88.0°-
90.00
Good cows 50.00-55.00
Medium cows 45.00-
50.00; Shells 20.00-30.00
Direct to Packer cows
over f0 lbs. 112.00
Direct to Packer bulls
sales repo
120.00
Good Holstein veal
calves 90.00-100.00
Plain veal 75.00-85.00
Steer calves 120.00-
135.00
Heifer calves 115.00-
125.00; Good Holstein
bull calves $175.00-
$200.00
Sows 30.00-40.00;
Boars 10.00-15.00
a.ccurnulation
to Sept.16
At the Centralia
Research Station
Heat units
Heat units 3079
Days ahead of
normal 45
Heat units to date in
1998 3067
30 year normal 2722
Rainfall in m
Sept. to date 49.8
Sept.. normal 86
August 1999 58.2
August normal 90
Source: OMAFRA
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