Times-Advocate, 1984-01-04, Page 11luu,..,t .pp.......40. 5001,011.. t'O.M MA Um.,. O1,, NL 2C 7
proof that tarot -marketing
boards work, they need only,
look at the United States and
the common agricultural
policy in the European
Economic Community.
The British are so upset
about the European
agricultural policy0tha6 Bri-
tain could end its association.
The EEC farm policy sets
support prices for European
farmers that are often twice
as high as those on the world
market. This encourages
massive surpluses, especial-
ly in dairy products and
grains. The support prices are
so high that agricultural spen-
ding for the EEC accounts for
two-thirds of the budget. And
it is expected to increase this
year by another third.
It will, according to one
estimate, cost consumers in
Britain and extra $8 -billion. In
the rest of Europe, the farm
policy is expected to cost
$60-billlbn in 1984.
It would serve the EEC
right if Britain withholds
payments to the EEC.
The same thing is happen-
ing in the United States only
in a different way.
The government buys dairy
surpluses. Income -support
programs encourage farmers
to produce when there is no
demand. The situation is
almost out of control.
The surpluses purchased by
the government sit in caves
and warehouses across the
nation: a supply of butter
which would supply the entire
nation for half a year in
storage; enough cheese to last
three months; enough skim
milk powder for three years.
The farm program in the
United States cost $28 -billion
last year alone, more than
what was spent on welfare
programs for the poor.
The Payment in Kind
(PIK) program provided
farmers with money from the
-government. in return for
keeping land out of produc-
tion. PIK has cost far more
than the government
estimated. Even though 82.3
million acres of land were left
fallow, such is the efficiency
of American farmers that lit-
tle was done to reduce yields,
especially wheat.
Contrast this approach with
Canada where a government
imposed quota system
discourages farmers from
producing more than the
market demands and milk
producers pay the cost to
dispose of surplus milk
powder.
I am not naive enough to
suggest the Canadian
system is perfect. Allocation
of that quota from province to
province is causing problems.
Cheese factories need milk
and cannot get it. Farmers
bitch and complain about
quota prices -- that is, the cost
of buying quotato expand or
even get a start in the
business -- and their com-
plaints are valid.
Eggs at one time rotted in
storage when the Canadian
Egg Marketing Agency was
in its embryonic stage.
But the agricultural budget
to support Canadian farmers
is infinitesimal compared to
other industrialized countries
and don't you farmers let
anyone forget it.
When urbanites and city
dwellers suggest that farmers
trip over government cheques
at the mailbox, tell them this
country spends less on
agricultural supports than
almost any other country in
the free world? Or Russia,
either, for that matter.
And that is because
CONSIDER DRAINAGE
The Huron County Federa-
tion of Agriculture will be
holding their regular monthly
meeting on Thursday,
January 5 at 8:30 p.m. at the
Clinton Public School. Special
guest speaker will be
drainage contractor Kelly
Robinson, who will speak on'
how to make better use of
your farm drainage system.
A question period will follow.
•
ti
•
Page 10 -
Times -Advocate, January 4, 1984
4 -
Ontario
Ministry of
Agriculture
and Food
Area crops good in 1983
As the new year starts, itis
customary to reflect on the
past year and plan for the
next. As an area we have
much to be thankful for. This
is also the case with crops in
1983.
This crop year started slow,
cold, wet and miserable. We
received numerous calls in
late May and early June as
you switched crop intentions.
As the year unfolded, a lot
of the early -season worries
vanished. As you remember,
the weather turned dry -
almost to a drought before we
received rains in late July and
early August. These were
very timely . rains as you '
recall. The corn was just star-
ting to pollinate as were the
white beans. Other parts of
North America were not
blessed with these timely
wins.
By crop's year end we did
all right. Our winter wheat
yield was average or better.
The alfalfa crops were better
than average. Our corn crop,
while down from the record
yields of 1982, was as good as,
or better than, our five year
average. The white bean
yields were a little less tharf
average, but if the present
price structure holds, 1983
beans will show the highest
ever returns to growers. Our
soybean yields were
phenomenal. In fact, we pro-
bably don't deserve these
yields.
On the other side, our
spring grain yields may have
set a 10 -year low. But even
that has its bright side. Grain
fields that were seeded down to
alfalfa or red clover plough -
down were showing really
good forage stands in
September.
For the whole year "you did
good." Of course, there were
some individual problems.
We did have serious hail
damage that hit individual
farms badly. As well, some of
you who have a lot of your
acreage in spring grain did
not get the grain in on time
and your yields hurt.
As I mentioned previously,
you did better than most
North American farmers. In
fact, in 1982, Huron and Perth
Counties were No. 1 and No:
2 for average wheat yields
and No. 2 and No. 3 for
average corn yields. For 1983
e will probably be No. 2 and
3 for corn and maybe No.
1 a d No. 2 for soybean yields.
ou do a lot of work and
planning for these good crops,
but you have other help. You
have geographic advantages
that other parts of Ontario do
not have. We do "cuss" at the
snow all winter. But the same
geography that gives us snow
in the winter almost always
Moonlighter
A real comfort
in emergencies
$1499s
You get heat, Tight, even cooking ability on a
Moonlighter and it heats for pennies per hour
get winter warmth and peace of mind.
Price and compare anywhere
similar savings on other
Kerosun models
_ 1 /
Hully Gully Sports and
Recreation, Limited %ALI"
PVhone 6O2-331 i
Phone 262-3318
NO
ARTIFICIAL
PRESERVATIVES
OVER
40
VARIETIES
OF
DONUTS
SUPER SPECIALS
1
FRESH MUFFINS'
BRAN. BLUEBERRY.
OATMEAL. ETC •
6. FOR 699
I"- ONION
ROLLS
6 FOR990
CREAM CHEESES
PEACH. ORANGE or DILL
9 -Le
3.2J
CHEDDAR CHEESE
MILL?, —
2.89 La
BULK SNACKS and CANDIES
EVERY WEONESOAY IS COOKIE DAY1
TastyNu=
Bakery & Cheese House
MOOING A FORT — Scott Wedlake, Jayann Heywood and Jason Heywood were
involved in building a fort and tunnel on Huron street east, Sunday. afternoon.
Canadian farm marketing
boards have been hit from
many angles in recent years.
Even the Readers' Digest
took a crack at them a year or
so ago.
But if Canadians need any
assures us of rain in the
summer.
Pick best hybrids
You do have two very ac-
tive Soil and Crop Improve-
ment Associations working
for you. This past year the
Huron Soil and Crop Improve-
ment chaired by Bruce Shill-
. inglaw of Londesboro, and the-
Perth
hePerth Soil and Crop Improve-
ment chaired by Walter
Kollman of North Easthope,
worked on your behalf for bet-
ter crops. One of their pro-
jects was selecting the best
hybrids. Of all thethingsyou
do to plan your corncrop,
choosing the right corn -hybrid
is the single thing that gives
you the best return for money
and time invested.
To that end the Soil and
Crop Improvement sum-
marizeddthe yield results of 91
farm trials in Huron County
and 63 farm trials in Perth
County. From these sum-
maries the Soil and Crop Im-
provement Directors picked
what they felt were the best
Hybrids in different areas.
For PerthCounty the.direc-
tors picked Speare S0102 for
the 2500 Heat Unit area. For
the 2600 to 2700 area the Perth
directors picked Asgrow RX
308, Co -Op 2645, PAG SX111,
Pioneer 3859, Pioneer 3949
and Pride 1169 as being good
yielding and good stalk
strength. They picked
Pioneer 3950 as having ex-
cellent yield and stalk
strength.
In the 2800 H.U. area they
picked Jacques JX47 and
Pride K1173 as having good
yield and stalk strength. They
picked Pioneer 3925 as having
excellent yield and good stalk
strength.
In Huron County the Direc-
tors picked Co -Op 2645, PAG -
SX111, pioneer 3859, Pioneer
3949 and Pride 1169 inthe2600
H.U. area.
For the 2700 and 2800 H.U.
area they picked Hyland
HI:2454 as having good yield
and stalk strength, Pioneer
3975A and 3925 as having ex -.r
cellent yield and goodstalk
strength. They picked
Pioneer 3950 as having ex-
cellent stalk strength and
yield.
In the 2900 to3000H.U. area
they picked Co -Op 29'2Q, Co -Op
3090 and Pioneer 3901 and
3906.
The Soil and Crop Associa-
tions carried out other pro-
jects and a anmmary of these
projects, as Well as the corn
hybrid trials are available at
either 0.M.A.F. office.
- P.J. Lynch
Soils and Crops Specialist
•
R.R.S.P.
Registered Retirement Savings Plan
No fee
No charge
Variable Rate 10%
Fixed Rate:
1 yr.
2_yrs.
3 yrs.
4 yrs.
5 yrs.
91/4 %
10 %
101/2
10'/4 %
11 1/4 0/0
*All rates subject to change without notice.
Clinton Community
CREDIT UNION
Exeter
Clinton
235-0640
483-3466
4
THE CASE
FOR GOOD
BUSINESS SENSE.
Visit us in Exeter
Every Wednesday
REPRESENTATIVE :
Bruce dagnier
It simply
make
good sense to
meet with the
representative of
the Federal Business
Deelopment Bank who
will soon be in your area.
There is no obligation; and no
cost to you. And there is so much
you could gain for your business.
Come talk with us if you could -
use financial aid, in the form of loans,
loan guarantees or even selling an equity
position in your business. We have experienced
counsellors who can help you plot a course
of growth and success for youf business. And
we can provide youth direction to government
assistance, both federal and provincial, as
well as other vital information. For an advance
appointment call: 271-5650 (collect)
or write: 1036 Ontario Street
Stratford, Ontario
Federal Business Banque tederale
Development Bank de developpement
Your future is our guarantee. -
Canada
Area f' ii mens review '83
DIsstor potonilal ov�rcoine-
Deapite a potentially
disastrous beginning, 1983
turned out much better than
early conditions indicated on
the local agricultural scene.
The spring rains cleared up
just before the deadline for
planting.
• Speaking for Hill and Hill
Farms 3,000 -acre cash crop
and pork operation based at
RR 1 Varna, Bev Hill summ-
ed up 1983 as a good year.
Yields were better than ex-
pected with less than
favourable planting and
growing conditions. The only
exception was pork produc-
tion, with ,he hog market still
under a great deal of
;pressure.
Looking forward to 1984, Hill
said much depends on
farmers' attitudes at planting
time, but would make no
predictions because the 1984
crop year is still too distant.
As for his personal attitude,
Hill said, "I'm relatively op-
timistic. That's one of my
shortcomings; I have a hard
time being realistically
negative."
Tuckersmith township
farmer Vern Alderdice, on
the other hand, believes the
modern farmer 'must be a
hard-headed realist. He main-
tains farming is a high-risk
enterprise now. Though farm-
ing has changed dramatical-
ly in the past few years, some
farmers who have been doing
certain things a certain way
for year don't like to change.
Farmers can no longer live on
hope; they must also be good
businessmen, Alderdice
maintains. Astute farmers
who took advantage of the
futures market when selling
their crop last fall received in
excess of $4.00 per bushel for
corn, and over $10 for soy-
beans at harvest time.
Alderdice said the freak
autumn hail storm that cut a
devastating path through
farms from Bayfield to Staf-
fa badly damaged the crops
on one-third of his 1,200 -acre
enterprise. Yields of corn and
soybeans were better than
average on unaffected
acreage.
Alderdice says 1984 is dif-
ficult to assess as yet. He
farmers have taken advan-
tage of legislation letting
them rung their oCvn
businesses.
Farmers here are a fierce-
ly independent lot and God
bless 'em for it.
MF
MF
predicts that with all acreage
restrictions on corn and soys
atready regwved in the U.S.,
North American farmers will
plant one of the biggest
acreages in history if weather
conditions are favourable.
This will likely lead to
depressed prices, and Alder -
dice said the futures market
is already reflecting this
possibility.
Frank Regier, who cash -
crops 3,000 acres in the
Dashwood area with the help
of his four sons said 1983 was
"a pretty decent year." Good
prices made up for lower corn
yields, and excellent quality
white beans sold for a good
price.
Regier hopes commodity
prices will hold, as producers'
costs for fuel, fertilizer and
other necessities are rising.
He said farmers are depen-
dent on uncontrollable factors
like weather, but he is op-
timistic about 1984, especial-
ly as it is election year in the
U.S., and could also be in
Cana Farmers usually
fare fair ►well at such times,
he commented.
The picture was not as
bright for beef producers in
1983. The price of steers went
up and down as often as gas
prices, according to Vic
Hargreaves, co-owner of Hen-
sall Livestock Sales Ltd.
Prices fluctuated from a low
of $70 to $72 per hun-
dredweight to an unexpected
but very welcome high of $92
the last week in December.
Approximately- 100 fewer
cattle per week went through
the Hensall facilities in 1983
than in the previous year.
Hargreaves predicts a
strong market for the first
quarter of 1984, but will make
no guesses after that.
Bill Coleman, Kippen,
comes from a long line of beef
producers. He described 1983
as a rough year for that side
of his farming operation, with
losses as high as he's ever ex-
perienced, but said raising
cattle is a way of life, and he
always looks for a better year
next time.
Coleman attributes,part of
the December rise d'n beef
prices to the fact many
former big operations are
now out of business. High
corn prices and recent stormy
weather have also affected
the cattle market.
Coleman does not see a
future for feedlot ojkrators in
Huron County. They are com-
peting with heavily subsidiz-
ed producers in some of the
other provinces, especially
Quebec and Saskatchewan,
he said.
Coleman does not have all
his eggs in one basket. He is
well satisfied with the rest of
his farming operation which
includes seed corn, white
beans, corn and seed grains.
Coleman hopes his wish for
strong prices on all com-
modities in 1984 becomes a
self-fulfilling prophecy. ,
3 Days Only
Inventory Clearance
SALE
Thursday Friday Saturday
Jan.5 Jan.6 Jan.7
9:30 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Saturday till 6 p.m.
GCi GOE
Fine Furniture
ON THE MAIN ST.
DUBLIN
345-2250
MF
MF
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January Savings!
_.z
See us this month for Inventory
Reduction savings on selected
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savings and financing you'll like!
MF TRACTORS
• Big Factory Discounts
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• Used Combines...your choice
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fr
February1, 1985.
Money -Saving Offers on MF
Tillage Implements, Drills,
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and Rectangular Balers, tqo.
HURRY! OFFERS END JANUARY 31st!
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18 Wellington St., Exeter
235-0743
MF sn.,a,w «,qac+ a qi,.rry na credit and down psymerr
M.E. 270 Tractor 5S pl.P.
This months special 915,42SM
(No trade) •
M.F. 698 2 wdr. 80 H.P., cab
air cond./heat. Thls months special
*27,431" , - '
M.F. 294-4 4 wdr37 H.P.
This months special $21,993M