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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1996-04-03, Page 19FARM 11PDATF. Experimental learning program benefits agriculture students GUELPH - Students in the Onta- rio Agricultural College's class of '99 are approaching the end of the first year of a new curriculum that focuses on 'self-directed learning and skills development. Because the process is so new, student feedback end consultation are an important part of the process, Jays Mike Jenkinson,,assistant.dean of OAC. The changes aim to do more than prepare graduating students who are. technically competent and who have. a comprehensive- understand- ing of the food system: The new Farm Mutual Reinsurance Plan Inc. elect new ch • Irma ZURICH - Carl L. Turnbull, Di- rector of Hay Mutual Insurance Company of Zurich, Ontario has been elected Chairman of the Board of the Farm Mutual Reinsu- rance Plan Inc. (F.M.R.P.). ' The Farm Mutual Reinsurance Plan Inc., is the first all Canadian Reinsurance Company and is locat- ed in Cambridge, Ontario. The Cor- poration is owned by 61 Farm Mu- tual Insurance Companies from across Canada. The Farm Mutual Insurance Companies that own and control F.M.R.P. are primarily Farm and Rural Insurance Companies. They have served their Members in rural Canada in the mutual tradition for more than 100 years. F.M.R.P. was formed in 1959 to increase the capacity (ability to write large insurance risks) of its Owning Members and to protect their financial resources. The Com- pany spreads the risk of catastroph- ic losses through their access to North American and International Reinsurance Markets. Currently, the Corporation as- sumes reinsurance premiums ex- ceeding 45 million dollars annually Cad L. Turnbull and has assets of over 150 million dollars. Mr. Turnbull is the Manager/ Owner of a 400 acre cash -crop farm at Dashwood, Ontario. Carl is an Elder of Grace Bible Chapel, Parkhill, Ontario and resides in Dashwood with his wife Lois. Carl and his wife Lois have two sons, two daughters and five grandchil- dren. Brussels livestock sales BRUSSELS - Sales at Brussels Livestock for the week ending March 29, 1996. Fed cattle 874 Cows 227 Veal calves 379 Sheep and goats 580 Stockers 1344 All classes of cattle at Brussels Livestock sold on a steady trade. On Thurs- day, the beef veal sold steady, with the Holstein veal selling $2.00 lower. The lambs sold sharply higher. On Friday all classes of stockers sold steady. There were 631 steers on offer selling from 78.00 to 82.00 to the high of .75. welvefstee-sconsi ' d by Jim llovvatt, Londesborough averaging -1419 lbs. sd for an"average of 84 63 with sales to 95.75. Sixty steers consigned by Mac Willits, Wingham averaging 1497 lbs. sold for an average of 80.47 with sales to 91.00. Thirteen steers consigned by Schmidtbrook Farms Inc., Woodstock averaging 1451 lbs. sold for an average of 80.50 with sales to 90.25. Forty-four steers consigned by Keith Griffith, Chatham averaging 1445 lbs. sold for an average of 79.56 with sales to 89.50. Forty-one steers consigned by Prospect Feed Lots Ltd.. Wyoming averaging 1440 lbs. sold for an average of 79.78 with sales to 89.00. Thirty-one steers consigned by Cunningham Farms, Lucan averaging 1360 lbs. sold for an average of 82.08 with sales to 88.50. Five steers consigned by Becker Bros, Neustadt averaging 1357 lbs. sold for an average of 82.38 with sales to 88.50. Thirteen steers consigned by Jack Culbert, Dungannon averaging 1350 lbs. sold for an average of 81.19 with sales to 87.75. Seven steers consigned by Walter Riddell, Granton averaging 1180 lbs. sold for an average of 84.76, with sales to 87.75, Thirteen steers consigned by Tilman Weber, St. Jacob's averaging 1285 lbs. sold for an average .4'78.79 with sales to 85.25. There were heifers on offer selling from 78.00 to 82.00 to the high of 87.25. • Four heifers consigned by Ray Zettler, Walkerton averaging 1256 lbs. sold for an average of 82.59 with sales to 87.25. Niric heifers consigned by Gerald Grubb, Mildmay averaging 1213 lbs. sold. for an average of 79.07 with sales to 86.25. Five heifers consigned by Ronland Farm, Stratford averaging 1217 lbs. sold for an average of 79.90 with sales to 85.50. Fourteen heifers consigned by Mux Lea Farms, Woodstock averaging 1265 lbs. sold for an average of 81.77 with Sales to 85.00. Eight heifers consigned by Wayne King, Gorrie averaging 1139 lbs. sold for an average of 80.36 with sales to 84.00. Fourteen heifers consigned by Woodham Farms, Woodham averaging 1143 lbs. sold for an average of 80.68 with sales to 84.00. Five heifers consigned by Dale Gammie, Lucknow, averaging 1254 lbs. sold for an average of 80.63 with sales to 83.00. Six heifers consigned by Gordon Dougherty, Goderich averaging 1231 lbs. sold for an average of 78.34 with sales to 81.00. One heifer consigned by Charlie McLeod, Glen Huron weighing 138) lbs. sold for 80.00. There were 227 cows on offer selling from 34.00 to 49.00 to the high of 56.50. Two red cows consigned by K&A Beef Fanns, Wroxeter averaging 1445 ibs. sold for an average of 55.58 with sales to 56.50. One cow consigned by Peter Merchant, Walkerton, weighing 1355 lbs. sold for 55.50. One cow consigned by Roy Miller, Ayton weighing 1750 lbs. sold for 53.50. There were 27 bulls on offer selling from 52.00 to 57.00 to the high of 70.00 'ileo Sim bulls consigned by John Winger, Palmerston averaging 1880 lbs. sold for an average of 67.67 with sales to 70.00. One Sim bull consigned by Jeff Grose, Alma weighing 1790 lbs. sold for 67.$0. There were 379 veal on offer selling: Beef - 70.00 to 120.00: Hol - 55-0010 75.00. A veal consigned by Andy Vandervecn of Walton weighing 6/0 lbs. sold for 120.00. . A roan veal consigned by Bil Devos, 1r., Bloevaie, weighing 705 los. sold for 98.00. A grey veal consigned by Allan McKinnon, Shallow Lake, weighing 710 lbs. sold for 96.00. 'Lambs: under 50 lbs. 217.5000 300.00 50.80 lbs. 180.00 to 242.50 80-95 lbs. 152.50 to 175.00 Sheep:30.00 to 50.00 S Steely: 400 - 499 lbs. 69.01) to 108.00 . 500;- 599 73.00 to 99.00 600'- 699 74.00 to 90.00 700 -199 72.00 to 91.00 800- 899 66.50 to 56.00 900 rk over 7040 to 92.00 He stars: 300 - 399 lbs. 61.00 to 93.OQ 400 =499 60.0010 101.00 500'+599 67.00 to 88.50 600- 609 69.00 to 82.00 • 70) -199 68.75 to 80.00 500 b Over 66.25 to 82.00 e curriculum also focuses on coni it pication, analytical and probtem solving skills, teamwork and Con flict resolution, The changes were designed in part to better meet the needs of the agri-food industry, which seeks employees skilled in such areas as problem solving, ne- gotiation, communications and teamwork: The changes are also in keeping with the .University of Guelph's strategic -planning process which proposes sweeping changes to the education of students, with more emphasis on self-directed learning .and instilling a lifelong love of learning. "I think most of the changes are positive," says David Hayter, a third -year B.Sc(Agr.) student who represented student interests in the development of the new curricu- lum. "Employers are asking for spe- cific skills, he says. Three new components of the cur- riculum are now being integrated -- an experimental learning program (ELP) that replaces a previous co- op program, a world -of -work readi- ness program and an international dimension that encourages study abroad. ELP provides a boarder approach than the co-op program, says Jen. kinson. Learning opportunities out- side the classroom could include work terms, volunteer work, extra- curricular activity, study abroad and job shadowing in an agribusi- ness firm. Students can fit the pro- gram to their needs, which includes obtaining credit for summer em- ployment related to their studies. ELP participants gain leadership skills and learn to work in groups more ore effectively. Faculty, carccareer...:cougsellors, advisers, employers and senior -level' student • mantis will be involved in the program. ELP empowers students to take a prnpctive role in their own devel- opment, say Jenkinson. 'They chart their own future." Through this program, students will build a portfolio to show the development of skills and work ex- periences that will entice employ- ers to hire them in the future. The portfolio will serve as an important learning tool; for each skill, stu- dents will be provided with some idea of its relevance and sugges- tions to acquire and develop the skill outside the classroom. Stu- dents will review their portfolio once a semester with their academ- icadviser. -This portfolio system will greatly benefit students because employers are no longer interested in just marks, notes Hayter. "They want to know what you've done." The WOW program, a unique partnership between the Counsel- ling and Student Resource Centre and the B.Sc. (Agr.) program com- mittee, is also part of ELP. Each semester, students take a course with career -services staff that is geared towards work-related skills such as self-management and man- aging people and tasks. The new curriculum recommends that the third year of study be de- veloped, if possible. as a semester ,abroad. Students can choose from a range of options, from as far away as New Zealand and Australia to as close as, the Canadian Prairies, Michigan and Mexico. Ontario farm families part of pilot study GUELPH - About 300 Ontario farm families will soon be partici pating in a landmark pilot study to 111p,detennine,,predict and.preven xposure fromagricultural chemi- cals. The $600,000 pesticide exposure assessment pilot study, led by Health Canada epidemiologist Tye Arbuckle, will be conducted by University of Guelph environmen- tal biology professor Len Ritter, ex- ecutive director of the Canadian Network of Toxicology Centres (CNTC). He will carry out the study on behalf of the Bureau of Reproductive and Child Health, La- boratory Centre for Disease Con- trol, Health Canada. • The study will focus on variables in farmers' fields and homes that most profoundly affect exposure. These include such factors as con- tamination of drinking water, drift of farm chemical sprays and the use of personal protection devices such as impervious coveralls and rubber gloves and boots. In each farm family, body -fluid samples will be collected from the farm operator, the operator's spouse and one of their children. Ritter says this will provide an unprece- dented detailed picture of exposure and suggest ways to prevent it. results of this study will give us a new level of confidence to explain the relationship between farm practices and chemical expo- sure" he says. "Later, when national studies of disease outcomes are conducted; it will enable scientists to ask farmers certain questions and predict exposure based on the an- swers, instead of having to do a mass biological analysis." Previous studies have shown that in some cases, farm families are more prone to maladies such as cer- tain forms of cancer and respiratory and reproductive problems (primar- ily stillbirths) than other segments of -the population are. The,relation- ship between these problems and chemical exposure ised, but has never been conclusivebe- cause studies that definitively iden- tified exposure levels were lacking. "It's easy to study a disease's outcome, but it doesn't tell you what may have caused the dis- ease," says Ritter. `The more accu- rate information you httVe about what• causes it, the more you can help it from occurring. We want to be able to better establish exposure levels, show that std in the fu- ture that look at reproduction will be better to determine if exposure is causing the problem," Collaborators on this study will be other environmental biology fa - rutty and participants in the CNTC, - the Ontario Ministry of Agricul- ture, Food. and Rural Aff'irs t • (OMAPRAYaiid the t:1 S. Natitnial Institute of Occupational Safety .'.` and Health. As many as 20 part-time posi- tions will 'be created to help carry out the study. Analysis techniques -will include extensive use of video imaging, a new technique in which 13 or G and OMAFRA are leaders. It involves adding a fluorescent dye to ,the farm chemical prior to use, then taking post -exposure vid- eo images of fanners with a camera that can detect fluorescence. The resulting images clearly show the degree of exposure. "Earlier research has suggested that the use of protective clothing can significantly reduce risk by re- ducing exposure," ' says Ritter. "This study will help more closely define that relationship." But even protective clothing is no panacea, he says. "Farm chemicals must always be treated with caution and respect. If you approach them with that in mind, you'll deal with them ac- cordingly." Have a farm tip? Call the Times -Advocate 235-1331 Times -Advocate, April 3, 1996 Page 19 Denfield Livestock The market et Penfield traded on a good de- mand at prices showing soMe improvement. The heavy cattle u' ded 2.00 CWT higher. (lows sold salt veal a little bet*. plgs steady, sows and boars • wcap $bong. ma Don F..edy and Marla Vandefploeg, D of eId sgld 20 . heifq. average wt, 1221, average price $4.65, safesio93.50'purchased by M.G.L. Bill Dykes, Grows) sold *heifers average *1. 1275 lb., average prig 81.60 sales to 86.25 purchased by M.G.I. Doug McCormick, Petrolia sold 16 Charolais heifers ay. wt. 1275, average prig 79.20. Steve Vokea. Petrolia sold 8 steers average wt. 1351 lbs. average price 85.40, sales to 88.75 purchased by Holly Park. Morley Hodgins, Parkhill 'stilt! . 28 steers average wt. 1338 lbs. average price 80.50. .Jim Annett, Petrolia sold 3 steers average wt 1258, average price 86.60. Peter Vokes. Sarnia sold 18 steers average wt. 1435, average price 79.52. Norman Hodgins, Parkhill sold 30 mixed steers average wt. 1464 lbs: aver- age price 79.50. Bob Hodgins, Lucan sold 14 stars average wt. 1552 Ib. average price 79.60. Bill Woodburn, Parkhill sold 13 steers average wt. 1566 tbs. average price 78.95. Mike Pickering, Dashwood sold 5 steers average wt. 1530 lbs. average price 79.30. Clayton Oneil and Sons, Denfield sold 8 heifers average weight 1192, aver- age price 82.50. Mike Hartman, Dashwood sold 7 head average wt. 1242 lbs. average price 85.50 sales to 91.25 purchased by M.G.I. Choice steers 83-86 sales 16 90.00. Good steers 7? -83 Heavies 74-80 Choice exotic cross heifers 83-86 sales to 93.50. Good heifers 78-82 Common and medium 60-73 Good cows 45-50 sales to 52 Canners and cutters 35-42 Shells 20-30 Medium veal 60-70 Plain veal 40-60 Pigs 40-60 lbs. 80-90 _ Over 60 lbs. 70-85 Sows 42-50 Boars 36-40 Corn prices .:soar HENSALL - At approximately $5.47 a bushel, corn prices have increased steadily from an average of $3.05 a bushel two years ago. "If political things remain steady, they're predicting a strong mar- ket until the year of 2000," said Dale Good, manger of W.G. Thompson and Sons Limited in Hensall. Because they're experiencing improved living conditions, some countries are importing an increased amount of corn for livestock feed. China, which exported corn up until a year ago, is now im- porting the product. Japan imported two million tonnes more corn than it did last year while Mexico increased its corn imports by 73 per cent during the same period of time and Africa, by 45 per cent. Brazil, with a 63 per cent increase in chicken consumption, has also been importing more corn. "The have nots are becoming the haves,'" said Good. Mad cow disease has also affected corn prices. Due to bans on British beef, meat meal, which is made from beef renderings, can no longer be produced. As a result, there is more need for both corn and soy beans. (If Wild Dale pointed out ,.`very few cash crop f s don't grow cora ip,si4i -aau 11J1009 'N. '-, few.years •whlei soY ea(lperteasgl. "Mae prices have favored soys o'i+tlF"coI ," he explained, adding it costs more to grow corn because more fertilizer is needed. The price of soy beans has risen from $7.57.a bushel last year to approximately $9.71. "I see the 'acreage in soys going up," he said. "The demand is good and the price is good and what favors soys over corn...is the low in- put cost...These prices are basically demand driven...Corn and soy bean prices tend to go hand in hand." While other sectors of the economy are suffering cutbacks and fi- nancial hardship, he explained, "in agriculture it's really strong. It's just the opposite." But Vern Alderdice, a com grower near Kippen, warns the price boom may not last. "I'II be surprised if these levels are maintained," he said "We've gone through this before. I strongly expect we'll have lower prices." Although he considers new China imports a positive factor, he feels many farmers may be overacting to soaring corn prices. "Every time something like this happens, theyget way too excit- ed," he said. Alderice pointed out high prices tend to crash by fall and added becaose most corn growers have already sold their corn, only 10 per cent will benefit from the new prices. "Actually, not a lot of farmers will benefit," he said, adding rising costs of fertilizer, seeds and fuel don't help matters. • ' Alderdice said the odds of a price -hiking drought taking place a second year in ,a row is unlikely. Also, the elimination of the United States' set-aside, under the new farm bill in January, which required a seven and a half percentage of corn acreage to remain out of pro- duction, may cause corn prices to drop. , Last year, 7.2 billion bushels of corn were produced in the US. With no. set-aside, that production could rise to more than 10 billion bushels, predicts Alderdice, which would drive prices down. Be- sides, he added, the Future's Market is predicting corn prices will get lower. �T.�NTED Seed Barley and Seed Oat Growers for the 1996 Crop Year "PREMIUMS PAID"