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Home My WebLink AboutClinton News-Record, 1978-01-12, Page 9Y'! CLINTON TON NEW.S-R ECORD, THURSDAY. JANUARY 12,1978.–PAGEef Despite apooryear;H�ron farnerschins up,a . re ) ndullen says Despite a trying year during 1977 Huron's Agricultural Representative Don Pullen predicts county farmers will "remain valiant and unshaken". Pullen said in an interview last week with the Exeter Times -Advocate he was told by one farmer who failed to harvest 200 acres of white beans and did not have crop insurance, "well, it's my first crop failure in 16 years." The ag rep added, "Most of our farmers are eternal optimists like myself or they wouldn't be associated with an industry where there are so many risks which, include weather and variable market conditions." The very wet fall weather cut Huron's white bean production by more than 50 percent. Despite this Pullen says, "I don't think this will have any appreciable effect on the amount of bean acres to be planted this year. We hope this was a once in a lifetime situation." He continued, "The weather this spring' will dictate whether more corn or beans will be planted to make up for the drastic cut in fall wheat planted last fall." Talking about the white bean crop Pullen said, "the weather certainly turned one problem into another. At a crops day at Centralia early in August everyone was wondering what would be done with all the beans from an expected bumper crop. Germination was the hest . ever and the beans came on very even. That is, until the rains came." Next to 1975, Pullen said this past year's corn crop was the best on record. He con- tinued, "With the exception of some acreage to the north, most of our corn was har- vested with the help of some late Indian summer weather." "Ironically, silage corn yields were great but when field conditions became so wet, the silage became too dry. Corn prices have now risen to about $1.90 hut, this is still below the cost of production of about $2.20," added Pullen. Some farmers, especially in the northern portion of the county, who specialize in livestock are finding a shortage of hay and straw. About hay, Pullen said, "quality of the first cut was dandy, but, due to dry AQP IS A FRESH POULTRY SHOP! FRESH CHICKEN 1.!:le Chicken C trims Split Chicken Breasts 1,9 Po1. Sausages Bologna Chunks Beef & Pork PREVIOUSLY FROZEN, SLICED se 8 1b ? Beef LIb ¢ FROZEN, COOKED, BREADED lb , ¢ 9'Codfish 1b635/ BURNS, PRIDE OF CANADA, SLICED GOLDEN SKILLET, FROZEN Side Bacon .. . 11bvacPac148 C Burns, Pride of Canada, Sliced, Mac & Cheese, Chicken, Luncheon, Bologna Cooked 12 -oz vac pac 91 BURNS — GARLIC COIL Polish Sausage 161.09 ............................................. DETERGENT IvoryLiquid TABLETS Anacin MOUTHWASH Listermint RIDGEWAY'S TEA PKG. OF 120 BAGS 249 A&P INSTANT SKIM MILK POWDER 3 LB. 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PEANUT BUTTER TEXAS, PACKED FRESH DAILY Spinach CALIFORNIA NO. 1 GRADE 10 -oz pkg 3.1b bag CALIFORNIA, fc" ls69a Lemons Large Sine 5for79$i NO. 1 GRADE, FLORIDA, .FINEST FLAVOUR -`" Tomatoes 1Yz-lbtray 89 t ASSORTED VARIETIES 6 INCH POT Hanging Baskets 4.49 CHOCOLATE 2 -LB TIN TIE BAG CHIP COOKIES Lipton's — 11 'Varieties CUP -A SOUP MIX 3CLING FREE BOX OF 12 FABRIC SOFTENER Action Priced! Action Priced! PK6 OF 4 ENVS 9 Varieties Including Puritan Meatballs & Gravy PURITAN STEWS Real Values, 24 -FL -OZ TIN LOTO CANADA, PROVINCIAL & WINTARIO TICKETS AVAILABLE AT A&P FOOD STORES. r r• weather was not enough. There was an abundance of second and third cuttings but they couldn't be harvested because of the weather. A lot of hay went down the drain." Quality and quantity of pasture was the best in many years. "We had reports of hefty gains of cattle out on grass," said Pullen. The ag rep said Huron farmers are showing more awareness to soil erosion. More sod crops are being used to help soil structures, especially on heavyland. The year 1977 will be remembered as the year of phasing out can -shipping for dairymen. On the subject of dairy Pullen said, "There will likely be some frustrations when some run out of quotas by the end of the year." - The beef . cattle situation which has been "not so good" for the past three, years is expected to take another three years to recover. Pullen said the poultry industry in Huron was "stable" with broilers much better than several years ago. Some forecasters are suggesting hog prices may be a bit easier in 1978 because of higher production in other areas. The Huron Ag, rep. said some Huron hog operators are consolidating their operations to include farrowing to finishing. Bad years like 1977 point up the changing role of the agricultural office. Credit counselling and farm management advice is a bigger part of the ag. rep's and three associate ag. reps jobs when an average 100 acre farm may have an in- vestment of a quarter of a million dollars. Pullen says farm people in this county are very in- novative,and some of the, blest farm managers in North America are right here in Huron. "They are not afraid of risk". Farmers have made more gains in productivity than any other sector of society "but they are fairly quiet about it" and get animosity from consumers when prices go up. "It's one of the agricultural ministry's jobs to make the cities understand what a small percentage of the in- crease goes to fanners," says Pullen. He admits, "It's an uphill battle since farmers are only about six percent of the population and most MPPs represent urban ridings, but, OMAF is trying." The four men who work at farm management coun- selling in Huron, Don Pullen, Stan Paquette, Dennis Martin and Mike Miller are always available when a farmer looking at a major new in- vestment wants to try something new. They can help with cash flows and debt planning that can be crucial in a year like this. Short farm management courses are offered at Cen- tralia College and there is more and more demand for intensive, one to one coun- selling since each farm wily has its own goals and objectives. pon Pullen and his staff are always updating their management knowledge and he says "from exposure to armers I'd say we often earn more from them than l vice -versa." Land costs and huge in- vestments in farming make this year's extreme weather conditions a lot more significant. The ag office is worried about the young farmer who has been in the business only three or four years and has the highest costs. More established farmers can usually wait out 'a bad year. The big change in Huron from mixed farming to cash cropping also makes a year of bad weather more serious. Mixed farmers could hope to "tread water" during a bad year. Right now, the ag. rep. suggests, "Huron's economy is like a car in neutral. The big effect of 1977's disastrous weather and commodity prices wilt hit when the debt comes due, The pain will be more excruciating next spring.". But with reasonable plans and documentation, he says farmers should get a sym- iiathetic ear from the Farm Credit Corporation and other lending agencies. And he and his staff will make time to help Huron farmers do this type of planning. It takes a special kind of person to cope with the stress and uncertainty of farming these days and Pullen says he Turn to page 14 +;� •