Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1976-08-19, Page 11• 31 Dec. 1 0 9 6 7-6 1?ub2` , e I4 brax y $ 52 Montreal St". Goth:.rich, 014,. Beef producers in trouble Want.. irnports:rt t� n. Losses "being experienced producers -import ,protection clothing industry: a few. weeks .domestic beef supplies in the by cattle feeders for the past"' similar to that granted the'ago and thereby ensure . future ior.carlsuters. several months and by beef" , cow herd owners for the past " , tw.o years have reaGh'edr..... .: ;.:.� A. ..... orator proportions ".making- producers question seriously whether or not . they should :•continue•;in the business. Ron Oswald', Chesley area beef producer and President. of. the Ontario Cattlemen's Association said recently that producers who have sold iha -ket cattle recently at _ prices ;which last week reached a three year low have experienced such Major losses that some may face - bankruptcy 'While many others will sustain a sub- stantial decline in the equity position of their business, • Most seriously affected: will be young cattlemelt who stave only been feeding cattle for a few years and have not had .the • chance to build up an equity position ' intheir • business. ' Beef..cow•' owners • have already= gone „through two years.where market prices returned barely half. thew' production costs arid it now appears certain that a third. year of major lossses is: in store. . • . The cattle iftdustry both in Canada, the United States and . other world countries is going through the cyclical heavy :.production . period. Since it takes approximately • three years from the -tithe a decision.is made-te breed a cow a01 the .time -the market animal goes to slaughter, the industry is 'suffering (roti the _rapid..expansiori,. an_breeding .. herds hich took place in the early 1970's. In spite of .warnings from producer spokesmen at that -tim e, governments we.r.e. •encouraging expansion 'and. instituting,.program•s to offer encouragement or •divert resources from other' com- modities. Compounding .:the problem of .increased cattle numbers:‘) has been rapidly escalating production posts which -tar • bothi.cow_ herd, ywners. "and cattle feeders has easily doubled in the past few years. To -illustrate. what ,has happened .in the cattle in- dustry, • in -1974 feed cattle prices at Toronto averaged •. approximately $48.00 twt. at a .weeklykill level of 57,200 while to date in 1,976 feed cattle prices at Toronto .have averaged approximately $40.00 cwt. with a kill level of 70;100 anincrease in supply of 23 percent. "Last week feed • cattle prices at Toronto were $35.00 to $37.00 cwt.. compared.. • to $48.09 to -550.00 cwt. at the same time last year. • This represents a decline in value of $130.00 for each. animal marketed and for many cattle feeders a -market • .,, price of ' $48.00 • to $50.00 represents a ..break even price: Large cattle 'feeding operations marketing . in excess of 1,94g head .per 'year are facing losses of $100;000 to •$250,000. Smaller operations are facing piroportionate losses. • . ` - Mr. Oswald stated that both• the Ontario and . Canadian Cattlemen's . Associations hate been'. seeking' the in s .ittr'tibrr,.....of -a' :Beef _..:-Import .._.. Law from . the Federal Government to "offer their.. industry •a srnall degree of protection against Australia t orts of • ced and'NeweZepand.m 10 • Said Mr. O waw" ere is ' absolutely no re why the' Feder -al -- d not give ; domestic'. food Anne's at GDCi this Friday nite - ' Anne of dreen Gables is coming to the Goderich District Collegiate institute stage tomorrow evening, Friday, August 20. The Huron Country 'Playhouse ° production in Goderich .is sponsored by ,,The Goderich Rotary Club: " • The_._,.._ptoduction stars Marylu Moyer as, : Anne, George Murray as Matthew, James Saar as Gilbert and Patricia Carroll Brown as 1Vlarilla. Advance tickets.. are available • from members of the rotary .Club, or at Campbell's, Ormandy's and, ICA. mush seats will be on sale at the throe 'Showtime .is,.8 p.m. • .Once is quite. enough Marian Schitl had.'. an in- terest in farming and . ex- periencing country .living, an • • interest that desperately nags at many city dwellers. But that interest• has since rt 4t i5oberir co; h"wsiA141'(.0.00 'ON, 129 Y1-.;-34 34 • THURS., AUGUST 19,•1976 .SECOND SECTION wanedv somewhat over the summer months and the 16 year old Kitchener native has Marian feeds a young calf that watborn just a few days ago ago.^Her' farming interests led her to the Junior Agriculturalist progarn sponsored by the Ministry of -Agriculture and Food that gives young people a chance to experience farm life. (staff photo) " • •• almost appeased her farming appetite, • • • g Marian •.ykas , orle_ •of .200 young people participating in the. . junior . .agrict},lturalist program : sponsored by the aloes Ministry of Agriculture. and Food across 'Ontario arid spent the summer working on the farm of. Sieb.blt:Siertsema, RR._I_';..Auburn, :The _program - was instituted,by the Ministry • on an experimental,basisfour years ago 'and was designed :,:to give young 'people from the city a -chance to. -experience farm life. Applicants_-rn•ust be 1$:and • • 17 years of age with no• previous farm erfperience naturally . must' .maintain an • interest in experienciing farm ife•: The- ...,pregra•rn._r ups `for.. _. nine' weeks' from: June 21 to August -20 and the . cost is shared by the Ministry and the participating,farmer. The • . Ministry pays ' •each: ,par - y ticiparlt $6 perday and the. farmer $5 per .day along with -room and board. There are approximately 37 young people participating in the program in the Huron, Perth, Bruce are?.and 50 per 'cent of that figure involves girls., Chuck Jacobs ., of the Ministry explained that many farmers • are apprehensive . about employing girls- for farm work but find thattheir efforts are more than adequate to survive Term life: Prior to • their farm placement; ': the junior agriculturalists are given a • two-day orientation program. at Centralia College. Jacobs' said the students are briefed on farm safety and the program stresses the worst 'conditions ta...eizsminate .the element of surprise. :For ,Martatr_it las:. been --•al su.mmer of•learnrng, working. and experiencing• all ..that farm life has . to offer: Sier= tsema spoke enthusiastically of the efforts of his young 'farmer and , is willing to. participate ` in the program again: ' Marian began work on the Siertserna farm June 2)1 -and. recalled that first awkward morning as . she approached -the barn •wearing' :her,:zrew overalls'and rubber boots. Each day Marian Schul sr.rubs and sanitizes pails and hoses used in the milkingoperation' on the farm of.Siebolt Siertserna,oRR 1, Auburn: _(staff photo) Sieboit Siertserna gives..Marian'some. instruction on hitching farm implenieiits to the tractor.'She has had several opportunities to drive the tractor which she claims she does in a slow and careful manner: (staff photo) •.. ,. • • d Marian and Siebolt stack hay in the barn that is now filled to near capacity for the whiter month's feed. Marfan said the program has been worthwhile but she would only do it once!— (staff photo): Story .and pictures by Dave, Sykes "The .first morning I was here ' was really different and I mostlyjust stood around and watched," she said. "I kept asking a lot ofquestions,' those first few weeks that seem kind of silly now.." Marian •applied to the j•unaor agriculturalist program to quench her thirst for•country living and an int�••rest . in farrning. It also provided an excellent retreat • from city living. Her schedule • has un derst'andably' :changed drastically . and the day begins around 6:30 a.m. when the cows•are led into the barn, fed and .milked. Following. breakfast Marian scrubs and sanitizes -the pails and hoses used in the milking operation and cleans the cooler. - • The afterdnoon's activities have 'varied between.haying, - repairing fences, cleaning the baryas and cutting weeds. The farmer's summer working days are long. and usually end With the's'etting-sun- Marian.._ ... adjusted. to the long working. daysand the different: life style and now ' stubbornly takes pride .in the fact• that her: parents thought' she would only last two weeks. ^_ She Works., six' days of the week or 12 out o 14 and is free to take two or three days of her days off at a time. Her family and social life styles have been altered but she. . 4 perceived no .real difference between country and.. city `people. "1 could not find much. .difference' between the country , and city people; basically they are both friendly," she said. "There are probably girls living on. fauns• that won't go near the barn." Marion • enjoyed the op- portunity offered through the ' Junior • Agriculturalist Program claiming the, ex- perience was certainly worthwhile. ' "1 think the program , is a good, idea arid.,tit has been a worthwhile stimme ' fiir rne:" but 1 would only do it since,''`