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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1979-10-11, Page 29AGE 12A—GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1979 FARM New soil tests helpful Invisible elements in the soil are often critical to plant growth. The building blocks are nitrogen, phosphorous, and potash, but other elements micronutrients - can be just as important. Tests have been devised to monitor soil "health", but some micronutrients are un- measurable. Staff at the Ontario Soil Testing Laboratory hope to select a method for measuring one micronutrient known as manganese. Although plant analysis is used to measure manganese, no soil test has been evaluated for Ontario conditions. Plant analysis is limited in its use because samples must be taken at specific . stages of plant growth. More definitive tests are needed for manganese and other micronutrients such as boron and zinc. 1V licronutrients, measured in parts per million (ppm), are needed in very small quantities. Deficiencies are present in some soils, but they can be aggravated by erosion or high crop yields. Without manganese, for example, the growth of soybeans, barley, and winter wheat can often be stunted. Manganese deficiency in soybeans causes the leaf area between the veins to turn pale green, and in oats and barley, it causes gray oval-shaped spots to appear on the lower leaves. Researchers are analyzing several chemicals to find one which will simulate the manganese extracting ' activities` of growing plants. "Eight to ten chemical extractants have been tested under controlled conditions " in greenhouse," says Professor Bates. "About 50 to 60 Ontario soils., supporting soybeans and barley, have been tested for manganese availability. We have a 75 percent success rate in determining amounts of manganese in.. the greenhouse situation." Meanwhile,:<gield tests are in progress on winter wheat in Norfolk and Elgin counties where manganese deficiencies are a prouienl in some sandy soils. Selected extractants are tested on these samples. Standardizing a test for Ontario soil conditions is difficult because ex- tractants that are suc- cessful in other regions are often not accurate for our soils. Funds from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food continue to support research at the Ontario Soil Testing Laboratory in Guelph. Farm taxes on rise Ontario farmers' can expect their local taxes to rise by up to 50 per cent next year, Peter Han- nam, President of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA), warned local farmers ,recently. Hannam said Peter- borough County farmers could see their taxes go up 10 to 40 per cent. Taxes in , urban areas of the county are expected to drop. Similar rural in- creases are expected throughout the rest of Ontario. The larger increases for rural residents are due to the provincial government lifting the freeze on equalization factors which have been unchanged since 1970. Hannam said that since the freeze in 1970, pressures have forced up the value of farm properties much faster than urban pr o erties. As a result, farmers would be forced to bear a larger share of county and regional costs. "The shift of costs from urban to rural areas is unacceptable," said Hannam. "Taxes should be based on the ability to. pay and not 9n inflation - inflated land values". Hannam said the provincial government had already recognized the injustice of the present tax system when they introduced a farm tax" reduction program. This shifting of costs to rural municipalities will make. an unjust system worse. Hannam concluded .that if .the provincial government -insists upon this readjustment of county costs, the OFA will demand • a com- pensating adjustment be made immediately in the farm tax reduction program. itodiP ne .7 -+ate lurrow' levers are apprec.alen by Dot, Toner EIdale Rn N36•1C 7 Remember The Shadow on radio? Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? ' That was one of Lamont Cranston's favorite ex- pressions. He was The Shadow and could disappear at will. It seems.poultry processors in this province -- some of them anyway -- can be a ,hard-nosed group to deal with. Jim Chalmers, chairman of the Ontario Chicken Producers ,Marketing Board, ' probably knew processors would play a little dirty. The Bamberg producer has won a few victories for the board. The processors until recently refused to take his .birds. Is there a conspiracy? Of course, nobody will admit it but Chalmers is -finding it difficult to escape that conclusion. He has undoubtedly lost money because he stuck to what he believed was right. He decided to shop around for the best deal he could get in chicks and feed rather than dealing with one big firm; to break away from the big boys which integrate the sale of chicks, feed and processing. He wanted to remain as independent as possible. He hoped to have his birds processed at a market weight of about 21/2 pounds. He even had an agreement with a processor. But the processor backed down on the deal. Chalmers' birds now weigh six or seven pounds. They are away beyond the best marketable weight and it costs a lot of money to keep them alive. Not only that, it is costing him space. He cannot put any more birds in his barns until the others are sold. Many chicken producers believe that the word is out: If you speak up for the marketing board, you could be in trouble with processors. Gerald Tedford, found himself in the same predicament when he was chairman of the board. It smacks of collusion, of vindictive action. I have been accused many times of being an ex- treme socialist, even a Communist, because I support farmer -run marketing boards. Until something better comes along, I can see no alternative for orderly marketing. I am not a left-wing socialist. I usually vote Con- servative; not always, mind you. Because I have consistently suggested in this column that big business cannot be trusted when it comes to the food chain, I get letters calling me everything but a gentleman. The potential for big business, for multi -national corporations, to rip-off the consumer is obvious in the WATER WELL DRILLING "79 YEARS EXPERIENCE" • FARM • SUBURBAN • INDUSTRIAL • MUNICIPAL • • FREE ESTIMATES o GUARANTEED WELLS • FAST MODERN EQUIPMENT • 4 ROTARY & PERCUSSION DRILLS „4 r "OUR EXPERIENCE ASSURES lfry ► LOWER COST WATER WELLS” AIriOtl F DAVIDSON WELL DRILLING LIMITED 4 Rotary and Percussion Drills PHONE 357-1960 WINGHAM Collect Calls Accepted "ONTARIO'S FINEST WATER WELLS SINCE 1900" T food chain, The huge tentacles of the Weston group and Argus Corporation have been outlined in this column a couple of times. Which isn't to say that big corporations are doing so; only that the potential is apparent. The best 'weapon for farmers to fight the multi- nationals is to be in charge of marketing their own products. If farmers need any other indication that the giants , in the poultry processing industry cannot be trusted, then the Chalmers case and the Tedford case are glaring examples. There is no doubt in my mind that many other examples can be found and not just in the broiler chicken industry. - I know that, before the flue-curedtobacco board was formed, tobacco growers suffered all kinds of in- dignities to sell their products. Thirty years ago, one tobacco grower told me that a tobacco buyer for a big company asked the farmer for a night with his at- tractive daughter before the buyer would take his crop. The farmer refused, of course. But it just goes to show you that big business has a sorry record in many, many areas. I ,would rather trust a group of farmers running their own marketing board than trust some agri-businesses. I just learned as this was being written that one processor, J. M. gchneider Inc., has agreed to take some of Chalmers' birds. Thank goodness one company known for fairness and high quality has decided to help out. Most soybean crops are safe from frost More farmers are growing soybeans than ever before, but some who are unfamiliar with the relatively new crop may he alarmed by frost. 'Generally, most soybean crops in Ontario are mature enough this year to escape frost damage," says Professor R. J. McLaughlin, crop scientist at the University of Guelph, "About 324,000 hectares (800,000 acres) of soybeans will earn high 'grades when harvested and shipped to the crushing plants." Crop scientists have researched soybean cultivation. This sum- mer, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food sponsored the first study on simulated frost con- ditions in soybeans. Preliminary data show that, if • soybeans are physiologically mature, frost will advance the drying process. To be considered physiologically mature, the soybeans should have lust 50' percent of their leaves. This allows air movement through the crop canopy, and D provides natural drying of the pods. However, if 50 percent of the leaves have not dropped when frost oc- curs, the green pods will mature more slowly. Chances are that the crop will dry adequately with sunny weather. An early, heavy frost can cause immature pods to turn black. If the soybeans are " not physiologically mature, then low yields, low oil content, and perhaps green beans will result. Frost -damaged soybeans GIFT OF LIFE! /11 � Illlll' 1 �1 Be a regular RED CROSS - BLOOD DONOR result in dockage at the crushing plants. If beans remain green, farmers should consider harvesting the crop for cattle feed. Although the oil content is reduced, the protein value remains unaffected. CLAY — Silo Unloaders Feeders Cleaners Stabling Leg Elevators Liquid Manure Equipment Hog Equipment BUTLER — Silo Unloaders Feeders Conveyors FARMATIC — Mills Augers, etc. ACORN — Cleaners Heated Waterers WESTEEL-ROSCO Granaries B & L - Hog Panelling LOWRY FARM SYSTEMS RR 1, Kincardine, Ont. Phone 395-5286 N'T FI DDLE FARM CLASSIFIED SECTION A. For sale ANGUS FEMALE SALE. From Featherston, Glen Islay and Sheldon Creed herds. At Sheldon Creek Farm, Orangeville, October 13, 1 p.m. 60 lots. Mostly cows with dalves at foot. Also bred and open heifers. These are top quality Angus cattle. Catalogues from Doug Long, RRI Orangeville (519) 941-1542.-42b.c. B. Custom work Will do custom `combining of 36" and 30" rows -of corn. Phone 482- 3145.-40,41 82- 3145.-40,41 C. Wanted WANTED TO RENT: Crop land in Colborne, Goderich and Ashf1ield Townships. Top dollar paid for top land. Call Steve Buchanan, Goderich 524- 4700.-38tfnc D. Livestock FIFTY pigs for sale, from forty to eighty pounds each. Phone Dungannon 529-7615.-40- 41 CUSTOM CORNDRYING Buy - Sell - Store or weigh out to your account ROBERTSON FARMS George Robertson R.R. 5 Goderich 524-6658 ITH. .YOUR -PROFITS AT M.J. SM1TH WE CAN SERVE YOU BETTER, FASTER MORE EFFICIENTLY IS WORTH A LONG HARD LOOK. It's that time of year again! And like always, we offer TOP PRICES, FAST SERVICE and QUICK SETTLEMENT. Bring us your harvest today. Take advantage of the fast, ac- curate service we provide at our weight scale and testing station. As well as quick and easy dumping with our Hydraulic floor lift. Remember...when it comes time to buy or sell, there's only one place to try...We can save you time and money! SALES, SERVICE, PARTS Vei COME TAKE A LOOK! WE'RE THE ONE WHEN IT COMES TO VOLVO R MAZDA M -W MOTORS LIMITED 184 EAST ST. GODERICH 524-7212 Mon to Fri„ S 6, Sol. 0 1 Solna Dept, open Otho, hours by apt,oln,mont. 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