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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1979-11-29, Page 27ne 1 in iurrow' Letters are apprecby Bob Trotie, E,daie Rd Evn,ra Oni N3B 2C The Consumers Association of Canada has been monitoring farm marketing boards for at least 10 years and more power to them. They have been doing an excellent job seeing that these boards work within the legislation duly passed by both federal and provincial governments. They have succeeded in getting at least one representative on the National Farm Products Marketing Council. Maybe they will get another representative on that council and that's not a bad idea. In fact, it might be a good idea to get a consumer representative on all of the more than 40 marketing boards and commodity councils. Farmers must get used to the idea that fairness is there and fairness must even be seen to be there in the dealings of all marketing boards. In any investigation or probe of their dealings over the years, marketing boards have usually come out looking clean. So why, all of a sudden, is everybody and his uncle taking cheap shots at them? The Reader's Digest, twice within a year yet, has maligned them. The National Citizens Coalition -- whoever in heck they are -- has called for the Canadian Egg Marketing Agency to be disbanded. Laura Sabia, that champion of women's liberation, has penned a scathing piece in the Toronto Sun demanding that all marketing boards be canned. She accuses them of being badly managed, dic- tatorial and deaf to the marketplace. As regular readers of this column are aware, I have been a staunch supporter of marketing boards for more than a decade. I have not changediny mind. I still support them. Until a better arrangement for the Conference set Research at the Ontario Agricultural College plays an im- portant' role in the evolution of agricultural practices in Ontario. To help farmers meet the demands of a flew decade, researchers will discuss new develop- ments at the OAC Agricultural Conference, January 3 and 4. —"The- -purpose of this 'conference is to keep farmers, and other in- terested people up-to- date with' the latest developments in agricultural research," says Stan Young, coor- dinator of.-. -.agricultural extension. One of the major challenges . facing .far- - - fers`4s'.•adapitrng" o.. cher. computer age, One session of the conference features engineers, economists, and representatives of CANFARM, SEMEX, and the. Ontario Milk Producers' Marketing Board. These speakers will discuss the ap- 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 8 & L - Hog Panelling LoWRY.FARM SYSTEMS RR 1, Kincardine, Ont. "'Phone 395-5286 plications of current computer technology to farm operations. During another session, speakers will talk about an essential element of the farm -- adequate water supply. Topics will include availability of water, quality, hot water, conservation, and decon•tam ination. The second day of the con -fe-ren-ee------ --be-- devoted entirely to tillage and. related topics. Discussions will focus on soil conservation, crop rotation, erosion control, and the effects of machinery. Featured speakers will include researchers from OAC, the Ridgetown College of Agricultural Technology, :Macdonald Calle e and. the- Harrow Research Station. There is no charge for the conference, which will be held at Peter Clark Hall, 'University Center, University of Guelph, beginning at 10 a.m,. Lunch will be available for a nominal charge. • Panel will discuss media The Huron County Federation of Agriculture is sponsoring a meeting at Blyth Public School on ,December 6 at 8:30 p.m. IA panel discussion will be held on: "How the media influences the public's perception of agriculture." The panel will consist of three members of the media - Ross Daily, Farm Editor of CFPL and host of the T.V. program, "T,his Business of Far- ming"; Henry Hess, Editor of the Wingham Advance Times; and Bob Trotter, a journalism lecturer at Conestoga College and author of the newspaper column, "One Foot in the Furrow". A question period will follow. Introduction TO Non -Traditional Occupations for Women New course offered at Conestoga College in Clinton starting Jan. 7, 1980. - Minimum Qualifications: - Age 17 - Out of School T year interested persons pleas. contact: CANADA EMPLOYMENT CENTRE IN GODERICH - 524-8342 OR EXETER - 523,01471 producers of farm products can be organized, I will continue to support marketing boards. I do not think they are badly managed. I do not think they are dictatorial. Since Ms. Sabia gave no facts to back up her accusation, I see no need to back my statement either. But she may have struck a harmonious chord in saying marketing boards are deaf to the marketplace. Not enough time and effort and money is spent by these boards to explain themselves and their policies. They have been sadly -lacking in good public relations. All o.1them, especially those half dozen on the quota system, should be spending some of their dollars on explaining themselves, especially their pricing systems, to the` eying public. I have been present on a number of occasions when officers of some of these marketing boards have ex- plained their policies and their prices. I have come away every time quite satisfied that they are honest and above board. Obviously, though, a great may people have misunderstood the whole picture of marketing boards. Half this nation probably believes that every farm product is regulated the same as chickens, eggs, turkeys, milk and tobacco are regulated. It just is not ture, And the above-mentioned products would not be regulated as closely as they are if farmers could have survived without those regulations. What farmers have to understand is that the public definitely has a right to know all about marketing boards. If farmers are not willing to share this in- formation, then they are going to be continually harassed. by . big -circulation magazines, citizens coalitions -- whoever they are -- and libbers like Laura. Sabia asked why the U.S. is smarter than we 'are because they don't have marketing boards over there and their chickens are cheaper than ours and so are their eggs. She knows as well as I do that the U.S. market is many times greater than ours. They can produce in volume and they have the home markets for their products. So what if eggs are cheaper over. there? So are cars. So is clothing. So is housing. So is dining out. So are shoes. So are cigarette's. So is liquor. You name it. So why don't these big guns startthooting at those 'products and lay off the poor farmer for a while? AGRICULTURE MAILBOX Drawn from letters to Agriculture Canada and Agriculture Minister John Wise Dear. Mr Wise: ing, chilling, aging and delivery to the retailer. ' The retailer converts the !- carcass. in<to.:.1Ji.-fanubar retail cuts of hamburger, steaks, roasts, etc. About 428 pounds of the carcass is saleable meat. The other 148 pounds are bone and fat which are sold for about $10.00 to a renderer. When you divide the $725.76 the retailer pays by the number of pounds of saleable cuts, you find that this cost is $1.70 per pound. The retailer must set his prices at the supermarket to cover his expenses which include labor, refrigeration and packaging costs. There may be as many as 20 to 25 different retail beef cuts. The average retail price for all cuts works out to about $2.35 per pound. It is important to keep in mind that beef prices will vary according to the supply of slaughter cattle and the consumer demand for beef. Right now, • beef prices are high because cattle are in short supply and many con- sumers have a preference for beef over other sources of protein. As an interested con- sumer, I would appre iate^ :you—reinitr' ietp Mine stand the seemingly out- landish price I pay for beef. K.L., North Bay, Ont. Dear K.L.: I think the best way to see just where our beef dollar goes is to follow a beef steer from a stock auction to the suPermarket. The prices I'm quoting are recent figures from an eastern Canada market. The meat packer pur- chases at auction a 1,000 pound live steer for 71.5 cents per pound, or $715. After slaughter, the head, hide and offal are removed and are sold as by-products for about $100 per animal. The carcass is aged and the skrinkage from this process reduces the carcass weight to about 576 pounds. The packer then sells the carcass to a retailer for $1.26 per pound or $725.76. The sale of the by-products and the carcass must cover the packer's cost of slaughter - Established 1876 McKILLOP MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY HEAD OFFICE: 10 MAIN ST., SEAFORTH, ONT. Mrs. Margaret Sharp. Sec. Treas. Ph. 527-0400 FULL COVERAGE Farm. and Urban Properties Fire, Windstorm, Liability, Theft Various Floater Coverages Homeowner's, Tenant's Package, Composite Dwelling DIRECTORS AND ADJUSTERS Ken Carnochan, R.R.N4,Seatorth LavernGodkin, R.R.N1, Walton Ross Leonhardt, R.R.N1, Bornoholm John McEwing, R'.R.01, Blyth Stanley Mcllwain, R.R.N2, Goderich Donald McKercher, R.R.N1, Dublin John A. Taylor, R-R.N1, Brucefield J.N. Trewartha. 80x.661, Clinton Stuart Wilson, R.R.N1, Brucefield AGENTS E.F. 'Bill' Durst, R.R.N4, Seaforth James Keys, R.R.N1, Seaforth WM. Leiper, R.R.$1, Londesboro 482.3354 527-1877 345-2234 523-9390 524-7051 527-1837 482-7527 482-7593 527.0887 527-1455 527-0467 523-4257 CALL AN AGENT OR THE OFFICE ��. i'1S.e�i.�• GODER ICH SIGNAL -STAR, Tap NOYEMVIBER 29, 1979 --PAGE 9A Pork price sta ilizati n has many sidehghts What is the pork stabilization price that will exist for the period April 1, 1979 to March 31, 1980? It isn't possible to give a black and white an- swer. There are many variables that can affect the final price. However, it is possible to work through an example to obtain an approximate figure. First, we have to take the average weighted pork prices which oc- curred during the past five years. If we average figures will be comprised the 1973-74 to 1977-78 of weekly figures prices (100 index Car- weighted for numbers cass) of $49.72; $70.02; marketed. $58.92; $63.60 and $70.55, The individual figures we obtain an average will then be weighted for price of $62.56 per cwt. regional marketings and The Federal Gover- used to obtain a national nment supports pork at 90 price. percent of this figure with The stabilized price• adjustments for changes will be compared to the in cost of production. national weighted price Ninety percent of $62.56 for the twelve month amounts to $56.30. period. The difference In 1978-79, cash costs -of will represent any production were 59 cents stabilization payment. more than average costs It's vital to remember for the previous five that the average monthly years. If we assume a similar increase in 1979- 80, then our price in- creases to $56.89. Next April, a ,weighted price will. be calculated for the previous 12 months. It will be com- puted from figures in the Canadian l_.ivestock and Meat Trade Report, which is publeshed weekly. Individual figures will be obtained for the dif- ferent regions in Canada -. - :West, Ontario, Quebec and Maritimes. These 'Labor spokesman talks to farmers Ed ° Vanderkloet, Executive Secretary of the Christian Labour Association of Canada, an independent Canadian union, will speak to the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario at their Annual Convention, scheduled for December 4 at the University of Guelph. Vanderkloet will speak on the theme, "Can Christians Influence Government Regulatory Agent e -s?,, He will_. highlight his organizations in- volvement with Labour Relations Boards, the government agencies that regulate labour unions. According ' to Elbert van Donk-ersgoed, Executive Director of the• CFFO, thle Christian far mens hope .toog-et.-son e-4 new ideas fOr their in- volvement with gover- nment • regulators of farmer marketing boards. Also ' speaking will be John McMurchy, Solicitor with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food. He will review the history of farther• marketing boards and government's regulation of the boards. CFFO members will elect a new Presidentat the convention. John Janssens, a Lambton county egg produce&,has indicated that. he will not seek a fifth term. Membership cost in the CFFO will go up to $147.60. • in 1980 compared to $131 in 1979, according to a budget drafted by the Executive Board. But the executive is proposing that ithe official mem- bership' fee will be left at LARGEST STOCK IN THE COUNTY .WORK BO.OTS —Industrial -'Fartn —Factory Plain or safety toe PUNCTURE PROOF SOLES Open all day Wednesday ROSS SHOE SHOP 142 The Square Ooderlch, Ont. $100. All CFFO members are asked to pay more than the official mem- bership fee if they can. The Convention will take place in Peter Clark Hall, University Centre, University of Guelph, from 9:30 a.m. to 4p.m. The public is welcome, to attend. Registration is $10 per person. Student registration is $2.50. Pre- notification is ap- preciated at (519) 639- 3063. weighted price covers the high and low prices for the 12 month period beginning April 1, 1979. A quick review of the Livestock and Meat Trade Report shows the following monthly average prices • at Toronto: April - $64.88; May - $63.90; June - $67.70; July - $61.26; August - $61.50; Sep- tember - $61.95 and October - $57.13. These pricesare above the stabilized price and will likely offset .. low prices in the last five months How many hogs would qualify? The last payment was made in 1973. At that time, a producer could collect on a maximum of 1,500 animals. However, ap- parently the government has the option of changing the maximum number whenever a stabilization payment made. These figures are used to demonstrate how the plan works. We believe they are in the "ball park" for 1979-80. However, the Federal Government calculates' the final figures and there is risk in attempting to anticipate their calculations. SAVE ENERGY and Insulate U.F. Foam & Fiber Insulation Serving Huron County 15 years COMPARE...CONTACT STEWART'S ALUMINIUM & INSULATION 107 Huron Rd. Goderich 24-8821 FARM CLASSIFIED. SECTION C. Wanted A. For sale MASSEY-FERGUSON backhoe loader, good condition $4,000.00. Also John Deere 350 dozer, six way blade $8,000.00. Phone 368-7951.-48 WANTED - cattle. We pay good prices for reasonably injured or unthrifty cattle. Easy loading trailer with winch. Call collect 238- 2796, John Ansens, Grand. Bend. -44-50 WANTED TO RENT: Crop land in Colborne, Goderich and Ashfield Townships. To dollar paid for top land. Call Steve Buchanan, Goderich 524- 4700.-38tfnc WATER WELL DRILLING "79 YEARS EXPERIENCE" •FARM • SUBURBAN • INDUSTRIAL • MUNICIPAL • • FREE ESTIMATES • GUARANTEED WELLS • FAST MODERN EQUIPMENT • 4 ROTARY & PERCUSSION DRILLS "OUR EXPERIENCE ASSURES LOWER COST WATER WELLS" DAVIDSON WELL DRILLING LIMITED 4 Rotary and Percussion Drills PHONE 357-1960- WINGHAM Collect Calls Accepted "ONTARIO'S FINEST WATER WELLS SINCE 1900" APPLIANCE REPAIR 1 Large or small, we'll fix them all... Our rgpair experts will hove your appliance in tip top shape fast. Call us to- day. PECK APPLIANCES 1, TtiE.HE.Aa-T.n .... F _ w ~ DOWNTOWN VARNA" VARNA 482-7103 GODERICH COUNTRY CASUALS specializing in Professional FARMERS & INDUSTRIAL 1st LINE a GWG WORKWEAR AT BELOW DISCOUNT PRICES Other Clothing Accessories Available 35 WEST STREET Beside French Dry Cleaners • Financial assistance • Management counselling (CASE) • Management training • Information on government programs for business air? we he/p you? See our Representative BOB FURTNEY at. THE BEDFORD HOTEL GODERICH, ONTARIO EVERY TUESDAY on: (Next Visit: Tues. Dec. 4th Agh FEDERAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT BANK For prior information call 271-5650 (collect) or write 1036 Ontario Street, Stratford, Ontario 11 1 YOU DON'T HAVE. TO SHOUT MERRY 'CHRISTMAS. 1. If you decorate your house with Christmas lights„keep it simple. Too much of a good thing is a waste of electricity. 2. Turn your Christmas display on after 7 pm, when the demand for electricity is,lighter. And please. remember toyswitch it off at bedtime. .3. A happy Christmas is a safe Christmas. Discard old lights that show.wear or damage and make sure lights and marked C.S.,A. for safety. OUR BEST WISH -DON'T WASTE YO L R ENERGY. US IT WISELY. . K,