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Home My WebLink AboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1983-03-16, Page 5118th Faun bildinia, Week of Itch 169, 1983 Farmers need protection Duh n marketing commodities "Farmers need assurance of a reasonable return on their investment, but they also need assurances of pro- tection when they market their commodities," observ- es William Doyle, assistant deputy minister of marketing and development with the Ontario Ministry of Agri- culture and Food. Doyle discussed a new pro- gram and changes to an existing act which ,will fur- ther protect farmers, when he spoke at the Western 'Farm Show in London two weeks ago. The new Ontario Beef Cattle Financial Protection Program requires licensing of cattle dealers, packing plants, slaughter house oper- ators, country dealers, com- munity sale operators and commission agents. This program is designed to ensure protection to pro- ducers of slaughter and feeder cattle. It became nec- essary when a number of dealers went bankrupt and failed to pay farmers who had delivered cattle for sale, explained Doyle. A fund has been estab- lished to compensate prod- ucers and other sellers should buyers fail to pay. The parties to all sales of beef cattle in the province are required to pay 20 cents a head into the compensation fund. In the case of a default on payment by a licensed dealer, the fund will compen- sate the prodbcer for 90 per cent of the amount of the claim. "We We are now proposing changes in the Ontario Grain Elevator Storage Act to en- sure that grain remains the property of the farmers and is protected from sale or seizure in the event the elevator operator runs into Allan Colling Ripley, Ontario Agent for: Brussels Stockyard Ltd. Cows and Fat Cattle On Thursdays Call Yard 395-2977 After 8:00 a. m. for Pickup Stockers Sr Feeders HOME 395-2911 financial difficulty," Doyle stated. At the present time, once the grain is in the elevators and a contract for sale has been signed, confusion can arise as to who owns the farm produce in question -- the producer or the elevator operator. If the elevator operations fell into financial difficulties, banks sometimes seized all the contents of the elevators, including stored farm produce. Legal battles have been fought as the rightful owners tried to re- gain their property or be compensated for it. The proposals would guar- antee that all grain delivered to an elevator is intended for storage, unless the contrary is established in writing or before a court, The proposals are outlined in a discussion paper that will give all interested par- ties an opportunity to analyse the proposed changes and offer comments and sugges- tions to be sure the legis- lation in its final form meets the needs of the industry and protects the farmers, said Doyle. A key element in fostering an improved climate for Ontario farmers isthe drive tocapture new export mark- ets. "Our efforts have been paying off," commented Doyle who spoke on the farm show's provincial policy day. In 1981, Ontario exports of food and agricultural prod- ucts totalled $1.6 billion, a 20 percentincrease over 1980. It is expected that 1982 will record, another impressive advance in the dollar value of exports despite the reces- sion. Part of this success is due to the Ministry's aggressive trade missions and other ex- port promotion programs, according to Doyle. Last year, 390 Ontario companies took their products to 30 countries under the trade mission .program. The United States is still Ontario's best customer for agricultural and food prod- ucts, particularly since the low Canadian dollar has made our goods more compe- titive. Last year, 44 per cent of Ontario's food exports went to that 'market. "We made some striking export gains in the U.S. in 1982. For the first time, We sent trade missions to Dallas and Los Angeles, where we achieved combined sales of $12 million. One of our win- eries sold table wines in California -- the heart of U.S. wine country -- and that is the same as carrying coal to Newcastle," Doyle observed. Japan has also become one of our favourite export mar- kets, particularly for lean Ontario pork. The Ontario pork industry exports about 13 per cent of its output and, in 1981, more than half of these exports, valued at some $75 million, went to Japan. In 1982, Ontario supplied an even larger share of Japan's pork imports when that country embargoed Dan- ish pork because of an outbreak of hoof and mouth disease. Within months, Canada became Japan's ma- jor foreign supplier of pork - and 35 per cent of that pork originated in Ontario. Gaining entry to a market is one thing: Keeping it re- quires constant follow up and a long term commitment to that market, said Doyle. The Minister, Dennis Timbrell, and members of the Pork Producers' Marketing Board, returned from Japan a few weeks ago fairly confident Title search on machinery purchases a must Before purchasing used farm machinery, buyers should protect themselves from loss by ensuring there are no outstanding claims against the equipment. "It's good business prac- tice to make purchases condi- tional on having the oppor- tunity to search and clear title," says John Kessler, secretary -manager of the Farm Machinery Board, op- erated by the Ontario Min- istry of Agriculture and Food. Claims and finance con- tracts may be registered against the equipment under the Ontario Personal Proper- ty Security Act. Under this act, all claims are registered on a computerized central registration system. Local access to this central com- puter is available at 48 district offices of the Minis- try of Consumer and Com- mercial Relations. Title sear- ches may be initiated at these offices by telephone for a I2 tee or by requesting a computer printout for a fee of $10. To initiate the search, the operator needs the exact name of the individual or corporation, Kessler says. "A prospective buyer should take advantage of this registration system because it prevents him from losing his money if there are registrations against the equint by other credit- ors.'' Kessler adv'�rses buyers to search the title before mak- ing any purchases, particul- arly if the history of the equipment and the seller is not known or is questionable. OUTSTANDING RELIABILITY EXCEPTIONAL DURABILITY! ECONOMICAL OPERATING COST! You've got to know you can rely on us for all your equipment sales and service needs, af- ter all, when you've been in the same location for 33 years, you've got to be doing something right....right? Customer satisfaction, that's the name of the game, and you can bet....we do deliver, 33 years worth. 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