The Times Advocate, 2004-01-28, Page 3Wednesday,January 28, 2004
Exeter Times—Advocate
3
Huron County pork producers attend annual meeting
By Mary Simmons
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
SEAFORTH — Despite a
blast of winter weather,
Huron County pork pro-
ducers made their way to
Seaforth to attend the
annual meeting Jan. 21.
President Cor Reinink
told the people in the
room they were part of a
rapidly changing indus-
try.
He acknowledged the
disastrous prices the
pork industry has faced
in the past year and said
new ideas have to be put
into effect to turn things
around.
He said pork producers
face many challenges
and it comes down to
needing a good year with
good prices.
"We still have a battle
on our hands," he said.
The future of food
Gord Surgeoner of
Ontario Agri -Food
Technologies spoke
about food trends.
Surgeoner said when
he graduated from uni-
versity in 1971 everyone
was talking about mass
starvation due to popula-
tion growth, but 33 years
later the problem has
become one of abun-
dance.
"Even tonight I have
heard people say there
are too many pigs and
not enough money," he
said.
Surgeoner pointed out
that at least one agricul-
tural group, the Ontario
Federation of
Agriculture, predicted
correctly, citing an arti-
cle published in 1969
titled 'The Challenge of
Abundance.'
Surgeoner said food
production has become
Bad weather
postpones
meeting
EXETER — Another
South Huron council
meeting has been post-
poned due to poor weath-
er.
Monday night's meeting
was postponed until
tonight at 7:30 p.m. The
meeting, though, will
have a light agenda, as
council will only deal with
a few items before break-
ing into its new format
communications meeting
with staff.
A regular council meet-
ing is scheduled for next
Monday.
G.I.C.'s
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Kneale
IM B'ker
EXETER - 235-2420
GRAND BEND - 238-8484
CLINTON - 482-3401
an example of the con-
cept of the global village
and there has been a
shift in where food is
produced with more
business in South
America, Asia and
Eastern Europe.
He also pointed out the
desire to know where
food is coming from.
"Food is going to have a
pedigree more and more
and more," he said.
Surgeoner said health
is becoming the key to
selling food to baby
boomers. He said people
are living longer. They
want immortality, they
have money and they are
willing to pay for healthy
choices.
He pointed to omega-3
products. First it was put
in eggs, now it is avail-
able in milk and bread as
well.
"Give me omega-3 beer
and take away the guilt
trip," he joked.
He told the producers
the new consumer is the
immigrant who has no
contact with Canadian
agriculture.
"You have to start satis-
fying that market," he
said.
He told the producers
to thank their customers
for buying their product
and make them aware of
the work that goes into
the meat they put on
their table.
"We have to maintain
our legacy," he said.
Promotion incentive
award
Deb Campbell and Ken
Millian presented the
promotion incentive
award to Barb Wallis of
the Whalen Community
Centre.
This is the second year
the award has been
given to a community
group or individual who
promotes pork.
Campbell said the
award was given to the
Whalen Community
Centre because it has
been offering a pork bar-
becue every year since
1986, feeding between
200 and 300 people.
Accepting the plaque
and cash award of $300,
Wallis said the money
will certainly help with
the expenses of the small
group.
Resolutions
Paul Klopp read three
resolutions which were
brought forward to be
voted on.
The first was to work
together to set their own
direction and take
responsibility and control
of cost of production. The
resolution was carried.
The second was to stick
together to deal with
fewer producers in the
marketplace. It was also
carried.
The third addressed the
decision of Ontario Pork
to cut the Regional
Promotional Co-ordinator
program. The resolution
asked for the program to
be reinstated. A motion
from the floor asked the
resolution to change the
wording so it asked for
the program to be re-
evaluated. The amended
resolution was carried.
4-H
Dan Dodds told the
group it was a successful
year for Huron County 4-
H club members.
Dodds said he is proud
to be working with the
energetic leaders and
keen members who
make up the small club.
"We're proud of the
club we have even
though it isn't very
large," he said.
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Ken Millian presents Barb Wallis of the Whalen Community Centre with the pro-
motion incentive award at the Huron County Pork Producers annual meeting
Jan. 21. (photo/Mary Simmons)
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