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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Times Advocate, 2006-12-20, Page 1414 Wednesday, December 13, 2006 Agriculture TIMES -ADVOCATE 11 New approach to agriculture funding Denfield Livestock Sales Denfield Livestock market report for Tues., Dec. 12. The market at Denfield Livestock Sales met a moderate demand at steady prices on the fed cattle with American type cattle in good demand at steady prices. A good offering of cows traded fully steady. Stockers active at steady prices. Holstein bull calves slightly lower. Choice steers: 90-91.50 Good steers: 85-89; Plain steers: 60-75; Choice exotic cross heifers: 90-94 Good heifers: 84- 88; Plain heifers: 60-70; Good fed cows: 40-48; D1 & D2 cows: 330-36; D3 & D4 cows: 25-30; Shells: 10-20; Good beef bulls: 40-50; Good Holstein bulls stock- ers: 35-40; Steer Calves 600-700 lbs 110-120; Steer Calves 500-600 lbs 115- 125; Heifer Calves 600-700 lbs 100- 112; Heifer Calves 500-600 lbs 110- 120; Good Holstein Bulls Calves $150- $265 By Chad Swance SPECIAL TO THE T -A ELIMVILLE — Canada's farming com- munity has shown its phenomenal strength after being dealt a bad hand year after year. On one hand, many farmers optimisti- cally look forward to a day when massive subsidies paid to the agricultural industry in other parts of the world are no longer. However, the reality is, these subsidies still exist and it is unlikely they will ever be eliminated or substantially reduced. On the other hand, maintaining status quo is not appealing nor is it economically viable in the long term. In order to rectify the situation, Canada needs to shift its approach on agriculture. Although Canada is home to some of the best genetics, scientists, farmers and land resources, we need to become better to counteract high input and land costs. Rather than focus primarily on subsidies and emergency funding, we need to create Chad Swance an environment where research can be done to discover innovative market tools that will cause farmers to be more profitable. In Hong Kong, farm- ers face similar diffi- culties and they offer an interesting solution to the issue. With funding from the government of Hong Kong there is an agricultural research centre dedicated to discovering ways to grow, refine and market products to increase long-term profits for farmers. This type of government -funded research is not considered to be trade dis- torting and would not likely be affected in any future trade negotiations. However, this research facility is funda- mental to the success of Hong Kong farm- ers. Just as in Hong Kong, there needs to be a long-term solution to a long-term agri- Canada first to track organic trade OTTAWA — Beginning in 2007, Canada will be the first country to track trade data on organic products, announced Minister of Agriculture and Agri -Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board Chuck Strahl during the launch of a related four-year pilot project Dec. 14. "Canada's new government recognizes the importance of the organic industry," says Strahl. "It's a growing sector of the global economy and Canada is well-positioned to be a world leader in organic agricultural production," Strahl adds. There is an initial list of 41 organic agricul- tural commodities that will be coded. Additional products and varieties will be integrated over the subsequent years of the pilot project. The aim is to develop a full list of codes to track both import and export trade in all sig- nificant organic agricultural products, and to help the industry determine market potential. Statistics Canada classifies and publishes export and import statistics according to the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System, known as the Harmonized System. This is an international commodity classification developed under the auspices of the Customs Co-operation Council. According to industry figures, Canadian exports of organic foods are conservatively estimated at more than $250 million annual- ly. The launch of this Agriculture and Agri - Food Canada funded pilot project is a result of a collaboration between Statistics Canada, the Canadian Border Services Agency, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Canada's organic industry. Clients will be able to track these commodi- ties online through the Canadian International Merchandise Trade Database www. statcan. ca Information on specific tariff listings is available from the Canada Border Services Agency at Customs Tariff 2007 www. cbsa.gc. ca Foodgrains project raises over $5,000for hungry SOUTH HURON — The South Huron Foodgrains project raised more than $5,000 this year, money that will be used to help feed the world's hungry. "We would like to thank every- one who gave financial dona- tions, their time or crop inputs to this Christian project," said Murray Dawson on behalf of the project committee. Money from the South Huron project, one of 130 community growing projects in Ontario, is forwarded to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank in Winnipeg. Established in 1983, the Canadian Foodgrains Bank is a Canadian -based Christian orga- nization that helps provide food and development assistance to people in need on behalf of 13 Canadian church members. In 2005-2006, the Foodgrains Bank provided more than 42,000 tonnes of food assistance to peo- ple in 18 countries in response to poverty, natural disaster and conflict. The food assistance program is generously supported by the Canadian government through the Canadian International Development Agency, which matches donations by the food - grains bank at a ratio of four to one to a maximum of $16 mil- lion. This year the South Huron Foodgrains project grew soy- beans on about four acres of land donated by Bob and Pat Down and harvested 220.5 bushels. In addition to the crop receipts, the project was supported by individual cash donations and donated crop inputs. If anyone would like to add their support to the project, con- tact Brent Caslick at 228-6702. In 2007, the foodgrain commit- tee plans to grow four acres of soybeans on Peter Tuckey's land north of Exeter. Watch for the sign in the spring. The South Huron Foodgrains bank is sponsored by Exeter, Zion, Centralia and Thames Road-Elimville United Churches. cultural problem in Canada. The crisis facing the agricultural sector is not going to dissipate over night; it is going to take work and commitment to solve. There needs to be a greater devotion from all levels of government to establish research centres and programs that will promote innovative agricultural and agri- business solutions that will reach into the future. The federal and provincial governments have been acting with the interests of farmers in the past. However, it is increasingly evident that emergency funding is not getting to the root of the problem. There needs to be a transition period that moves from focusing on emergency funding to a focus on innovative market tools for farmers. By changing the focal point, Canadian agriculture will be further down the road to success. Encouraging news for beef and cattle trade OTTAWA — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has restarted the administrative process to further normalize beef and cattle trade, announced Minister of Agriculture and Agri - Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board Chuck Strahl Nov. 28. "Canada's new government is encouraged by the USDA's decision to resubmit its second Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) rule for interagency review by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). "This is the last step before publi- cation of the rule for public com- ment," says Strahl. "During my visit to Washington, D.C. in September, secretary Mike Johann and I discussed the impor- tance of the second BSE rule to industry on both sides of the bor- der. Resuming the OMB process indicates that normalizing trade remains a priority and a shared objective of our two governments. "Canadian officials will continue to work with their American coun- terparts to ensure that older ani- mals from Canada, products derived from them, as well as breeding stock may be traded as soon as possible. Pursuing the interests of Canadian farm families remains a priority of this govern- ment." Canadian Agri food award winners TORONTO — The 2006 Canadian Agri - food Awards of Excellence winners were announced recently. A visitor's gallery in a piggery, a new beer for Japan, an innovative organic produce greenhouse, a chicken farmer who juggles eggs while teaching about life on the farm and a way to provide incentives to farmers to take care of their lands were all projects honoured at the sixth Annual Canadian Agri -Food Awards of Excellence, presented by Agriculture and Agri -Food Canada and the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. The awards were launched in 2001 and recognize achievements in five cate- gories; environmental stewardship, agri- cultural awareness and education, inno- vation, voluntarism and agri-food export. "I'm proud to see the scope of the cre- ativity, innovation and inventiveness represented by these worthy award win- ners," says Minister of Agriculture and Agri -Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board Chuck Strahl. "It just goes to prove, once again, that the Canadian agriculture and agri-food industry is one of the best," Strahl adds. "It's truly a pleasure to celebrate these stars of Canadian agri-food excellence at The Royal. It's fitting that we're able not only to celebrate, but also to profile these winners and their achievements to attendees of The Royal," says Royal president Rob McLaughlin. The awards were presented at a spe- cial luncheon in Toronto before an audi- ence of members of producer organiza- tions and food associations, business and community leaders, as well as represen- tatives of provincial and federal govern- ments. Following the luncheon, an exhibit honouring the winners was unveiled at the Agriculture and Agri -Food Canada display at The Royal. The 2006 award recipients are: • Voluntarism — John Opsteen, Campbellville, Ont.; • Agri -Food Export — The Sapporo Value Chain Partners, Alix, Alta.; • Environmental Stewardship — Ian Wishart, Portage la Prairie, Man.; • Innovation — Origin Organic Farms Inc., Delta, BC.; • Agricultural Awareness and Education — Lee Whittington, The Pork Interpretive Gallery, Elstow, Sask. Have A Safe & Merry Christmas