The Rural Voice, 1977-12, Page 11Rural news in
Local counties tops
in agricultural acreage
A study recently released by Ontario
agriculture and Food Minister Bill
Newman shows western Ontario counties
lead the way in the number of acres in farm
use.
Topping the list is Huron county with
763,933 acres in farm use in 1976, the most
of any .county in Ontario. Grey county
ranked second with 735,729.
In third place was Middlesex county with
691.859 acres in production while Bruce
county ranked fourth with 664,372. Next in
order were Simcoe county. Lambton and
Renfrew. Perth county ranked Ilth with
505,885 acres in production.
Newman's study shows that 75 per cent
of the land in production in Ontario is in the
southwest, central and eastern regions. It
claims another two million acres are
available for production, an increase of 16
per cent.
The other 25 per cent of production land
is in the northern and shlied areas where
there is a reserve of over '17 millions acres,
Newman says. Much of this land is limited
by soil and climate conditions though "a
significant portion" as it is suitable for
forage and grain crops.
Reserves of land in Huron and Perth are
scarce, only 3,988 in Huron and a mere
1,206 in Perth. Bruch has 225,297 acres in
reserve.
Bean failure called
worst in 50 years
Ontario bean producers have suffered
the worst crop failure in 50 years, the
Ontario Bean Producers Marketing Board
reported at the end of October.
The board says that in going through 55
years of records there has never been one
year when the yields in all counties fell
below 700 lbs. per acre on average. Some
160,000 acres of white beans were planted
this year which at a rate of 700 lbs. per acre
would yield 1,120,000 cwt. To the end of
October only 731,000 cwt. had been
harvested. The board was hoping to reach
the 850,000 cwt. level.
The yellow -eye bean final payment of
$9.02 per cwt. brings the total return per
cwt. on yellow eyes to $23.38. The total
crop marketed of white beans was
1,838,385 cwt., and 8,274 cwt. of yellow
eyes.
brief
The report outlines the current harvest
situation in Michigan:
Michigan has had a tough time of it also
but will likely manage to harvest over
4,600,000 cwt. of white beans. Over 80 per
cent of acreage is probably harvested and
possibly 25,000 acres of the 440,000 acres
may never be harvested. Yields are
running quite high and probably 3.4
million cwt. or more beans are already
under cover in the state. The yield recovery
in Michigan up from less than 10 cwt. per
acre last year, to over 12 cwt. per acre and
higher (on avg.) this year, is quite a
turnaround. Observers in the state
attribute much of this to the virtual
absence this year of root rot in the navy
beans which has cwt. yields as much as 25
per cent in other years.
Michigan growers, elevators and resear-
chers believe a potential crop of close to 7
million cwt. of navy beans was in the field
in early September. In Ontario estimates of
crop potential ranged around 2.5 million
cwt. Thus close to 10 million cwt. of beans
might have come off, if weather had been
more normal. Given a demand for beans of
5.5 to 6 million cwt. from the U.K., Canada
and the U.S.A. well over 11/2 years supply
of beans could have come off. Given this
potential "buyers market" prices of early
beans sold, traded as low as prices of $13.
U.S. per cwt. to end users. The turn around
in supply to the current position has sent
prices to $34 and 535 (in Canadian
currency) charged to canners at the present
time.
In addition to sending prices higher,
supply constraints also disrupt worth while
promotion programs of canners and raise
the spectre of out -of -stock positions at the
shelf level of Canadian and English
Canners.
If those eventualities arise, forced
consumer switching to other products like
pasta can detrimentally affect consumption
patterns for beans permanently. It is our
hope that supply. disruptions of this scale
do not occur, and that the eventual total
harvest allow for a continuing presence of
beans on the shelf.
Ontario elevators are attempting to
market producers beans despite a lowered
color standard brought about by rain. The
eventual results of these efforts will be
communicated to growers shortly. A large
percentage of Michigan's crop will be less
than their grade 1 as well.
Seed to plant next year's crop is
uppermost in many growers minds,
because the disastrous weather also affects
how many seed plots get combined. In
order to get some firm idea of the total
available seed for next year's crop, the
board will undertake a survey of all seed
growers and elevators to quantify volumes
in-house and on the farm. With this
information we hope to formulate a plan to
address the seed problem and advise
growers of the best course of action for
next years planting.
Brucellosis incidence
low in Bruce, Grey
While Brucellosis is a serious problem in
many areas of Ontario, Bruce county
remains relatively free of the disease.
Only five herds of cattle are under
quarantine in Bruce and 15 in nearby Grey.
While the rate in the counties is low,
veterinarians want to keep it that way.
They have reminded farmers about section
97 of the new Animal Disease and
Protection Act stating: "No person shall
offer a bovine for sale at a public auction or
market of livestock conducted on the
premises of the owners unless the animal
has proved negative on a test for
brucellosis performed by an inspector or
accredited veterinarian within 60 days
preceding the date of sale."
Dr. H.J. Neely of the veterinary services
branch of the Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture and Food advises farmers to
take every precaution to make sure
brucellosis is not introduced into their
herd. This, he says, will require a real
effort and certainly some inconvenience.
Recent changes in United States import
regulations for Canadian Dairy Cattle make
it particularly important that Ontario
cattlemen minimize the chance of the
disease infecting other herds, Mr. Neely
says.
Walper again heads
Huron Federation
Alan Walper, R.R.3, Parkhill was
re-elected president of the Huron County
Federation of Agriculture when the
organization held its annual meeting at
Vanastra, Oct. 27. He was unopposed.
It's the second term for Mr. Walper who
succeeded Adrian Vos in the post. A new
vice-president was also chosen. He is
Merle Gunby of R.R.1, Dungannon.
Second vice-president is Bev Brown, R.R.
1, Bluevale.
Chosen directors at large at the meeting
were John Van Beers, R.R,1, Blyth; Mery
Smith, R.R.4, Walton and Tony McQuail,
R.R.2, Lucknow.
Fieldman Bill Crawford reported that
membership was down by 30 from a year
ago, to 2,032.
Miss Brown explained to the meeting the
importance of the upcoming Pollution and
Land Use Activities Reference Group
THE RURAL VOICE/DECEMBER 1977.pc_ t