The Rural Voice, 1980-04, Page 241
Rural News in Brief
Chicken imports
Jack Riddell, M.P.P. for Huron -
Middlesex is worried about chicken import-
ation into Ontario.
At a recent meeting. chicken processors
and the Ontario Chicken Producers Mark-
eting Board were asked if there was an
adequate supply of chicken in the system
and nearly all processors claimed there
was. with one exception: May Brothers of
Maple Lodge.
Mr. Riddell said that in a letter to the
Premier and on a number of occasions in
the Legislature, he has raised the object -
tions of the chicken producers and most
processors to the importation of chicken
into Ontario.
"The chicken industry is experiencing
severe problems, which will become even
worse if importations continue and critcria
for the allocation of quotas are ignored "
He expresses a fear that cheap United
States imports of both live and eviscerated
products force Ontario markets down to
below processor costs. and these costs will
rice another 10 per cent in 1980 as will
producer co.i
"If wholesale prices reach a level where
both producers and processors are at a
break even point, two things will happen:
we shall have an oversupply and the
niininiuni wholesale price will be about
81.4 cents" Mr. Ridell says.
To compound the problems in 1980,
there will be an additional 11 million
pounds to be distributed and consumed
and in addition, pork and turkey will be
abundant and reasonably priced, providing
stiff competition in the marketplace, he
said.
He suggests that U.S. chicken import
quotas need to be re-examined. that quota
allotments should be reviewed on the basis
of equitable distribution, and that the
mechanism for allocation of supplemental
quotas must be given very detailed
consideration.
"The expansionist, policies of Maple
Lodge Farms and their damaging reper-
cussions throughout the industry must be
looked at very carefully." Mr. Riddell said.
Top agriculturalists
named to Hall of Fame
The Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame
Association announced the names of nine
outstanding Ontario agriculturalists who
will be recognized this year in the Hall of
Fame Gallery at the Ontario Agricultural
Museum in Milton. The nine candidates.
all dec.ascd. represent more than 100
cars of combined effort and initiative in
building a better agriculture for the
province.
The president of the Ontario Agricultural
Hall of Fame Association. Wm. Kilmer of
Mississauga. has released the following
list of persons to be honored in an
unveiling ceremony on June 1. 1980:
Stewart A. Brown. Shedden (1898-196(3)
Stockman. •beef producer. community
leader. •
Dr. Ethel Chapman. Torun 1 ;1888-1976)
Horne Economist. journalist. author.
youth leader.
James A. Garner. Toronto (1898-1958) -
\gricultural extension leader.
Dr. H.H. Hannam. Ottawa (1898-1963) -
1
Farm organization leader. co-operator,
early farm journalist.
William Johnston, Guelph (1848-1885) -
One of the founders of the Ontario
Agricultural College.
Wesley A. Magwood, Hanover (1888 -
Hydro forecast
still declining
For the sixth consecutive time. Ontario
Hydro has reduced its annual forecast of
power demand according to the Ontario
Conservation News. For the year 2000 it is
down to less than half the level predicted
six years ago. By then, 31.700 mw peak
demand is expected (in 1974 this figure
was 83.400mw), about double the 1979
peak and about the capacity Hydro will
have' installed once the plants now under
constructon are completed. This represents
a 3.4 percent average growth over the next
two decades.
1961) - Dairyman, co-operator, Farm Radio
Forum and organization leader.
Charles W. McInnis, Iroquois (1896-
1977) - Founder, Ontario Hog Producers'
Marketing Board.
Joseph H. Patrick, Ilderton (1863-1939) -
Purebred livestock breeder, exhibitor,
exporter and importer.
William Ruthven, Alliston (1892-1967) -
Dairyman, fox breeder, sod farmer, potato
and seed grain grower.
Recalculate
market share:
Henderson
Agriculture and Food Minister Lorne C.
Henderson has said that the Canadian
Chicken Marketing Agency should return
to the original criteria for market share
allocations beyond the base total. Market
share in 1980 should be recalculated on this
basis, he said.
Mr. Henderson also said that imports
should be curtailed to allow Ontario
producers to meet market demand within
their own province.
The original criteria for subsequent
allocations included: any significant
change in consumer demand; the ability of
a province to meet its allocated production;
the total market requirements within each
market area; the proportion of market
demand in a province which is met by
.production in that province; and the
comparative advantage of production and
marketing of chicken.
Mr. Henderson said that these criteria
have not been applied in the allocation of
subsequentmarket share.
"1 think you can recognize that any
formula that would give Ontario only four
million out of 25 million pounds in market
growth is absolutely unacceptable," the
Minister said. "There must be a clear
separation between the poundage allo-
cation set out in the marketing plan and the
method of allocation to be applied to
subsequent market growth."
In a position paper presented on behalf
of the Ministry and the Ontario industry,
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food
Kenneth Lantz referred to the formula
which is being used instead of the original
criteria. This formula consists of one-third
based on the province's percentage share
of the base allocation; one-third on the
province's share of the national population;
and one-third on the province's share of
the percentage change in the population.
THE RURAL VOICE/APRIL 1980 PG. 25