The Rural Voice, 1981-09, Page 9CLINTON OMAF OFFICE
Filling the needs of farmers
by Sheila Gunby
In the last fiscal year in Clinton, the OMAF staff
answered the phone 12,276 times. They sat down
and wrote 22, 275 letters and welcomed 6,395 visitors
at their door. In between alt that, they designed farm
buildings, organized seminars and did credit
counselling. They attended 4-H club meetings and
drew up plans for farm ponds. They took feed
samples and soil samples. And milk samples.
But most important, they went to the fields and
farms of Huron county to find out the needs and
problems of the farmer. Because that's their job and
that's what the OMAF office in Clinton is all about.
Here's a look at their staff:
DON PULLEN
Ag. Rep.
Born and raised on a Perth
county beef and sheep farm,
Don Pullen, agricultural re-
presentative for Huron, went
to high school in St. Marys.
He received a diploma from
the University of Guelph in
1958 and returned in 1963 to
obtain his degree in animal
science. Between diploma
and degree, he worked as
summer ag. rep., first in
Perth, Wellington and then
Dufferin: He became
assistant ag. rep. in Huron
county in 1963 and in 1968
became ag rep., replacing
Doug Miles.
Don Pullen has some
interesting figures for Huron
county. In relation to other
counties, Huron has the most
improved land and is first in
barley, white beans and
rutabagas and also first in
total corn and'silage corn in
the province. It is second in
cattle and hog marketing,
third in poultry and fourth in
dairy cattle and shipments.
Though the number of
farmers in Huron is down, the
number of request for
information is up and callers
are looking for more specific
information, Don Pullen says.
Each extension office, Don
Pullen explains, is given a fair
amount of freedom to develop
local programs. Each
program is evaluated during
and after completion and the
Clinton office is always open
for suggestions for new
programs to fit the needs of
the Huron county farmer.
STAN PAOUETTE
Associate Ag. Rep.
After twelve years as an
associate ag. rep. in Huron,
Stan Paquette is well known
and familiar with the
territory. Born and raised on
an Essex county farm,
graduate from OAC, seven
years in feed and fertilizer
sales and three years in feed
mill management, prepares
him adequately for his job
responsibilities. That area is
farm business management -
bookkeeping, farm transfers
and partnership arrange-
ments. He coordinates the
beef program in Huron,
working with producers on
production management,
beef ration formulations and
armia..‘
treatment and handling of
feedlot cattle. Poultry flock
management also comes
under his jurisdiction.
Stan Paquette is concerned
with the struggle of the
beginning farmer. "With to.
day's land values, equipment
costs and interest rates," he
says, "It's virtually impos-
sible to show a 'break even'
on crops or a livestock enter-
prise."
Another of his concerns is
the abuse of the tree cover
removal program. He feels
soil is our most important
resource and we should be
doing all we can to save it.
"Plant a windbreak for
1982," he says.
DENNIS MARTIN
Assoc. Ag. Rep.
The dairy business in
Huron county is the specialty
of Dennis Martin, another
associate ag. rep. Martin
was raised on a beef farm in
Bruce county and attended
Cornell University in the
U.S., majoring in animal
science (dairy).
The individual contact with
farmers, Martin says, is one
of the highlights of his job and
working and watching young
farmers progress from one
year to the next. He is
involved in educational
seminars and enjoys working
with the local vets, DHI and
local feed companies.
And like everyone else on
staff, he is concerned with the
high costs of farming,
interest rates and the future
of the family farm.
JOHN HEARD
Assis. Ag. Rep.
A recent graduate from the
University of Guelph, John
Heard has just newly settled
into his position as assistant
Ag. Rep. at the Clinton office.
He will be concentrating on
soils and crop work and his
education at OAC and past
summer jobs have all been in
that area. Heard has found
the highlight of his job is
getting out on farm calls to
view and discuss various
situations or problems with
the farmer first hand.
LEN MACGREGOR
Extension Assistant
"Working with young
THE RURAL VOICE/SEPTEMBER 1981 PG. 7