The Rural Voice, 1982-02, Page 31Ontario Fork
PERTH COUNTY PORK PRODUCERS' NEWS
Again produce the
most hogs in Ontario
REPORT BY BOARD MEMBER WILLI KELLER:
1. The Farm Income Stabilization Commission of Ontario has set
a fee of S8. - per sow for the 4th period of the Sow - Weaner
Stabilization Plan. Applications will be received until Feb. 15,
1982. Forms and further information are available from the
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture & Food, 413 Hibernia Street,
Stratford, NSA 5W2. Producers again have the option to pay
directly or through deductions by the OPPMB.
2. The OPPMB will hold a series of regional public meetings to
discuss the findings of the Commission on Alternative Marketing
Strategies. The meetings in our area are: Feb. 22/82 - London,
Downtown Holiday Inn; Mar. 1/82 - Walkerton, Knights of
Columbus Hall ' ; Mar. 2/82 - Kitchener, Bingeman Park. Time of
the meetings is 1 to 5 P.M.
3. In 1981 Perth County again produced the largest number of
hogs in Ontario. A total of 471,298 hogs were shipped by 1877
producers with an average grade of 103. The following statistics
give the size and number of producers in the County.
No. of Pigs No. of Producers Av. Grade
1 -10 327 101.3
11-25 210 101.7
26-50 222 101.5
51-100 229 101.8
101-200 263 101.8
201-350 208 102.1
251-500 120 102.6
500 - 750 125 102.8
751-1000 58 103.2
1000-1500 64 103.3
1501'-3000 43 103.9
3001-4000 5 103.7
4000-5000 1 103.5
over -5000 2 104.2
4. The December/81 US hog report indicates a decrease in hog
numbers. Total hogs on Farms are down 9%. Pigs kept for
breeding down 14% Market hogs down 8%. Farrowing intentions
Dec. - May down 11%. Breeding intentions Dec. -May down 13%.
Farrowing intentions for 1982 down 8%.
NOTES FROM THE PROVINCIAL BOARD
1. The head office has moved to 15 Waulron Street, Toronto, M9C
1E4 Phone 416-621-1874.
2. The 1982 Annual Meeting of the Ontario Pork Producers'
Marketing Board will be held on Wednesday and Thursday,
March 17th and 18th, 1982, at the Constellation Hotel, Dixon
Road, Toronto.
3. GRADING REVISIONS:
At the Annual Meeting of the Canadian Pork Council a report
was given on the progress made by the Grading Committee of
C.P.C., the Meat Council of Canaaa and Agriculture Canada.
The C.P.C. endorsed, in principle, a change in the method of
carcass grading from two measurements to a single loin
measurement. This principle was endorsed on the understanding
that it would be a temporary action until a system of electronic fat
measurement could be developed and put into place.
The producers emphasized that acceptance of this procedure
now does not prejudice any decisions regarding the numbers or
locations of fat measurement sites under any other system of
grading.
If it is possible, the C.P.C. would like to see the change
implemented by January 1, 1982, or if that is too soon, at such time
during the next year as is practical.
At the same time, the .C.P.C. expressed its disappointment with
the lack of progress on the development of an electronic grading
system with Agriculture Canada. The producers urged that top
priority be given to such development work, including spending
the money needed to speed up the whole process.
4. RECORD YEAR FOR FISCAL RETURNS
November 30th, 1981 marked the end of the O.P.P.M.B. fiscal
year. Final statistics show that, although Ontario Sales were less
than last year at 4,042,444 hogs, the dollar value of these sales was
a record S503,331,917., over half a billion dollars!
5. STRONG EXPORT DEMAND FOR QUEBECS SURPLUS
PORK
The Province of Quebec now consumes only about 65% of the
pork it produces. Abattoirs and exporting firms in Quebec have
been very aggressive in finding other markets for the province's
surplus pork.
The average weekly kill during the first 6 months of 1980 was 12
million pounds (carcass weight) says Gordon Thompson of the
Quebec Agriculture Department's Commercial Development
Branch. Quebec consumers bought about 8 million pounds per
week, and the remaining 4 million Hounds was sold outside the
province as fresh or frozen cuts. The U.S. and Japan were major
customers. The U.S. took roughly 2.S million pounds per week and
Japan bought about 700,000 pounds per week. Approximately 1.9
million pounds went to other provinces, and the remaining
800,000 pounds went to several smaller markets.
Several Quebec firms have also been aggressively seeking
export markets for purebred Quebec breeding stock. Agro Export
Inc., a Montreal firm headed by Vic Pelchat, recently sent 200
pure-breds to Venezuela.
6. THE RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY TNF O.P.P.M.B. TO
THE EMERGENCY TASK FORCE are summarized in five points
urging provincial and federal governments:
1. To provide some short term help to cushion the impact of
exorbitant interest rates;
2. To solve the long term problems of unfair competition between
provinces in the pork industry by co-ordinating and
"harmonizing" producer assistance programs on a national scale;
3. To make sure that the policies of our lending institutions, both
commercial and governmental, can adequately serve
agriculture's needs.
4. To introduce strong federal and provincial market develop-
ment programs;
5. To put their financial houses in order, reduce inflation and
interest rates and give agriculture the recognition it needs to
thrive and prosper.
THE RURAL VOICE/FEBRUARY 1982 PG. 29