The Rural Voice, 1986-02, Page 71RAINY RIVER FEDERATION OF AGRICULTURE
Highlights
After a summer of lowest heat
units on record and a rainfall dou-
ble the norm (normal rainfall for
Rainy River is less than for Huron
County), an early freeze-up on
November 10, with many days and
nights of -30C to -35C and much
above normal wind and snow on
January 10, we got a break in the
weather with temperatures well
above our normal -10C during the
day to -15C during the night.
The long wet summer has con-
tributed to a poor crop and a
shortage of hay. According to the
truckers, 15 per cent of the beef
cows have been shipped because of
the shortage of feed. It could take
several years to rebuild the
numbers in the district.
Cattle producers are currently
examining the results of the recent
satellite sale. This sale allowed bid-
ding on the cattle both at the Strat-
ton sales yard and at the Kitchener -
Waterloo stockyards by a
satellite/TV hookup. Prices were
slightly less than in 1984, but most
producers felt that they were not
too bad compared with the drop in
the slaughter cattle market. A new
board of directors will be elected
shortly and they will be deciding if
another satellite sale should be
held this year. The cost for 1985
was over $11,000.
Farmers in this district are
almost all in cow/calf and
backgrounding and they have been
very disappointed that the new
stabilization plan is providing no
assistance for their segment of the
beef industry.
For the past few years, pro-
ducers have been asking for
assistance from the government
and each time the reply has been
that they should wait until the new
stabilization plan was in place.
Now it is in place, and only
slaughter cattle are receiving any
assistance. Even with this
assistance being available, our
district is left out. As there are no
feedlots in the district, some cattle
are custom -finished in Manitoba
but these animals do not qualify
under the new program.
The Rainy River Federation met
in the home of George Hyatt on
January 13, 1986. Present were Ed
Fisher, Bill Gibson, Paul Heyens,
Ralph Hunsperger, Andy
Carpenter, George Hyatt, Les
Hoskins, and Jacquelyn
Hunsperger. The Spring Dinner
and Dance was discussed and the
Entertainment Committee will
bring finalized plans to the next
meeting. Tentative dates are April
11 or 18.
It was agreed to work with the
Cattlemen on the border crossing
problem to Winnipeg via the Rainy
River-Baudette crossing. Contact
is to be made to the Rainy River
Business Development Corpora-
tion as to the results of the study
asked for last year.
A committee from the RRFA is
meeting with officials from Boise
Cascade concerning the marketing
of farm wood, the sale of which
has been a traditional source of in-
come, but has been reduced as
Natural Resources has been in-
sisting on cleaning up old timber
on crown land. Farmers have in-
come problems enough without the
loss of this source. It is hoped a
mutually beneficial agreement can
be reached.
Ed Fisher, John Owen
Ralph Hunsperger, Jacquelyn Hunsperger
SOYBEAN GROWERS
There is more to seed quality than
just germination.
Rick Upfold, U of G
Crop Specialist,
explains:
"Even though farmers are
using varieties that score well in
germination tests, they can still
get a poor yield.
But seed with
vigour can re-
duce problems
associated with
soil crusting, be-
cause the seed
is better able to
break through
the crust.
"Unfortunately, testing for seed
vigour is not a common practice,
and farmers have no easy and
reliable method of testing for
it on the farm."
FIRST LINE offers
SEEDLING VIGOUR that
nay make all the difference
to your 1986 yield.
• HODGSON 2900 H.U.
• EVANS 2700 H.U.
• MAPLE ARROW 2550 H.U.
All Vigour Plus First Line
soybean seed is tested
and approved for vigour.
To reduce the risk of
environmental stress
problems, be sure you
get VIGOUR PLUS
SOYBEAN SEED
Contact Peter Rowntree at
Hill (3 Hill Farms Ltd.
VARNA 482-3218
FEBRUARY 19h6 69