The Rural Voice, 2006-05, Page 291
e
e
e
e
0
d
n
e
n
excellent job in Canada to raise the
best breeding stock."
With regards to production,
Armstrong said Canadian dairy cattle
produce the best fat and protein in the
milk, but also live twice was long as
their southern counterparts. "We
strive to breed an excellent cow with
good body conformation in feet and
legs, that will calf yearly and produce
milk. I have some animals that are 15
years old."
The factory farm situation in
the States results in animals
being milked for about two
years then sold off. The irony to this
situation, therefore, is that America's
closing of the border has been
detrimental to their dairy industry as
well. "The dairy cattle there have
almost tripled in price. The producers
didn't want the border closed. It was
strictly political, to my
understanding, and still is."
Though the border did open to
slaughter animals under the age of 30
months, this has not helped those
selling breeding stock, though they
did change the rules somewhat so
that breeders could sell embryos. As
a result, Armstrong has more animals
than he needs or wants. "This is one.
of the reasons we're sitting with 200
head now. We're overstocked," he
said. adding that they had to cull
many of the heavier animals. Others
have been sold to the open Canadian
markets. however, not for profit. "We
probably took half value sometimes a
lot less than that"
He does note, though that more
cattle are being sold within this
country now. "Particularly with our
Jerseys. There's a good market for
Jerseys in Quebec and in the western
provinces."
These markets have been
discovered by buyers and sellers in
the industry, Armstrong said. "Or we
send them to a sale in Quebec and
take whatever the market is."
As for other options, Armstrong
says they're limited. "We thought at
one time we could export to Mexico,
but the Americans shut that down
too, saying they wouldn't allow any
Mexican product in if they had
Canadian cattle. We do sell embryos
to Japan and England. We've tried to
zero in on embryos to create another
income."
It's a move that has lessened the
pressure for at least some of the
breeders. "It has been very good. We
are quite happy with the response,
but we got lucky. I'm sure there are
others who have probably not been."
Part of the reason is that
Armstrong's livestock is known
world-wide for quality. A regular
competitor and winner at livestock
shows, such as the Royal Winter Fair
in Toronto, Armstrong believes that
this exposure has helped his business.
"We had cows that had done major
shows over in the States and they got
to be known world-wide. so people
wanted our breeding stock."
Getting the cattle out for the public
to see is good advertising and
provides a breeder with an
The irony to this
situation is that America's
closing of the border has
been detrimental to their
dairg industry as well.
opportunity to compare their animals
to others. "If you do well at shows it
seems there is a demand for your
animals."
And just as with the ones don't
have dairy to fall back on, for the
ones who don't sell embryos. who
were dependent on breeding stock,
BSE has been disastrous. "If that was
a big part of their income. well..."
Farming always has ups and downs
from bad weather to the high interest
rates of the 1980s. But Armstrong.
who has seen it all, thinks this crisis
has probably been the worst because
it has come when prices for
everything from land to machinery
are high. "The people who don't
really understand everything about
the industry are the ones who've
created the problem and they I doubt
they realize fully what they've done.
This is touching everything. Where
once you could buy a tractor for
$10.000 now it's $100,000. And you
can only repair them so many times
before you have to have a new one to
stay going. So it's had an impact on
machinery dealers too. People are
spending money on repairing them
for a longer time rather than trading
them off."
Armstrong himself is still hauling
cattle to shows with a 1986 truck that
he admits he'd like to be able to
trade, but he simply can't afford a
new one. However. he still manages
to maintain a sense of humour in
light of the worries. "I read that after
20 years they're considered a
collector's item. so maybe it will be
worth a lot by the time I get rid of it."
Trying to put things to rights seems
to be a long. slow process. with few
rewards seen along the way. The
governments and farm organizations
maintain that they are working on the
problem, but the last report
Armstrong said he heard was that it
could be next year before there is a
change in the border rules. In the
meantime he thinks a change in
strategy might be wise. "I'd like to
see them do a better job of telling
people what the problems are in
agriculture today. It's time we really
let the public know. I think we could
spend more of our money to
advertise the problem and I think
organizations should zero in on that
more. I believe that would
accomplish a lot more than these
rallies and protests will. People don't
understand. We need to explain it."
As for government. Armstrong
said it's time to give in.
"Forget lobbying. because
nothing's happening. Let's work on
the consumer. I think it's time
farmers stopped living off one
another and got a fair return. It would
be nice to see everyone get a fair
standard of living out of their work."
In the meantime Armstrong
continues to raise livestock for
breeding stock. "I keep hoping this
will turn around then we in the
industry can recoup our losses."
For some. however, it may be too
late. "There are probably going to be
some who can't hang on until this is
over. It depends on their debt load
and I'm sure some will just decide to
sell out. With land prices the way
they are and milk quota high. I'm
sure there's going to he some.
especially people my age just throw
up their hands and say why bother. -0
MAY 2006 25