The Rural Voice, 1988-04, Page 94PERTH
County Pork Producers NEWSLETTER
Gordon Jack, R. R. 1, Newton
595-8422
• The Rural Voice is provided to Perth
County Pork Producers by the PCPPA
OPPMB ANNUAL
DRUG RESIDUES—As everyone is
well aware by now, there has been some
concern generated about drug residue
found in a small amount of pork that was
exported to the U.S. Such concerns
threaten to jeopardize the orderly flow
of pork to our export customers. This
happened, coincidentally, at the same
time as the OPPMB annual meeting, and
resulted in the councilmen and board
taking quick and decisive action.
The following resolution was unani-
mously supported:
Whereas the proper use of drugs is a
safe and valuable aid to hog production,
and
Whereas our goal as producers is to
deliver 100 per cent residue free hogs to
our packer customers, and
Whereas there is an extremely small
portion of the pig feeding industry act-
ing insensitively with respect to the use
of drugs in swine feeds, and
Whereas responsible pork produc-
ers will not tolerate this negligence,
Therefore be it resolved that the
OPPMB form an industry -wide task
force to further investigate and identify
this problem and aggressively educate
producers and related service industries.
This resolution was amended, with
strong support, to include the imposition
of severe penalties on chronic misusers
of drugs.
At the present time, it appears as if
the board is going to involve the county
associations in an extensive education
effort. We will be hearing more about
this in the near future. If the mood of the
councilmen at the meeting is any indica-
tion, the goal of supplying 100 per cent
residue -free pork will be met. Everyone
is very determined that the misuse of
drugs must stop.
THE OFA — Much discussion of the
OFA never came about because pork
had been elim inated from the "Grenville
Resolution." Several resolutions deal-
ing with the withdrawal of financial
support to the OFA were withdrawn.
The following resolution received
strong support:
Whereas the OFA has been good for
agriculture over the years, and
Whereas the OFA is a very effective
lobby for all farmers, including every
pork producer,
Therefore be it resolved that the
OPPMB continue support for the OFA
providing that the OFA would represent
the views of the pork industry and pro-
vide a continued benefit to the total
agricultural industry.
Four resolutions that were due for
discussion were considered by the ma-
jority of delegates to be outside their
jurisdiction as councilmen to the OPP-
MB. A motion to refer these resolutions
to the OFA was strongly supported.
FARM -FED GRAIN —Councilmen at
the annual meeting strongly backed the
board's continuing efforts to get farm -
fed grain included in the grain stabiliza-
tion program. The pork board has been
working for some time with the OFA,
CFFO, Ontario Cattlemen's Associa-
tion, and the marketing boards for
chicken, eggs, milk, sheep, and turkeys
to convince our politicians that an ineq-
uity exists under the present program.
The inequity means hog feeders who
purchase their feed have a cost advan-
tage over the land-based operator who
feeds his home-grown grain. This ineq-
uity is not corrected by the hog stabiliza-
tion formula because market prices for
grain are used instead of the costs of
growing it. There is some indication
that cattle feeding is already shifting out
of Ontario to feedlots where purchased
feeds are largely used. This is because
feeders using purchased feed have a cost
advantage. The stated goal of stabiliza-
tion programs is that they are to be
market neutral.
At the annual meeting there was
disappointment expressed that the re-
cent meeting of the Ontario Corn Pro-
ducers' Association did not support the
efforts of other farm organizations to get
this inequity corrected. This is hard to
understand since the OPPMB supported
the com producers' bid to get counter-
vail duties put on U.S. corn, the success
of which resulted in higher production
costs for many hog feeders. There was
some suggestion from the floor that hog
producers who sell corn should request
the return of that portion of their check-
off which is refundable as a means of
showing their displeasure with the corn
producers' lack of support.
COUNTY ACTIVITIES
BARBECUE SEASON —The barbe-
cue committee of our association is
gearing up for another busy season
which will include the popular Zurich
Bean Festival, the Perth Dairy and Pork
Festival, and culminate with the Interna-
tional Plowing Match. Any group inter-
ested in our barbecue service, contact
Wayne Hartung (291-4038). We spe-
cialize in smoked pork chops. Frozen
pork products by the box are available
from Wayne or Vi Bell (273-0246).
DAIRY AND PORK FESTIVAL — It
was decided this year to donate the pork
producers' profits from the Dairy and
Pork Festival to a fund set up to purchase
a CT Scan for the Stratford Hospital. A
CT Scan is a sophisticated X-ray used in
the precise diagnosis of many medical
conditions. Its use is invaluable already,
even though the technology is fairly
new. We want the Dairy and Pork Fes-
tival to be very profitable, so please
come out and have a good time. Tickets
will be available shortly from directors.
PORK PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
— At the last directors' meeting, we
were pleased to elect Don Dietrich of
Shakespeare as Pork Producer of the
Year. He will be honoured at this year's
Pork Congress in June.
PORKFEST — Arnold Van Moorsel,
chairman of last year's Porkfest
Committee, reported that there would
not be a Porkfest this year, the main
reason being that the original intent of
the "fest," to promote to urbanites the
idea of ordering pork in restaurants, was
not being met.
STRATFORD HOG YARD —
George Adair has retired as manager of
the Stratford Hog Assembly Yard.
George was honoured at our annual
meeting in January for his many years of
dedicated service. The new manager,
selected from more than 50 applicants,
is Paul McDougall. Welcome Paul.°
Gordon Jack, R. R. 1, Newton
92 THE RURAL VOICE