Loading...
The Rural Voice, 1988-08, Page 78PERTH County Pork Producers NEWSLETTER Cinth Vogels, R. R. 2, Dublin 345-2315 • The Rural Voice is provided to Perth County Pork Producers by the PCPPA COUNTERVAIL RATE REVISED On June 10 the U.S. commerce department announced a recommenda- tion to reduce the countervail rate by 50 per cent from 4.39 to 2.20 cents per pound. This is good news to our hog industry. The OPPMB has collected $4.39/ cwt. or about $10/hog for sales made to the U.S. since April 3, 1985. The differ- ence between what was collected and what is finally determined to be duty will be refunded to the provincial mar- keting boards. At this date no decision has been made about how any refund will be handled by the OPPMB. STABILIZATION ON FED GRAINS The board and the Ontario Task Force on Fed Grains are pushing the federal government to make a decision soon which will allow fed grains to be covered by stabilization. The board has written to each of the county associa- tions asking them to phone their local MP on the issue. You can help by phoning your local MP and letting him know how you feel about being left out of the grain stabilization. At the Pork Congress in June, the PCPPA distributed a form to the farmers who feed their corn in hopes of getting them to fill it out and realize how much stabilization they've missed out on. If you haven't filled one in, please do, and mail it to your MP or John Wise. The push is on now, and with rumors of a fall election, farmers have to press for farm - fed grain stabilization now. HOT WEATHER STRESS IN PIGS Hot weather has turned our attention to keeping our animals cool. Over the past 20 years producers have bred the insulation layers off the pig to produce a leaner product. This fat layer not only kept the pig warm in the winter but also cool in hot weather. Pigs lack the mechanism to sweat or run saliva over their tongue and pant when overheated so they need either a warm breeze or water to evaporate on their skin. A complete air change in the build- ing every minute or less during very hot weather can help keep the body tem- perature of pigs under control. If pigs have no access to mud holes they will FARM -FED GRAIN STABILIZATION — WHAT WE DIDN'T GET! FORMULA: No. of Acres: Yield/Acre: Total Grains Fed (Tonnes): 1984/85 1985/86 CORN Payment: Federal: $ 8.92 Provincial: $ 6.93 (2/3 $4.64) (1/3 $2.29 premium) Payment: Federal: $29.70 Provincial: $ 6.54 (2.3 $4.36) (1.3 $2.18 premium) BALANCE DUE: Send to: The Honourable John Wise, Minister of Agriculture Sir John Carling Building, 930 Carling Ave., Ottawa K1A 065 76 THE RURAL VOICE roll in their manure to keep cool. This crates an ideal circumstance for dis- ease organisms to gain a foothold. A more desirable method is to install a spray cooling system. A spray is re- leased for about two minutes out of every half hour over the dunging area. This allows pigs the option of cooling off in the spray as they wish. PORK CONGRESS Ontario's largest pork industry trade show, the Ontario Pork Congress, is considered by many to be a reflection of the industry as a whole. With pork prices dropping and feed prices rising and a general feeling of uncertainty, the mood of the congress this year was less optimistic. Attendance was down slightly from last year, with about 13,000 paid admission accounted for over the three days. But talking to some of the exibitors, they claimed that sales at the show were up from last year. THANK YOU A special thank you goes out to Jo and Garry Van Loon for hosting this year's PCPPA directors picnic on July 10. The event was well attended and good fun and good food was enjoyed by all. Thanks again! ENERGY SEMINAR Ontario Hydro is presenting an Agriculture Energy Seminar for pork producers on August 16 in Woodstock and August 18 in Stratford. These seminars begin at 9:30 and run until 2:30. $10 covers the seminar, lunch, and an information kit. Topics include ven- tilation, heating, standby generators, and customer service. If interested, pre - register by calling 681-1390, ext. 611. UPCOMING Semi-annual meeting in Toronto on September 15 at the Skylon Hotel, 9:30 a.m. for all directors and delegates.0 Cinth Vogels RR. 2, Dublin 345-2315