The Rural Voice, 1989-06, Page 81RAINY RIVER
Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER
Box 416, Emo, Ontario POW 1 E0
807-482-2051
• The Rural Voice is provided to Rainy River
Federation members by the RRFA.
Hot and dry, that's been the weather
for May in the Rainy River District.
Many farmers held off seeding while
waiting for rain. By mid-May, however,
most were working land, seeding, and
hoping for rain.
It's amazing where all that winter
snow disappeared to, but except for
battered fences there is not much evi-
dence we had all that moisture. John
vandenBrand has been extra busy sell-
ing crop insurance, as most farmers are
anticipating yet another dry summer.
Alice Radboumes' weather statis-
tics, shown below, prove we had one of
the coolest Aprils on record, but we are
making up for the heat in May.
Directors were advised to analyze
every segment of the operation, to
shorten the sale (in one day, sold the
next), cut labour costs, and cut feed
costs. Farmers would rather pay lower
commissions and do their own sorting
and feeding.
All directors will have to pull to-
gether behind president Doug Carlson
to implement the improvements. All
District producers should offer support
and encouragement. Constructive criti-
cism is sometimes helpful, but right now
Stratton needs more co-operation.
District dairy producers are close to
having a new cheese plant built in the
Rainy River District.
by Alice Radbourne
Month of Extreme Extreme Average Temp. snowfall Rainfall
April Max. Temp. Min. Temp for month (cm) (mm)
1989 20.0 -19.0 1.17 16.0 7.6
1988 25.5 -15.5 3.64 1.4 12.8
1987 31.0 -17.0 7.16 - 2.4
1986 22.5 -8.5 5.59 0.8 101.8
1985 27.0 -12.5 6.08 7.2 65.4
1984 22.0 -8.5 5.69 1.0 21.6
1983 22.5 -13.0 2.70 12.0 4.4
1982 27.5 -27.5 0.54 17.6 9.2
1981 20.0 -12.0 3.79 - 26.0
1980 32.0 -11.0 5.82 10.2 -
30 -Year Records (1951-1980)
32.8 -26.7 2.90 12.1 31.5
The Rainy River District Cattle-
men's Association will continue to
operate the Stratton Sales Yard.
During April, the directors consulted
with various experts in the beef market-
ing business from both the east and west.
The consensus was that local sales will
not attract competitive bidders. Stratton
needs more cattle to attract more buyers.
More and more feedlot operators are
using order buyers to purchase their
cattle. It will be difficult to convince
order buyers to travel more than 1,000
miles to bid on fewer than 2,000 head.
Satellite selling is a must for Stratton to
expose the cattle to as many potential
buyers as possible.
Visitors felt the Stratton sale had an
excellent system of sorting and selling
co -mingled lots, which had been devel-
oped over the years. However, the days
of low operating costs and volunteer
labour are gone.
80 THE RURAL VOICE
At the Regional Milk Committee
meeting in Fort Frances on April 19, the
plan was supported by producers from
Thunder Bay and Dryden as well as by
Milk Marketing Board officials.
The local Milk Committee, assisted
by Trish Neilson of the Rainy River
Business Development Corporation, is
working hard to establish this new mar-
keting outlet.
The Rainy River Soil and Crop
Improvement Association met April 27
at Barwick. President Lyle Wheatly,
secretary -treasurer Bernie Zimmerman,
directors Karl Van Heyst, John vanden-
Brand, Bill Romyn, Don McCulloch,
Ken Vogan, Rick Neilson, and Dean
Hodgson attended. Agricultural repre-
sentative Bruce Ward discussed sum-
mer projects and Crop Check North.
The proposed summer projects sub-
mitted by the committee were approved
by the directors.
The machinery rental committee
proposed that rents be raised on some
machines to cover increased mainte-
nance costs. Directors approved raising
the Brillion seeder to $3/acre and the
rock rake to $100/day. The machinery
committee is also proposing other ideas
to improve usage of the machinery.
A request from the Dryden Soil and
Crop Association to rent the sod seeder
on a trial basis was approved.
A discussion of the 1989 Seed Fair
was generally positive. A committee of
Lyle Wheatly, Bernie Zimmerman, and
Rick Neilson will organize the Crop
Tour for 1989.
The Rainy River District Federation
of Agriculture held its regular directors
meeting at Emo on May 1.
The meeting was attended by presi-
dent George Hyatt, secretary Jacquie
Hunsperger, treasurer Lisa Teeple, and
directors Linda Armstrong, Paul
Heyens, and Dean Hodgson.
Paul Heyens is attending the com-
puter course organized by Con -College,
OMAF, and the RRFA.
There will be a farm safety demon-
stration day at DeGagne Equipment on
June 9, sponsored by the Farm Safety
Association, OMAF, and the RRFA.
On April 15 the RRFA received an
answer from the Worker's Compensa-
tion Board. The WCB has agreed to
reinstate the funding for the first aid
courses organized by Bill Irvine.
President George Hyatt received a
letter from Brigid Pyke stating the On-
tario Cattlemen' s Association no longer
has a seat on the OFA board of directors
because of failure to pay dues. The OFA
will continue to represent beef produc-
ers who are individual members.
It was also reported the property tax
rebate is being reviewed by the provin-
cial government. Most municipal prop-
erty taxes have increased dramatically
the past few years. Now the province is
cutting back on education board grants.
Linda Armstrong reported a loss of
$144 at the April 15 dinner and dance
because of the small crowd. The real
loss here is all the time and effort ex-
pended by the organizing committee.
The next RRFA meeting is June 5.0
Dean Hodgson