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The Citizen, 1996-08-28, Page 27arm Festival raises funds for Agricultural Museum A Look at Agriculture Asian is bringing us higher corn prices Ralph deVries, Crop Consultant with Howson & Howson Ltd. This week I will discuss how we are being affected in our grain markets by a growing trend in Asian countries. China began liberalizing its economy in 1977; since then, its whole economy has quadrupled, and its exports have increased ten-fold. Foreign direct investment has gone from zero in 1977 to more than $50 billion. Per capita incomes have doubled, and in the coastal provinces they've quadrupled. Half of urban Chinese households now have refrigerators and 70 per cent have colour TVs. Nearly 3 billion people in Asia are now living in market-oriented economies that have been increasing their national economic output by nearly 10 per cent per year. In Canada we have seen a slight increase in vegetarian diets; however, this is not a worldwide trend. In China, meat demand has increased by 10 per cent in each of the last four years. Currently, that means an additional 2 million tonnes of meat per year. China has added nearly 35 million tonnes worth of feed grain to the world's annual requirements in the last five years. This is seven times Ontario's yearly production of all grains combined. Similar trends are occurring in Japan, Taiwan, South Korea and India. This has decreased the world's food gap between rich and poorer nations. Those countries, which only a few years ago could not afford to pay for food, are doing so today. It seems that the Asian countries are' becoming more and more affluent and the first thing improving is their diet. The world will need to increase its farm output by 300 per cent over the next 45 years to feed a more affluent population. This would include grains, meat products, dairy products and cooking oils. The first thing people do when they get more income is strive for better diets. First, they want rice and wheat; then, they buy cooking oils and finally, they start buying eggs, milk, meat, vegetables and fruits. Once they have acquired this, they start purchasing consumer products such as furniture, clothing, etc. which drives their economy. This leaves many opportunities for us because we are already more efficient at producing these agricultural products for these countries. We will be receiving higher prices because of the dramatic increase in demand. We are already seeing this in today's market with such tight supplies of grains. You, as a farmer in Ontario, paid more for fertilizer this year, but, you also received more for your corn, soybeans and wheat. A significant amount of this effect has come ,from these Asian countries and demand that is occurring because of them. Firewood Hard Maple or Ash SLABWOOD Limited Time Offer -1 - Call now - $130./17 cu. yd. Truck Load Delivered within 20 miles Mileage charge Beyond That Large Quantity Discounts When You Haul!!! Craig Hardwoods Ltd. 519-526-7220 Auburn, Ont. BRUSSELS LIVESTOCK Division of Gamble & Rogers Ltd. UPCOMING SALES TUESDAYS 9 a.m. Finished Cattle & Cows THURSDAYS 10:00 a.m. Dropped Calves Veals followed by Goats Sheep & Lambs FRIDAYS 10:00 a.m. Stocker Cattle 1:00 p.m. Pigs BRUSSELS 887-6461 THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 1996 PAGE 27. Brussels Livestock report Veal prices up $2-$3, Holstein avg. $80 to $105 The sales at Brussels Livestock for the week ending Aug. 23 were: fed cattle, 779; cows, 285; veal calves, 350; lambs and goats, 227; stockers, 1,607 and pigs, 93. The fed steers and heifers sold $3 "We no longer clear the land with an axe and and we're not going to clear a way to preserve a museum by just talking about it." That's the view of George Underwood, chairman of a group of volunteers working to ensure this season is not the final one for the Ontario Agricultural Museum at Milton. On Saturday, Sept. 14, Ontario's Rural Heritage Preservation Committee will host a Fall Festival fundraiser and information day, a full day of farm and craft demonstrations, activities and entertainment. The day's activities will all take place at the Museum, an 80-acre site bordering Hwy. 401 and the Niagara Escarpment. The grounds will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Look for draft horses doing field work, threshing demonstrations, a farm toy show and sale, open hearth cooking, clog and line dancing, antique tractors, steam and gas engines in operation, old-time baseball, an antique car display, spinning and a list of other events which is expanding daily: "It's an exciting event and volunteers are responding enthusi- astically - everyone is concerned that this Ontario treasure not be lost," says Walt Elliot, chair of the event and member of Ontario's Rural Heritage Preservation Committee, Committee members will also be providing information on their work so far, and their plans for the Museum's future. The provincial government announced in November that public funding for the Museum would cease on March 31. The ticket price for this Fall Festival includes admission to the grounds and a beef-on-a-bun lunch. The tickets, at $35 each, include a tax receipt for $20 and are available by credit card by phoning 1-888- 835-5002. They are also available from the Museum's gift shop, Royal Bank Agricultural Business Banking centers, many farm machinery dealerships and at the North Waterloo Farmers' Mutual Insurance Company booth at The Outdoor Farm Show in Burford. Children under 12 are admitted free. Cash donations to the committee are also welcome, payable to the Foundation for Rural Living (ORHPC), PO Box 281, Milton, ON L9T 4N9. Tax receipts will be provided by mail. "Our committee has done a lot of planning in the last eight months, and now we're counting on the people of Ontario to show that their support for this heritage resources goes beyond best wishes," higher with cows selling steady. On Thursday veal sold $2 - $3 higher, with lambs selling fully steady. Calves and yearlings were selling steady to last week. There were 477 steers on offer Underwood said. Since 1979, more than 1,500 private and corporate donors have contributed to the Museum's current collection of 30 buildings, 15,000 artifacts, 3,000 cubic feet of archival material, and over 7,000 rare and reference books. The buildings, artifacts and archives form one of the best and most extensive collections of its kind in North America. Ontario's Rural Heritage Preservation Committee formed in December 1995; this group of approximately 30 volunteers repre- sents a wide range of Ontario's agricultural and heritage organiza- tions. Its goal is to preserve the site, buildings, artifacts, programs and archives of the Ontario Agricultural Museum, and Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame, housed at the Museum. selling from $90 to $96 to the high of $102.75. A black steer consigned by Jim Howatt, Londesboro, weighing 1,305 lbs. sold for $102.75 to Holly Park Meat Packers, with the overall consignment of sixteen steers averaging 1,267 lbs. sold for an average of $96.53. Eighteen steers consigned by Cunningham Farms, Lucan, averaging 1,273 lbs. sold for an average of $93.42 with sales to $102.25. Twenty-six steers consigned by Fred Smith, Brussels, averaging 1,431 lbs. sold for an average of $85.30 with sales to $100. Thirty-two steers consigned by Murray Forbes Farms Ltd., Clinton, averaging 1,372 lbs. sold for an average of $94.21 with sales to $98. Thirteen steers consigned by Schmidt Brook Farms Inc., Woodstock, averaging 1,493 lbs. sold for an average of $89.40 with sales to $96.75. Fourteen steers consigned by Dwight Zehr, Bright, averaging 1,063 lbs. sold for an average of $93.22 with sales to $95.75. Twenty-three steers consigned by Allgald Farms Ltd., Ailsa Craig, averaging 1,334 lbs. sold for an average of $93.64 with sales to $95.60. Thirteen steers consigned by Raye Pegg, Tupperville, averaging 1,355 lbs. sold for an average of $92.19 with sales to $95.25. Eleven steers consigned by Doug Shiell, Wingham, averaging 1,313 lbs. sold for an average of $91.54 with sales to $95. Forty steers consigned by J. A. McCann & Sons Ltd., Ailsa Craig, averaging 1,346 lbs. sold an average of $94.46 with sales to $95. There were 283 heifers on offer selling from $90 to $96 to the high of $99. Fourteen heifers consigned by Mux Lea Farms, Woodstock, averaging 1,202 lbs. sold for an average of $91.60 with sales to $99. Forty heifers consigned by Tom Triebncr, Exeter, averaging 1,151 lbs. sold for an average of $91.78 with sales to $94.50. Four heifers consigned by Robert Thomson, Ripley, averaging 1,066 lbs. sold for an average of $93.44 with sales to $94.50. Fifteen heifers consigned by Wayne King, Gorrie, averaging 1,087 lbs. sold for an average of $87.16 with sales to $93.25. Two heifers consigned by Dave Bowles, Brussels, averaging 1,160 lbs. sold for $93. Nine heifers consigned by Woodham Farms, Woodham, averaging 1,004 lbs. sold for an average of $86.51 with sales to $91. Twelve heifers consigned by Vern Steinacker, Stratford, averag- ing 1,063 lbs. sold for an average of $87.83 with sales to $91. Four heifers consigned by Milan Michalek, Keswick, averaging 1,162 lbs. sold for an average of $89.01 with sales to $90.50. Seven heifers consigned by Randy Pent- land, Goderich, averaging 1,089 lbs. sold for $90.10. Nine heifers consigned by Percy Bros., holyrood, averaging 977 lbs. sold for an average of $84.70 with sales to $90. There were 285 cows on offer selling from $38 to $55 to the high of $69.50. One cow consigned by Tony VanMiltenburg, Seaforth, weighing 1,290 lbs. sold for $69.50. Two cows consigned by Charles Ready, St. Marys, averaging 1,518 lbs. sold for an average of $61.17 with sales to $68.50. One cow consigned by Ken Scholtz, Chatsworth, weighing 1,775 lbs. sold for $67.50. There were 16 bulls on offer selling from $50 to $59 to the high of $66. One Charolais bull consigned by Don Rcay, Hanover, weighing 1,940 lbs. sold for $66. One Limousin bull consigned by Robert Way, Shelburne, weighing 1,735 lbs. sold for $65.50. There were 350 veal on offer selling: Plain and Heavy Holstein, $60 to $70; Holstein, $80 to $105; Beef, $85 to $115. Two veal consigned by John Verberg, Londesboro, averaging 640 lbs. sold for an average of $113.48 with sales to $115. Five veal consigned by John Purvis, Ethel, averaging 605 lbs. sold for an average of $99.52 with sales to $115. Two holstein veal consigned by Henry Bos, Auburn, averaging 650 lbs. sold for an average of $100.44 with sales to $108. Lambs, 50 to 80 lbs., sold $120 to $157.50; 80 to 95 lbs., $132.50 to $142.50. Sheep sold $41 to $76. Goats, sold $21 to $85. Steers, under 400 lbs., sold $74.50 to $114; 400 - 499 lbs., $70.50 to $107; 500 - 599 lbs., $67 to $104; 600 - 699 lbs., $76 to $88; 700 - 799 lbs., $73.50 to $110; 800 - 899 lbs., $74.50 to $108; 900 - 1,000 lbs., $81 to $110; and 1,000 and over, $80 to $99. Heifers, 300 - 399 lbs., $71 to $103; 400 - 499 lbs., $65 to $104; 500 - 599 lbs., $64 to $18.50; 600 - 699 lbs., $69 to $88.50; 700 - 799 lbs., $64 to $87.75; 800 - 899 lbs., $75.75 to $94.50; and 900 lbs. and Over, $59 to $89.