The Citizen, 1996-11-20, Page 13A Look at Agriculture
In defense of agriculture
Ralph deVries, Crop Consultant
with Howson & Howson Ltd.
I would like to begin a series of
articles that deal with the
agricultural community and the
environment. I do not intend to
provide extensive information but
rather, give some defense to
agriculture and how it has actually
been very beneficial to the
environment.
In this article, I will deal with
water quality. Nitrates in water
sources have been unfairly linked
with today's fanning practises.
Farmers, like other members of
society, are concerned about water
quality. The 1992 Ontario Farm
Groundwater Quality Survey,
which tested 1,300 farm wells,
found that pesticide and fuel
contamination of groundwater are
not significant problems. The
same report found the presence of
bacteria and low levels of nitrates
to be significant.
Tracing the source of nitrates in
groundwater supplies is difficult.
From animal manure to legume
crops such as soybeans, there are
many sources of nitrogen in nature
- all which have the potential to
leach into groundwater supplies.
Many of the farm wells that
were included in this study were
older dug wells as opposed to
today's deeper drilled wells.
Shallow wells are more prone to
this type of problem because they
are physically closer to the source
of the contamination such as
septic systems or manure.
Runoff from farm fields is
another potential source of nitrates
in wells. Yet nitrate runoff can
also come from a variety of
sources including animal manure
(which may also contain
dangerous bacteria), sewage
sludge and organic material
(nitrogen reserves) already present
in the soil.
Farmers today utilize many
techniques to prevent soil erosion
and nutrient runoff. However,
several recent studies indicate that
nitrogen from legumes, such as
soybeans, or from manure is much
harder to control than is nitrogen
from commercial fertilizer. This
may be due to the time the
materials are applied to a field.
Also, studies of the groundwater
rarely take nitrogen (from organic
matter) already found in the soil
into account when analyzing the
sources of nitrate runoff. Just like
fertilizer, if this organic material is
not utilized by plants, it may leach
into groundwater supplies. Few
water well surveys were
conducted for nitrates in
groundwater before commercial
nitrogen was used. For this reason,
current surveys are rarely adjusted
for this "base" level of nitrogen.
Where higher than average levels
of nitrate are found, these levels
may be due to the "base" level of
nitrogen rather than commercial
fertilizer.
When considering the issue of
water quality from wells, one
should not assume immediately
that an environmental problem
was created by agriculture when
only one small angle of the issue
was investigated.
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
arm
JOHN McKERCHER
CONSTRUCTION LTD.
• backhoeing • bulldozing
• loader and truck rental
• sand, gravel and topsoil
• stone pile and rubble removal
R.R. #2 Bluevale
887-9061 if busy 887-9999
Fax: 887-9999
Notice is hereby given of the
ANNUAL
MEETING
OF MEMBERS
in the
Clinton Town Hall Auditorium
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4
AT 8:00 P.M.
for the purpose of receiving Reports and Financial
Statements for the year ending September 30, 1996, electing
Directors and Credit Committee officers, appointing
Auditors and Scrutineers; for the purpose of amending
Bylaws and of transacting all other business of an Annual
Meeting. Lunch will follow the meeting. Door Prizes to be
drawn.
Dated at Clinton this 15th day of November, 1996.
Peter McFalls
Secretary
CLINTON COMMUNITY
CREDIT UNION
48 Ontario Street 118 Main St. North
Clinton 482-3467 Exeter 235-0640
THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1996 PAGE 13.
Brussels Livestock report
Fed steer, heifers and cows trend upwards
The sales at Brussels Livestock
for the week ending Nov. 15 were:
fed cattle, 555; cows, 279; veal
calves, 319; lambs and goats, 134;
stockers, 3,328.
The fed steers and heifers were
selling $3 - $5 higher with cows
selling $1 - $2 higher. Veal and
lambs both sold steady. Stocker
calves were selling $2 - $4 higher
with yearlings steady. There were
372 steers on offer selling from $93
to $98 to the high of $112.
Thirteen steers consigned by Ray
Dippel, Ayton, averaging 1,421 lbs.
sold for an average of $100.52 with
sales to $112.
Eleven steers consigned by Kada
Farms, Bluevale, averaging 1,324
lbs. sold for an average of $96.82
with sales to $107.50. Six steers
consigned by Dave Bowles,
Brussels, averaging 1,225 lbs. sold
for an average of $99.83 with sales
to $105.50.
Forty-six steers consigned by
Cunningham Farms, Lucan,
averaging 1,355 lbs. sold for an
average of $96.36 with sales to
$104.50. Eleven steers consigned
by Woodham Farms, Woodham,
averaging 1,200 lbs. sold for an
average of $90.91 with sales to
$104.25. Forty-one steers consign-
ed by Earl Foster, St. Marys,
averaging 1,271 lbs. sold for an
average of $95.22 with sales to
$103. Eighteen steers consigned by
Johnston Farms, Bluevale, averag-
ing 1,267 lbs. sold for an average
of $96.08 with sales to $102.50.
Thirteen steers consigned by
Schmidt Brook Farms Inc.,
Woodstock, averaging 1,483 lbs.
sold for an average of $95.76 with
sales to $101.50. Two steers
consigned by Calvin Semple, Ethel,
averaging 1,465 lbs. sold for an
average of $96.27 with sales to
$101. Eighteen steers consigned by
Don Dundas, Crediton, averaging
1,355 lbs. sold for an average of
$93.35 with sales to $98.
Hall of
Fame for
Carbert
A Midwestern Ontario 'Hall of
Famer" will be recognized in a
special presentation Nov. 21.
Wingham's Bob Carbert is one of
seven people inducted into the
Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame
this past June in a ceremony in
Milton. His induction acknow-
ledged his contributions to
agriculture in Ontario in a number
of capacities - including as a
former farm director at CKNX
radio and one-time manager of the
Ontario Agricultural Museum near
Milton.
Carbert's induction will be
marked with a local ceremony at
the Catholic Church Hall in
Wingham on Thursday, Nov. 21, at
1 p.m. CKNX Radio was one of the
local sponsors of his Hall of Fame
nomination. The ceremony will be
held at 1 p.m. as part of the fall
meeting of the CKNX radio farm
advisory board. The board is a
group of agri-business representa-
tives from Southern Ontario which
meets twice a year to provide input
to CKNX radio on its agriculture-
related programming.
A representative of the Ontario
Agricultural Hall of Fame
Association will be on hand for the
ceremony and to discuss the Hall of
Fame's operations.
There were 150 heifers on offer
selling from $93 to $98 to the high
of $101. Fourteen heifers
consigned by Mux L.ca. Farms,
Woodstock, averaging 1,217 lbs.
sold for an average of $96.03 with
sals to $101. Four heifers
consigned by Dwight Zehr, Bright,
averaging 975 lbs. sold for an
average of $92.40 with sales to
$99.50. Eight heifers consignqd by
Ronland Farm, Stratford, averaging
1,196 lbs. sold for an average of
$92.29 with sales to $97.50. One
heifer consigned by Barry Shaw,
Bluevale, weighing 1,120 lbs. sold
for $96.25. One heifer consigned
by Donald Thornton, Gorrie,
weighing 955 lbs. sold for $96.
Four heifers consigned by Frank
Voisin, Formosa, averaging 1,191
lbs. sold for an average of $92.09
with sales to $96. Five heifers
consigned by Gordon Dougherty,
Goderich, averaging 1,134 lbs. sold
for an average of $91.67 with sales
to $95.75. One heifer consigned by
Lois Kerr, Palmerston, weighing
1,215 lbs. sold for $95.
There were 279 cows on offer
selling from $25 to $50 to the high
of $57. Five cows consigned by
Wayne Forster, Meaford, averaging
1,362 lbs. sold for an average of
$48.97 with sales to $57. Two
cows consigned by Verkley
Enterprize, Atwood, averaging
1,503 lbs. sold for an average of
$53.37 with sales to $56. One cow
consigned by Bruce Ruttan, Gorrie,
weighing 1,865 lbs. sold for
$54.50.
There were 21 bulls on offer
selling from $42.50 to $46.45 to
the high of $64. One Limousin bull
consigned by Joe Van Osch, Luck-
now, weighing 1,247 lbs. sold for
$64. One bull consigned by Glen
VanCamp, Brussels, weighing
1,665 lbs. sold for $54.
There were 288 veal on offer
selling: Plain and Heavy Holstein,
$50 to $75; Holstein, $75 to $100;
Beef, $80 to $103. Five veal
consigned by Martin Metske,
Lucknow, averaging 669 lbs. sold
for an average of $95.85 with sales
to $103. Three veal consigned by
Joseph Martin, Gowanstown,
averaging 618 lbs. sold for an
average of $97.24 with sales to
$100. Five veal consigned by Dave
Elphick, Lucknow, averaging 625
lbs. sold for an average of $89.36
with sales to $99.
Lambs, 50 to 80 lbs., sold
$147.50 to $172.50i 80 to 95 lbs.,
$135 to $140; and over 95 lbs.,
$105 to $130.
Sheep sold $20 to $50.
Goats sold $10 to $110.
Steers, under 400 lbs., sold
$61.50 to $98.50; 400 - 499 lbs.,
$64 to $107; 500 - 599 lbs., $61 to
$102; 600 - 699 lbs., $64.50 to
$102; 700 - 799 lbs., $65 to $86;
800 - 899 lbs., $75 to $97; and 900
lbs. and over, $75 to $87.75.
Heifers, 300 - 399 lbs., sold $45
to $79.50; 400 - 499 lbs., $50 to
$105; 500 - 599 lbs., $61 to $87;
600 - 699 lbs.., $64 to $83.50; 700
- 799 lbs., $61.50 to $90; 800 - 899
lbs., $56.50 to $85.75; and 900 lbs.
and over, $54.50 to $84.75.
Plain stockers sold $40 to $60.