The Citizen, 2000-02-16, Page 15THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2000. PAGE 15.
Brussels Livestock report
Fed steers, heifers sell $.50 to $1 higher
Total receipts at Brussels
Livestock for the week ending Feb.
11 were 1,921 head of cattle and
286 lambs and goats.
Fed steers and heifers sold 50
cents to $1 higher. Cows sold steady
ing for an average of $103.23.
Two steers consigned by Dwayne
Dickert, Ayton, averaging 1,468 lbs.
sold for an average of $105.24 with
sales to $105.50. Ten steers con
signed by Pete Sereda, Centralia,
F arm
to last week. On Thursday veal sold
$3 to $5 higher with lambs selling
on a steady market. All weights of
stockers sold on a strong market.
There were 338 steers on offer
selling from $98 to $104 with sales
to $117. One limousin steer con
signed by Jim Howatt, Londesboro,
weighing 1,460 lbs. sold to Norwich
Packers for $112.75 with his overall
offering of six steers averaging
1,524 lbs. selling for an average of
$104.77. One black limousin steer
consigned by Cunningham Farms,
Lucan, weighing 1,450 lbs. sold to
Dominion Meat Packers for $112
with their overall offering of thirty-
four steers averaging 1,472 lbs. sell
averaging 1,482 lbs. sold for an
average of $104.70 with sales to
$106.60. Thirty steers consigned by
Kada Farms, Bluevale, averaging
1,476 lbs. sold for an average of
$104.54 with sales to $106.75. Five
steers consigned by Charles Ready,
St. Marys, averaging 1,494 lbs. sold
for an average of $102.94 with sales
to $105.75. Twelve steers consigned
by Schmidt Brook Farms Inc.,
Woodstock, averaging 1,610 lbs.
sold for an average of $101.10 with
sales to $109.50. Seven steers con
signed by Gordon Brooks,
Lucknow, averaging 1,522 lbs. sold
for an average of $101.07 with sales
to $108.50. Three steers consigned
OFA Commentary
Ag offices serve rural needs
By Jack Wilkinson, OFA
President
For decades, farmers from all
areas of Ontario have gone to their
local Ag Office for everything from
fact sheets to soil sample kits and
things they needed to improve the
efficiencies of their farming opera
tions. We didn’t get to be the lead
ing province for technology transfer
without such services.
In many areas of the province the
local Ag Office was also the central
meeting place for a wide variety
of agricultural and community
groups.
Following a Dec. 2 announcement
by Minister Ernie Hardeman, just
about all of those offices will be
closing. The Minister of
Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
shows no intention of backing off on
the closing of the 32 offices in
southern Ontario, right from
Windsor to the Quebec border.
For a number of reasons, that
decision is hard to understand, and
impossible to accept, especially
from a province where agriculture is
credited with more than $6.8 billion
in sales yearly, and with the creation
of almost 700,000 jobs.
When Lieut. Gov. Hillary Weston
delivered the Ontario government's
speech from the throne last year, she
outlined some of the accomplish
ments of Ontario agriculture. Surely
this government realizes those
accomplishments didn’t “just hap
pen.”
Ontario agriculture has moved
forward using the latest technologies
available, and for many farmers
those technologies were introduced
either directly or indirectly with the
assistance of staff from OMAFRA’s
field offices.
Are similar advancements as like
ly to come in the future as they have
in the past, given OMAFRA’s reor
ganization? We at the Ontario
Federation of Agriculture certainly
hope so, but right now it’s not clear
how that can happen.
OMAFRA has promised 13
resource centres to replace the 32
Ag Offices, but the details are
sketchy on just how the majority of
farmers will get the information
they need from those centres. What
is clear, however, is that face-to-
face contact under the new plan is
GONE !
Minister Hardeman’s Dec. 2
announcement pointed to the use of
a toll-free telephone line to the
resource centres, or the use of the
ministry’s internet site as ways of
getting the information into the
hands of farmers.
For some, that may work, but my
experiences with toll-free telephone
lines and my neighbour’s inability
to access the internet tell me there
will be a lot of frustrated farmers
left to make important decisions on
their own.
OFA’s executive met recently
with Minister Hardeman to outline
the farming industry’s key concerns
with his plan to save the government
money by closing Ag Offices
and laying off staff. He wasn’t inter
ested in reversing any of
the announced decisions, and
showed little flexibility. Maybe
that’s to be expected from govern
ment.
Minister Hardeman did offer some
hope to OFA’s executive when he
talked about working with OFA to
identify gaps in services to farmers
across the province under the new
scheme. He also said the ministry
would be willing to conduct a
review to determine if OMAFRA’s
new shape is meeting the needs of
farmers in Ontario.
OFA will insist that Ontario farm
ers can get the information and ser
vice they need from OMAFRA, in
an efficient and timely manner.
The OFA understands the need to
control spending because it too lives
within a budget, but our concern is
that a once-great industry could
eventually be reduced to a shadow
of itself, all because the Government
of Ontario decided to move its ser
vices to farmers one or two steps
further away.
If the farmers can’t access
OMAFRA’s services as offered, has
the government lived up to its com
mitment of economic growth for all
sectors? The OFA doesn’t think so!
by Robert S. McLachlan, Alvinston,
averaging 1,462 lbs. sold for an
average of $100.41 with sales to
$104.75. Four steers consigned by
Rob Vanderveen, Brussels, averag
ing 1,360 lbs. sold for an average of
$ 100.17 with sales to $ 104.50.
There were 207 heifers on offer
selling from $98 to $104 with sales
to $110.75. Six limousin heifers
consigned by Perry Sereda,
Centralia, averaging 1,231 lbs. sold
to Norwich Packers for $1 10.75
with his overall offering of forty-six
heifers averaging 1,274 lbs. selling
for an average of $104.73. One
blonde heifer consigned by Keith
Kirk, Shallow Lake, weighing 1,200
lbs. sold to Highland Packers
Limited for $110.75 with his overall
offering of fifteen heifers averaging
1,276 lbs. selling for an average of
$102.46. Seven heifers consigned by
Clarence Carter & Sons Ltd., Lucan,
averaging 1,318 lbs. sold, for an
average of $104.18 with sales to
$108.75.
One heifer consigned by Jim and
Karen Hallahan, Blyth, weighing
1,080 lbs. sold for $104. One heifer
consigned by R. J. Wilson,
Walkerton, weighing 1,335 lbs. sold
for $103.25. Five heifers consigned
by Roy. A. McCulloch, Alienford,
averaging 1,148 lbs. sold for an
average of $102.46 with sales to
$103.25. Four heifers consigned by
Louie Vanhooydonk, Alvinston,
averaging 1,174 lbs. sold for an
average of $102.27 with sales to
$103.75.
Fifteen heifers consigned by Glen
Walker, Wingham, averaging J,224
lbs. sold for an average of $102.24
with sales to $105.25. Seven heifers
consigned by Wayne Rowe,
Woodham, averaging 1,213 lbs. sold
for an average of $100.33 with sales
to $103.25. Fourteen heifers con
signed by Mux Lea Farms,
Woodstock, averaging 1,307 lbs.
sold for an average of $99.82 with
sales to $104.50.
There were 218 cows on offer. DI
and D2 cows sold $58 to $65 with
sales to $80; D3, $54 to $61; D4,
$47 to $54. One holstein cow con
signed by Werkhome Holstein Ltd.,
Embro, weighing 1,390 lbs. sold for
$80. Four cows consigned by
Eckerlea Acres, Seaforth, averaging
1,398 lbs. sold for an average of
$65.43 with sales to $78.50. Five
cows consigned by John M. Martin,
Holyrood, averaging 1,190 lbs. sold
for an average of $67.41 with sales
to $73.50.
There were nine bulls on offer
selling from $68 to $79.50 with
sales to $88.50. One limousin bull
consigned by Irvin Schenk,
Petersburg, weighing 1,905 lbs. sold
for $88.50. One limousin bull con
signed by Don Robertson, Atwood,
weighing 1,785 lbs. sold for $87.50.
There were 214 veal on offer.
Beef, sold $100 to $145; Holstein,
$95 to $103; Plain Holstein, $80 to
$85. Seven veal consigned by Eric
Nonkes, Auburn, averaging 666 lbs.
sold for an average of $105.76 with
sales to $145. Five veal consigned
by John Verburg, Londesboro, aver
aging 701 lbs. sold for an average of
$137.23 with sales to $143. Ten veal
consigned by Rick Smith, Ripley,
Support our
youth
Attend a
hockey game
MEETING
Concerning the changes in
Ontario Hydro Services
Network
Wednesday, February 23
at the
Londesboro Hall, Londesboro
1:30 pm
Ted Cowan, Farm Policy
Researcher from OFA will be in
attendance with information.
Meeting format will consist of
an “Information Session”
followed by a “Question”
period. The meeting is being
co-sponsored by the
Londesboro Happy Gang
Seniors and the Huron County
Federation of Agriculture.
Everyone Welcome
averaging 711 lbs. sold for an aver
age of $115.97 with sales to $134.
Lambs, 50 - 64 lbs. sold $149 to
$182.50; 65 - 79 lbs., $150 to
$167.50; 80 - 94 lbs., $130 to $132;
95-110 lbs., $113 to $126.
Sheep sold $54 to $72.
Goats sold $13 to $175 per head.
Steers, 300 - 399 lbs., sold $137 to
$165.50; 400 - 499 lbs., $114 to
$170; 500 - 599 lbs., $123 to $171;
600 - 699 lbs., $125 to $147; 700 -
799 lbs., $112 to $131; 800 - 899
lbs., $115.50 to $123; 900.- 999 lbs.,
$114 to $125; 1,000 lbs. and over,
$83 to $114.75.
Heifers, 300 - 399 lbs., sold $129
to $147; 400 - 499 lbs., $135 to
$152; 500 - 599 lbs., $111 to $139;
600 - 699 lbs., $104 to $133; 700 -
799 lbs., $98.50 to $123.50; 800 -
899 lbs., $104 to $121.25; 900 lbs.
and over, $95.50 to $114.25.
BRUSSELS LIVESTOCK
Division of Gamble & Rogers Ltd.
UPCOMING SALES
TUESDAYS
THURSDAYS
FRIDAYS
9:00 a.m.
8:00 a.m.
10:00 a.m.
1:00 p.m.
Fed Cattle,
Bulls & Cows
Drop Calves,
Veal, Lambs,
Goats & Sheep
Stockers
Pigs
lS 887-6461
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February 24, l p.m.
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527-0245 Walton 887-6365