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Times Advocate, 1994-01-19, Page 13FARM1IPD TF Times -Advocate, January 19, 1994 One of the topics at last Wednesday's Huron Soil and Crop Spring Update was on fertilizer ap- plication. From the left are president Peter Rowntree, vice-president Keith Black, guest speak- er Steve Hawkins of Purdue University and Brian Hall of the Clinton OMAF office. At last Wednesday's Spring Update at Holmesville, sponsored by the Huron Soil and Crop Im- provement Association, former Clinton ag office staffer Stan Paquette talks with Stephen town- ship farmers Garry Baker and Tom Hayter. Invite farmers to take part HOLMESVILLE - Beginning this week Ontario farmers will be offered participation in new prov- ince -wide Environmental Farm Plan workshops. In Huron and most counties, the local Soil and Crop Improvement Association will be sponsoring these workshops and peer reviews. Agriculture and Agri -Food Cana- da has committed $1 9 million of federal Green Plan funds over four years to deliver Environmental Farm Plans. An additional $5.7 mil- lion is earmarked to deliver an in- centive program providing up to $500 per farm business making positive changes which have been, identified in the EFP Action Plan. Environmental Farm Plans are documents voluntarily prepared by farm families to raise their aware- ness of the environment on their farm. Through the EFP process farm- ers will highlight environmental strengths on their farm, identify ar- eas of environmental concern, and set realistic goals to improve envi- ronmental conditions. These plans will consider all farm property, including rented land un- der cultivation and farmers will complete only those of 23 EFP worksheets that apply to their farm. Completing an EFP will enable Ontario farm families to take a broad look at the environment on their farm and identify areas where they are already effectively manag- ing environmental concerns and have their plans reviewed by peer farmers experienced with farm en- vironmental issues. Farm families will realize the ec- onomic benefits that may result from changes in management prac- tices and qualify for future govern- ment assistance programs of an en- vironmental nature. They will provide simple,Danony- mous statistics to help farm organi- zations highlight environmental ad- vances made by Ontario farmers and identify high priority needs for farm environmental research. Those participating will qualify for up to $500 per farm business imple- menting change identified in their EFP Action Plan. This is a province -wide effort to enhance farmers' role as stewards of the rural landscape. Speaking at last Wednesday's Hu- ron Soil and Crop Spring Update at Holmesville, Huron's EFP co- ordinator George Thompson said, "Soil and Crop groups have a histo- ry of good land stewardship and this is going to be an efficient way to get to farmers." Thompson continued, " This is a farmer driven program designed to help farmers. It's not a government program. Federal grants come through Grcen Plan funds. It will help safeguard your health and pre- serve water quality." He added, "Participation in this plan is completely confidential and voluntary. It will be on a first- come, first-served basis and your replies on the survey will be kept secret and your identity only known by number." For more information, any farmer can call the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association toll free at I -800-265-9751. Workshops will consist of two, one -day sessions that walk partici- Beef Feedlot Day HURON PARK - The final Western Ontario Beef Feedlot Day will be held at Centralia College on Wednesday, February 2. The program is de- signed for people interested in feedlot production and the industry. Topics on this year's program will include "Current Beef Research Areas at Cornell University", "Bunk Management to Maximize Daily Gain", "BVD Update", "Carcass Competition", "Pasture Management" and a pro- ducer panel that will deal with the topic "How I Stay Competitive in the Beef Industry", Dr. Ted Terry, a researcher from Cornell University will be addressing the first two topic areas. Various company displays will also be present for viewing. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. with the program running from 10 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. The fee has been set at $21.40 ($20.00 + OST) per person which includes lunch, and a copy of the proceedings. For additional information or to register for the program call Centralia College (519) 228-6691, Extension 285. pants through environmental risk assessment and EFP Action Plan development. Small workshop groups will enable farmers to ex- change ideas about simple, practi- cal ways to enhance the environ- ment. Page 13 One Foot in the Furrow By Bob Trotter One of Big Five going belly up? It was more than a year ago -- November '92, if my memory is right -- that the president of Lo- blaws Supermarkets predicted the • demise of one of the five major su- permarket chains in Ontario. Too much is chasing too little, he said, by which he meant that the food - buying public is not well- heeled enough or that not enough are out there to keep the chains growing and making money. This can only end with the withdrawal of one of the major players. Now, ain't that a shame? When most major leagues are expanding, the food chain is shrinking? At the time, the speaker, David Williams, was responsible for all wholesale and retail activities con- ducted by Loblaws companies in Ontario. As well financed as the chains are, they cannot continue to grow and prosper. The big five are Loeb (IGA), So- beys, Oshawa Group, A&P and Lo- blaw. Most of us with a little grey in our hair can remember when there were a few more players such as Dominion Stores, along with hundreds of corner grocery stores, competing for the food dollar. The teams consist of just five big boys now. No little stores are left. I find it difficult to believe that one of the big teams is going belly up. These people have been work- ing for 40 years gobbling up com- petition and concentrating buying power. Farmers have been worried and angry for more than a decade about the clout, the power, the food chains already have. If even an- other disappears, it can only mean more concentration in the hands of fewer people. A provincial inquiry back in the mid-1970s examined the problem at a very lengthy series of hearings. A recommendation steaming from that inquiry was to establish an agency was supposed to conduct in- vestigations and issue reports. The idea went over like a cast- iron kite. At one time, too, the Ontario Food Council was available to be a watchdog but the dog was put down by the provincial Conserva- tives. You can imagine„ I'm sure, the power these people hold. They make the decisions as to what new products will be on supermarket shelves. They also decide where and when the products appear. Sup- pliers of food have to be very wary about how they deal with these big- time buyers. They have enough power to demand special deals, spe- cial prices, special packaging and anything else. When four or five companies make such momentous decisions, it is well-nigh impossible to explore segments of the market, to find a niche for something different and to charge a little more for better quality or a different service. It can be stifling. The little guys, the innovators, are about as popular as a skunk at a cookout. They can- not afford the kickbacks or the list- ing foes or the discounts or the placement fees -- call it whatever you like -- the big chains demand to stock their products, let alone promote them with a special. That wheeling and dealing, whether anyone will admit it or not, is going on in a big way and the fanner at one end of the chain and the consumer at the other end of the chain take what they get. The chain stores will bleat and cry about competition from fast- food outlets, drug stores, conven- ient stores, hardware stores and even places like Toys R Us for car- rying food items. But they have so much clout that this competition, I think, is no more bothersome than a mosquito on an elephant's backside. It is interesting, though, to make a guess at which of the Big Five is suffering. Is Dave Nichol leaving a sinking ship? Is Sobeys going to leave Ontario? Will it be Loeb or A&P or the Oshawa Group ? Anybody taking bets? • WE'RE YOUR R.R.S.P. HEADQUARTERS • Check out a Clinton Credit Union R.R.S.P. Rates are on a downward trend Invest today RRSP loans available at Prime Rate CLINTON COMMUNITY CREDIT UNION 48 Ontario St. Clinton 482-3467 118 Main St. North Exeter 235-0640 Open Mon. to Thurs. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Fri. 9 a.m. - 8 ..m. - SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1952 ARE YOU BURii NG SOIL MONEY? l EVEN COMPARED TO NATURAL GAS... Oil really is "THE MOST EFFECTIVE" heating alternative. 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