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Times Advocate, 1994-8-24, Page 9These fine businesses listed below are pleased to congratulate Becker Power and Leisure Products Inc. on their Grand Opening and wish thein every success in the future. Congratulations to Becker Power & Leisure Products Inc. Myer's Tire Supply (Canada) Ltd. London, Ont. 451-3430 Colgratulattou to Becker Power & Leisure Products Inc. on your Grand Opening ac eans 110 Main St. N. Exeter 235-0800 0161101 Thank You for choosing me to do the drywall installation and finishing as well as the painting Dalt's Drywall Res. 229-6167 Mobile 661-9889 5 WIj,0 ifOke•n Becker Power Leisure Products Inc. on your Grand Opening gt ishe e W VCut us in NOMA on your Grand Opening IQbc2rdet Int Miiss to Becker Power & Leisure Products Inc. on your Grand Opening Meulensteen Tire Listowel, Ont. 1-800-387-1739 gest sxeS We were proud to supply and install the signage for your new location consohidated sign & lighting sel'NIces inc. Crediton 234-6721 to Becker Power & Leisure Products Inc. on your Grand Opening Huron Motor Products • PONTNC • mull • CAOIUC • CNC TRUCKS Main St. S., Exeter 235-0363 Congratulatims to Becker Power & Leisure Products Inc. on your Grand Opening ed Bank of n Mo treal 400 Main St. Exeter 235-2810 tuisitioste We wish you success ARCTIC C4T World Class Snowmobiles- leo rn AD �wHnMri - congtatoo4 to Becker Power & Leisure Products Inc. on your prand Opening Haugh Tire Inc. Themes Rd.. E. Exeter 235-3752 011 We are proud to be part of it Vaivoline to Becker Power dk Leisure Products Inc. on your Grand Opening McKerlle-Millen 319 Main St. S. Exeter 2381040 Times -Advocate, August 24, ,1994 Page 9 Sell now, before prices fall, says farm analyst Several factors are working against Ontario's farmers this year, explained Ridgetown College's crop price expert By Adrian Harte T -A Editor HURON PARK - The Mis- sissippi floods of 1993 will be long -forgotten as farmers brace themselves for the disappointments of the 1994 harvest, predicted a farm industry analyst last Wednes- day. Brian Doidge, the head of the Ridgetown College of Agricultural Technology business department, said he had little good news to offer local farmers for his guest speaking engagement at the annual Crops Update at the former Centralia Col- lege Research Farm - now renamed the Huron Research Station under Ridgetown. Standing before a group of about 150 producers under the sunshine of a noon luncheon, Doidge said he hoped the group had enjoyed -its lunch "because you're not going to like what I have to tell you." He painted a picture in which just about all factors are working against the Ontario cash crop pro- ducer, particularly in the corn mar- ket. The U.S. Department of Ag- riculture is predicting an average of 124 bushels per acre this year in corn, but Doidge said he wouldn't be surprised to see it as high as 128 bushels, making for a record crop. Predictably, prices are dropping, and Doidge said the average cash price for corn is going to be about $2.15 a bushel next year, with some dips in the market well below that - in part because of a rail strike that threatens to increase the carrying costs of purchasers. Ohio also boasts of a "decent crop" this year, and that will hurt the chances of Ontario farmers be- ing able to sell their crops south this year. "I think Chicago is going to run $2.10 for most of the harvest pe- riod, and there are going to be spikes below that," he said. Ontario's farmers can expect an average of 113 bushels per acre this year, predicted Doidge, mainly be- cause cold, rainy weather has re- duced the number of heat units. "If we don't get more days like this, we could get hit with an early frost - and that's what scares me," said Doidge. If American corn starts coming back into Ontario next spring, Doidge said there may be some price increases then for those who hang onto their crops. 1994 will also go down as the first year in history that Ontario farmers planted more acres of soy- beans than corn, noted Doidge. He also suggested that with an $18 mil- lion overpayment facing the GRIP program, cheques with an over- payment deduction may be arriving in farmers' mailboxes this fall. The new western grain trans- portation deal will also hurt On- tario's producers, he added. The government, he said, is using sub- sidies to transport grain, reducing its price. And the recent deal to cap wheat exports into the U.S. is also going to mean another million tonnes of western wheat will end up coming into eastern Canada, further de- pressing prices. "If you didn'tsell [when corn fu- tures were over $3 a bushel], you'd better sell some now," advised Doidge. The same rail car shortage facing corn producers (because of a diver- sion of the fleet out west) will also drive up soybean transportation. costs. Again, Doidge advised farm- ers to sell their crops now, before the price drops further. Alan McCallum led groups of farmers through the white bean trial plots at the Huron Re- search Station at the crops update. The farm not only tests the effectiveness of the various pesticides in common use on crop varieties, but also conducts trials of pesticides that have yet to be licensed. At the disease and pest table on display at last Wednesday's Crops Update at the Huron Re- search Station, Chris Brown exhibits a soybean plant badly damaged by white mold. At right is Heather Goudy, who later showed examples of insect pests on crops to theiucers at the event. One Foot in the Furrow a f By Bob Trotter Eugene Whelan as Governor General All kinds of names are being suggested as Canada's next Governor General from Wayne Gretzky to Ed Broadbent and Iona Campagnolo. No doubt Wayne would be a splendid choice. He has done more for hockey than any other single hockey star in 30 years, as great an ambassador for the game as Gordie Howe. He is al- ways a gentleman and rarely criticizes anyone. Mario Le- mieux is a great hockey player but his health has kept him -off the ice and he has about as much color as a gravestone. And Eric Lindross is an accident looking for someplace to hap- pen when he is not on the ice. Certainly, Iona Campagnolo who is president of the Liberal party of Canada, is more attrac- tive than Ed Broadbent who would bring his great common sense and his dignity to the posi- • tion of Governor General. But I like the thought of Eu- gene Whelan as the next person to live in Rideau Hall. There are some who think eld- er statesman Pierre Trudeau would be the best choice for the position but his debonair pres- ence would not sit well with many Canadians who still see Pierre as the little rich boy who put Canada into such deep debt, a man who never had to work a day in his life until he got into politics and dodged the draft during the Second World War. The position as we all know might be too ceremonial for Pierre. It has no actual power these days and he may not favor a job like that. Certainly, the job now needs a Canadian with a little color and character. As fine a man as Ra - mond Hnatyshyn is, you got to admit he has not made his mark. 1 He has been as bland as the Queen's representative in Cana- da as he was when he was a pol- itician. Hnatyshyn's term ex- pires early next year, I believe, about the end of January. Not many will miss him. Only a .handful of Canadians can even spell his name, let alone pronounce it. Color he lacks. I remember Gene Whelan when he was Canada's agminis- ter and he was just as much at home on the world stage as he was in the back forty. He has al- ways had a simple, hail -fellow - well -met approach to people, able to get even his worst ene- mies to admit that he was a sin- cere chap. His'big, green Stetson hats were as welcome as sunshine to green tomatoes when he was stumping all of Canada for the Liberal party. He represented the Windsor -Essex riding for 22 years and, at one time, delivered a lot of votes during elections all across Canada. I'd be willing to bet that Eu- gene would cut through the stuf- fy, pompous poop that most Governors General have al- lowed to remain. One problem, though, is that he does not speak French. There are those who suggest that he doesn't speak English all that well, either. But, we have a Prime Minister who fractures English all the time so why not a Governor General who frac- tures French? We could have the men in the two top positions of the land who do not speak either of the official languages fluently. If Jean Chretien has the final say in the appointment, he just might favor a chap in the same struggle that he has with Eng- lish. Eugene Whelan never pulled any punches. He was an out- spoken, excellent politician and I would be willing to bet he would bring a great breath of fresh air to the hallowed halls of Rideau Hall. Most of us who remember him still have a great deal of affec- tion for his straightforward, folksy manner.