Loading...
The Goderich Signal-Star, 1987-03-18, Page 53More favourable income forecast Agriculture Canada released in January an updated and considerably more favourable forecast of Canadian farm .in- come f'or 1987. The .previous forecast, prepared for the AnnuaI Agricultural Outlook Conference this .past December, indicated that 1987 realized net farm income would drop 18 percent from last year. Departmental economists, after `con- sulting Statistics Canada and • the pro- vinces, have now taken into account the $1 billion Special Canadian Grains Program and are forecasting 1987 realized net farm • income at $4.74 billion. This shows little change from last year, indicating the positive effects of the Prograin on farm income. The addition of -$1 billion will raise the •1987 total farm cash receipts of $20.4 billion. The `blain impact of the Special ('ana- . (Ilan Grains . Program is on the income • f -([recasts for the -Prairie Provinces where` the importance of the grain and Oilseed ctor is -highest. Moid:..ay be affecting your dairy feed. Mold contamination of grain. and forage.- _ crops has betaine an area of concern for Ontario livestock producers. Mold spores, ,�•vhich are widely distributed in nature can infect plants and ..grains. before, • during - and after harvest. With. -optimum temperatures- and high humility, such as we experienced in the summer • and trill. orf • 1986.• spores start to grow. Evidence of fungus br mild con- taniiflation, for example pink Mold in corn, will soon become visible: Some molds! nay be --har'ililess. other's may reduce the nutritive value and palatability of feeds, - still others, • may produce mycotoxins. Whi•i) these -toxins are present, livestock limy refuse to eat infected feeds, or if they . • du eat- them the may suffer adverse side effects. It has in: the past been generally. ac ceptecl that d,iir cattle are. considerably . more -tolerant to mycotoxin contamination . than simple -stomached animals such as swine: There is recent evidence, however. .which suggests this is nut the -case. Research he case- Researcli an vulllitoxin, a produi•t ut various forms of the fungus Fusarium, Ms suggested that it is not a hazzard to cattle unless it exists at unnaturally high levels lin ppm i- greater t. However, the same . cannot be said for zearalen(ule, a mycotox- in frequently associated With corn. Levels as low as 1.5 ppul have been associated -. with.decreased conception rates in dairy cattle, particularly heifers. In addition; research has indicated that dietary •zearalenone may be.excreted in the milk. Unfortunately; research on zearalenone has been limited to date and its effect on milk production and pregnancy have yet to be examined. • . • If you feel you may have a problem -with mycotoxin contamination in your dairy feed stuffs, take the following precautions: i. Contact your veterinarian, Agricultural Representative or Dairy Cattle Specialist to have samples of the suspect feed taken and tested. •- - ii. Use proprionic• acid or another preser- vative to inhibit further mold'growth in: .stored feeds. iii. Dilute nluld . feeds down wit clean feetIs •fi .:!voxel Ieedlug moldy feeds to -heifers v. -keep a ca retiil record of the -reproduc- tive health in your herd .incl- if trouble strikes remove the source of the inuld ii miediatel� For further information, please contact yutfi• local:agrii ultural office: In Saskatchewan, 1987 realized net'farm income is now. forecast to be 34 percet higher than in 1986, which was a low in- come yearfor that province. However, it is still forecast to decline in Manitoba ( down 21 percent), and Alberta (down 29 per- cent ). Fot - the three Prairie Provinces coinbined,.1987 realized net farm income will still be -five- percent less than the estimated 1986 level. The Special Canadian Grains Program is expected to have little impact on produc- - tion decisions in 1987, resulting in unchang- ed crop and livestock receipt forecasts. The Program is, however, expected to stimulate some modest increases in pur- chases of inputs such as rertilizer and repairs to Machinery and equipment. 'Depreciation costs in 1987 are expected to be slightly higher than originally -thought since some of the Program money will be -invested in machinery and c buil(lings, inreasing the value of farm capital stock. Partially offsetting these increases should be a decline in interest costs as the more financially vulnerable recipients reduce their outstanding debt. For Many farmers in financial difficul-. ty, the repaylhent of loans arrears will be a top priority; the economists say. Ontario Farm Total trop Receipts Total Livestock Receipts Other Cash Receipts a Total Cash Receipts Income -In -Kind Realized Gross Income Income Millions of Dollars '86 Est. net income updated '87 forecast 1920.0 1625.8 3392.4 3556.0 165.9 312.0 5478.2. 67.6 55-45.8 Operating expenses :1350.7 . Depreciation charges 607.1 `. Total ()p. Expens.es & Dep. ('h arges Realized Net -Income % change.-- 1981i/55 h !blue of lux viitor('hangs "final \et Income 5493.9 71.0 5564.9 3574.7 608.7 4157.1+ 4183.4 1388.0 11.1 -339.8 102~ .2 1:381.5 0.5 a Includes receipts from sales of lorest and maple products. proyificial income stabilisation pay mems. supplementary pay rnents, dais% ,supplementary payments. incl deficiency pa} mems. is Percentage change calculated prior to rounding. ,..ENDS CH 31st CUNNINGHAM MOTORS e4 131 Kincardine a Rd®9 Walkerton 8 C•� :1 TOYOTA FOR : n• MORE!