Cattlemen’s annual meetings in Toronto, now known as Beef Farmers of Ontario, conjure up images of rough and tumble guys in jeans wearing cowboy hats and enjoying many drinks. That may have been the case years ago, but today’s beef representatives are a much disciplined bunch.
The 400 or so attending the 55th annual meeting held at the International Plaza Hotel in Toronto on Feb. 21-23 could well be mistaken for members of a Conservative Party, adhering to a dress code of blueish or light colours. As for hats, there were two men wearing a small hat and a dozen fellows wore ball caps at the meetings. No one wore a T-shirt.
No one wore a hat or a cap at the elegant evening banquet where thick slabs of rare or medium cooked corn-fed beef were served. And no one wore bright colours; most were dressed as if going to church.
2016 was a very challenging year for Ontario beef farmers. There were huge losses in the backgrounding (cow-calf) and finishing sector. The cow herd in Ontario is down 31 percent in 10 years. The beef board wants to expand the cow herd in northern Ontario and lease crown land.This year cattle prices are expected to be 8 to10 percent lower than in 2016. The only growth in the industry is exporting to developing nations. The 250 delegates were asked a survey question if they were planning to increase or decrease their beef herd this year. Ninety per cent said they were planning to increase production. As mentioned, the delegates are a very positive group and many have leadership roles in their counties.
There were a number of information sessions for delegates they could attend during the first evening of the convention. I checked to see what beef producers wanted to learn more about. There was very little interest in the Beef Cattle Research Council Update. It drew 25 people. Public Trust in Food with Crystal Mackay, who is a Renfrew County native, drew 34 people. Other sessions had similar results.
Cow-Calf Versus Cash Crop: Who Wins? was the big winner with 117 farm folk attending. I had to stand at the back crammed in with 32 other folks. Good place to count heads! It’s hard to take notes standing but here goes: The 2015 case study and enterprise analysis compared grazing cows and cash crop farming. The study looked at the profits of 15 intensively managed pasture-based cow-calf operations to benchmark data from grain and oilseed sector over a 10-year period. Corn was tops some years. Soybeans and cow-calf also had favourable years.
Resolutions: Twenty-six resolutions from the different counties were voted on with little discussion from the floor. One was withdrawn and two were defeated.
A new director, representing the cow-calf sector, was elected to the board. Craig McLaughlin will serve a three-year term. The 54-year-old bachelor farmer resides on the Queens Line in the Whitewater Region of Renfrew County where he operates a cow-calf and backgrounding operation. Mr. McLaughlin replaces Gerald Rollins who completed the maximum of three terms on the board.
The Honourable Jeff Leal, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs addressed the delegates and answered questions from the floor.
Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, a professor in food distribution and policy at Dalhousie University, gave an interesting talk. He said Galen Weston told him recently that “organics have peaked, now it’s gluten-free foods. What’s next?”
The town of Kapuskasing sponsored the Thursday noon hot lunch.
Delegates attending from Renfrew County were: Craig McLaughlin, Myles England, David McGonegal, David Campbell, Kurtis Black, Adrian Straathof and Maynard van der Galien.
