2006 OCA Annual Report

2006 Annual Report

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Ontario Feeder Cattle Co-op Program

By Carm Hamilton, former Provincial Supervisor

The Ontario Feeder Cattle Co-op Program has just completed 15 years of operation in Ontario. Over 2,500 beef producers have participated in the 21 co-ops that have been organized, using over a half billion dollars to purchase about 750,000 head of feeder cattle.

The principals of the program are sound: No co-ops have come anywhere close to needing the Government’s guarantee; only a few members have needed help from their fellow members to cover a major shortfall, and almost every one of them have paid back that debt; the interest rates paid on the loans at prime or even l/4 below prime, have been a positive factor in drawing major numbers of young farmers to the program - almost 25% of the members, annually, are under age 35.

The North West and Mad River Co-ops were unable to attract enough participation to be viable, so have voluntarily ceased operations. The remaining 19 co-ops cover almost all of the beef-producing areas in the Province.

Dick Heard of London was the Provincial Supervisor for the first 2 years; Carm Hamilton of Lindsay was the Supervisor for the next 13 years, and now Cheryl Russwurm of Mildmay is the Provincial Supervisor.

The BSE crisis continues to have an impact on the Program: the statistics on the next page show declines in the number of active members, cattle purchased, and loan activity. This creates a cash-flow challenge for many co-ops in their operating accounts. Beef producers in all parts of the province are encouraged to seriously consider participating in their local Feeder or Breeder co-op.

	2005	2004	2003	2002
Number of Co-ops	19	20	20	21
Total Membership	747	763	947	1057
Under age 35	158	170	226	231
ACTIVE MEMBERS
During the year	640	748	864	901
On December 31	486	531	638	754

NUMBERS OF CATTLE
Purchased in year	x	53,608	62,427	74,829
Sold in year	x	59,551	67,977	68,690
On hand, December 31	49,379	46,177	47,341	59,315
Died/% of Purchased	x	336/.63%	468/.75%	548/.73%

Outstanding Loans, December 31	$34.3M	$28.2M	$35.6M	$46.5M
Total Amount Committed, December 31	$38.5M	$32.4M	$45.1M	$52.4M

THE FEEDER CO-OPS AND THEIR ADMINISTRATORS ARE:

ALGOMA
Pauline Hilstrom, Bruce Mines (705) 782-6744
Algoma

BRUCE
Mary Stephenson, Chesley (519) 363-2550
East Central Bruce

CENTRAL
Phyllis Tupling, Shelburne (519) 925-9590
Simcoe/Dufferin

EAST CENTRAL
Brenda Bonis, Lindsay (705) 324-5701
Durham/Victoria/Peterborough/
Haliburton/Northumberland

EASTERN ONTARIO
Cathy Keen, Camden East (613) 378-9998
Hastings/PrinceEdward/
L and A/Frontenac/Leeds

GOLDEN HORSESHOE
Michael Moser, Kitchener (519) 570-1684
Niagara/Waterloo/Wentworth/
Brant/Oxford/Haldimand/Norfolk

HIGH POINT
Phil Mullen, Feversham (519) 922-3314
South East Grey

HURON/PERTH
Janice Hawkins-Wylie, Brussels (519) 887-8899
Huron / Perth

ISLAND
Dorothy Anstice, Tehkummah (705) 859-3925
Manitoulin

LAMBTON
Joanne Sanderson, Bothwell (519) 695-3980
Lambton/Essex/Kent/Middlesex

NORTHERN CLAYBELT
Ruth Snider, New Liskeard (705) 647-5937
Temiskaming/S. Cochrane

OTTAWA VALLEY
Jim Cochran, Almonte (613) 256-3835
Carleton/Lanark/Renfrew

QUEEN'S BUSH
Mary Stephenson, Walkerton (519) 881-0620
South East Bruce

RAINY RIVER
Candice Teeple, Stratton (807) 483-1252
Rainy River

SOUTH BRUCE
Mary Stephenson, Walkerton (519) 881-0620
South West Bruce

TWIN COUNTY
Lisa Langeraap, Tara (519) 934-2666
Grey/North Bruce

TWO VALLEYS
Gilles Paradis, Alexandria
(613) 525-4747
Prescott/Russell/Glengarry/
Stormont/Dundas

WEST BRUCE
Mary Stephenson, Walkerton
(519) 881-0620
West Central Bruce

WEST CENTRAL
Carol Ann Pinkney, Elora
(519) 846-9557
Halton/Peel/Wellington

The Feeder Co-op Program is
coordinated for the Province by the
Ontario Cattlemen's Association.

PROVINCIAL SUPERVISOR:
Cheryl Russwurm
RR# 5 Mildmay, ON
N0G 2J0
(519) 367-5587 FAX: (519) 367-5607
E-mail: crfeederfin@wightman.ca