Grenville Cattlemen’s Association Annual Meeting
January 22, 2006
Vice-President Charlie Sytsma called the meeting to order. There were approximately 30 members present as well as 2 guests.
Agenda: Charlie Sytsma presented the agenda and called for any additions. Greg Beach moved to adopt the agenda. Seconded by Kim Weedmark. Carried.
Minutes of the 2005 Annual meeting were approved as circulated moved by Cy Easterbrook and seconded by Doug Cook. Carried.
Financial Report with funds in reserve of $3317.36 was accepted with a motion from Kim Sytsma seconded by Doug Cook. Carried.
Report of 2005 Events:
The events of the year as reported in the January 2006 newsletter were reviewed by Charlie Sytsma.
SPRING DANCE
The Grenville Cattlemen’s Spring Dance was held April 16, 2005 at Roebuck. We again had strong sponsorship from community businesses with the donation of many door prizes. Some where auctioned off to help raise funds for cattlemen’s activities. The 4-H beef and plowmen clubs brought several sponsored items for the auction to raise funds for their summer projects. Every one attending appreciated the excellent music and enjoyed the lunch prepared by directors spouses.
FARM TOUR and PICNIC
The Grenville Cattlemen’s farm tour and picnic was held August 7, 2005 at the farm of Charlie and Kim Sytsma. It was a fine day for a picnic under the trees at the Sytsma farm. We went for a tour to see their wintering site for 180 cows, and the solar water system that waters the cattle from November to March located one mile from the barns and house. Charlie explained this watering system was part of a project with the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority.
After the tour to the back of the farm we returned to the barn where Feenstra’s Farm Equipment demonstrated a new McCormick tractor and a Highline bale processor highlighting it’s versatility.
The eyes of the men were glazed over with delight but the women brought them back to their senses by feeding them a delicious pot luck buffet.
Dave Stewart Executive Director of OCA gave an update on the beef industry and a presentation of the Award of Merit to Don and Christine Bennett completed the day. Everyone had a good time.
MERRICKVILLE and SPENCERVILLE FAIRS
We man our Cattlemen’s booth at both Merrickville and Spencerville fairs. The free recipes and information, plus colourful posters from the Beef Information Centre as well as our own banner certainly bring the folks to us. This serves to make our activities known and the public aware of our problems. The exchanges of information are often lively and generally friendly and supportive.
BUS TRIPS
This past year we did a bus trip exchange with Northumberland County which worked out well.
August 24-25, 2005 they hosted our group.
The first day we visited Pineridge Alpaca Farm where the Adamson’s explained their production and marketing, Hoards Station Sale Barn where owner Dave Denure toured us through the sale barn and pointed out the importance of preparing and marketing cattle. Northumberland Cattlemen’s provided an excellent complimentary beef lunch. Then on to Homac Acres where the McCann family showed us their backgrounding and finishing operation. They are also very involved with team penning competitions. From there we travelled on to Cobourg to check into the Best Western Motel and have supper before going to Port Hope for a theatre presentation of “My Fair Lady”
The second day after breakfast at the motel we visited Davalda Farms, the Wards, gelbvieh breeders who were getting ready to host the Eastern Gelbvieh field day. They toured us through their facilities and cattle. Next on to Pat McLaren’s who gave us a tour of his set up, highlighting his genetics, pasturing and marketing. Over a pizza lunch Dan Ferguson form the OCA “Quality Starts Here” program explained the program and registering birth dates of your calves on the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency website. Our last stop was at Loval Farms the Honey family, have a cow/calf operation and take some through to finishing. They use intensive rotational grazing and are trying some annual crops to lengthen the pasture season.
An excellent trip well planed by Northumberland.
August 27, 2005 we hosted there group.
The first stop was at Alec MacGregor’s where he explained his rotational grazing system and breeding program, touring the pastures and handling facilities. Then into Smiths Falls for lunch before going to Ben and Elizabeth Schapelhouman’s. These young and energetic producers have 100 cow/calf pairs, use intensive rotational grazing maximizing yields with fertility and grazing patterns and have explored several marketing options. We next travelled to Ed and Grace Newman’s who have 80 cow/calf pairs, they use rotational grazing as well and have backgrounded calves after weaning to add value. They took the group on a wagon tour of their facilities to explain their operation. They also do a lot of custom crop work. The final stop for the day was to Charlie and Kim Sytsma’s. On a tour of the herd Charlie explained their breeding and marketing strategies, as well showed us the wintering area and solar powered watering system. We then had a hamburg BBQ with pot luck salads, corn on the cob and desserts before the Northumberland group had to get back on the bus for the trip home.
MERRICKVILLE and DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BBQ
The Chamber of Commerce again spear headed the third annual beef BBQ to support the beef industry. The original date of Saturday September 17, 2005 was a wet rainy day with poor attendance so an alternate date of Monday October 3, 2005 was set. This date resulted in a better attendance. The proceeds will be forwarded to the Ontario Cattlemen’s Association
President’s Report: It has indeed been an honour to serve as your president of the Grenville Cattlemen’s Association for the last few years. With a strong and talented group on the Board of Directors we have been able to plan and implement a wide variety of activities for producers in the county and beyond to participate in and hopefully gain some new ideas or become more informed. We have always had good support for our Spring Dance, visited many different areas on the Bus Trip, had a wide variety of speakers and topics at Farm Tours and Special Meetings, enjoyed a good relationship with surrounding county associations and OCA plus kept a healthy balance between the educational and social aspects of rural life. We’ve made some good and lasting friendships.
The last several years have presented many challenges in agriculture, which seem to create more work for us all, I sincerely hope Grenville Cattlemen’s has helped with some of these challenges through our activities and meetings.
I want to thank each Director for their part in making Grenville Cattlemen’s what it is, we have came a long way and seen a lot of water go under the bridge since 1984 and the Red Meat Club.
I also encourage every beef producer in Grenville to get involved. Come out to a meeting, go on the Bus Trip, maybe let your name stand to be a Director. It seems a few do all the work, let’s share that opportunity.
I would like to say a hearty thank you to Kim Sytsma our cow/calf Director of the Ontario Cattlemen’s Association Board of Directors. She has worked tirelessly on your and my behalf to be a strong voice for every aspect of this industry. We very much appreciate your efforts.
Alec MacGregor
Open Forum: Charlie Sytsma opened the floor for suggestions for next years events, program ideas, etc. Ideas included to hold a tagging, vaccination and castration demonstration day. A discussion regarding production price insurance and CAIS. A workshop was suggested for age verification, perhaps with Dan Ferguson to be held at the Kemptville College.
Guest Speakers
Kim Sytsma – OCA – Presented an overview of several topics of particular note for the 2005 year which included the following efforts and programs that the OCA has delivered:
BIC update; Age Verification; Quality Starts Here (VBP); Nutrient Management Act; CAIS; BSE funding; Environmental Farm Plan; CFIA; Corn Tariff; Checkoff. Discussion was held regarding the RFID tags , scanners and the CCIA database.
Nancy Noecker –OMAFRA – Presented updates and information regarding the following:
Cull cows; feeder cows; marketing and management; age verification; feed shortages for 2006; U. S. A. holding back heifers; Genetics and new bull statistics; vaccination programs for cows and calves; infolink cards.
Elections
Nancy Noecker ran the elections. The Election committee 7 directors for the Board.
Nominations for Directors:, Christine Bennett, , Greg Beach, Gordon French, Alec MacGregor, Charlie Sytsma , Ryan Brophy, Bill Reid
Nancy called for further nominations. No new nominations. Nancy declared nominations closed. There are seven directors for the Grenville Cattlemen.
OCA Advisory Council:
Nancy called for nominations for advisory council. Jenny Playfair volunteered. Nancy called for further nominations. No new nominations. Jenny Playfair is our OCA Advisory Council representative.
Alternate Rep for the Advisory Council:
Nancy called for nominations for advisory council. Kim Sytsma nominated Alec MacGregor. Nancy called for further nominations. No new nominations. Alec MacGregor is our alternate OCA Advisory Council representative
Nominations for Secretary Treasurer
Cindy Heffernan volunteered for Secretary Treasurer. Nancy called for further nominations. No new nominations. Cindy Heffernan is our new Secretary Treasurer.
Nominations for President
Kim Sytsma nominated Alec MacGregor. Declined on Alec MacGregor’s behalf by Darlene MacGregor. Doug Cook nominated Charlie Sytsma. Charlie Sytsma declined. Nancy called for further nominations. No new nominations. No President elected. President to be determined by the board of directors.
Nominations for Vice President
Charlie Sytsma volunteerd to be the vice president. . Nancy called for further nominations. No new nominations. Charlie Sytsma is the vice president.
Voting Delegates to OCA Annual Meeting:
Charlie Sytsma volunteered. Charlie Sytsma nominated Greg Beach. Nancy called for further nominations. No new nominations. Greg Beach and Charlie will attend the OCA annual meeting.
Resolutions
Resolution #1
Regarding unfair subsidies given US producers by government:
Whereas our major trading partner supports their farmers financially and whereas our competing commodities are therefore at a financial disadvantage:
Therefore be it resolved that the OCA lobby the Canadian Government to provide financial support for Canadian Agricultural commodities to the same level as those of our major trading partners.
Moved by Jenny Playfair. Seconded by Cy Easterbrooke. Caried
Resolution #2
To encourage all producers to submit calf birth dates to CCIA by making the system more user friendly: -
Whereas the CCIA receives calf birth date information exclusively via the internet , and whereas this is a cumbersome and complicated system and whereas many producers do not have easy access to or knowledge of computers. Therefore be it resolved that the CCIA also accept calf birth date information by more convenient and easier means for producers. – Hard copy
-- Phone
--Third Party
Moved by Jenny Playfair. Seconded by Lorna Easterbrooke. Carried.
Resolution #3
The Grenville Cattlemen’s Association move to support the resolution by Northumberland Cattlemen’s Asssociation as the following:
Whereas the position statement of the Veterinarians of Ontario is to have a vet present for castration and dehorning of cattle and whereas this cost is detrimental for many producers. There for be it resolved the OCA work with the Veterinarians of Ontario to allow any qualified persons to perform such procedures.
We feel more cattle with properly castrated, vaccinated, dehorned, tagged and age verified f this process is allowed. This would result in an all-around better end product – “Quality Beef”.
Moved by Jeff McCann. Seconded by Brigitte Reid. Carried.
Other Business
Executive meeting of the new board of directors will be held February 15, 2006 at Charlie and Kim Sytsma, 127 – 8 th Line Raod and 8:00 p.m.
Cy Easterbrooke moved the meeting be adjorned. Seconded by Gordon French. Carried.
