Jan. 29 - Closing Farm Markets

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-> ONTARIO PORK REPORTS:
TOTAL SALES FOR THE WEEK = 101,502
THAT'S up 578 FROM THE PREVIOUS WEEK.
INCLUDED WERE 86,675 CONTRACT HOGS
AND 6,405 EXPORTS.
THE ONTARIO POOL PRICE = $132.41 PER 100 KILOGRAMS
THE ONTARIO POOL PLUS PRICE = $133.98 PER 100 KILOGRAMS
FRIDAY'S PRELIMINARY U-S NATIONAL COST PRICE = $68.57
THAT'S down 87 cents
FRIDAY'S OPENING FORWARD CONTRACT PRICE FOR May-June DELIVERY = $151.16
THAT'S down $1.90 FROM THURSDAY.

-> CHICAGO BOARD OF TRADE:

CORN FUTURES:
March down 5 and a quarter at 3.56 and a half
May down 5 at 3.67 and a half

SOYBEAN FUTURES:
March down 17 and a half at 9.14
May down 16 and a half at 9.24 and a half

WHEAT FUTURES:
March down 13 at 4.74
May down 12 and a half at 4.88 and a quarter

-> FROM DAUPHIN FEED AND SUPPLY, THE 48% SOYBEAN MEAL QUOTE, F-O-B HAMILTON = $360/tonne

-> CLOSING LOCAL GRAIN PRICES FROM SNOBELIN FARMS:

2009 CROP CORN = down 5 at 3.42/BU
2010 CROP CORN = down 4 at 3.81/BU
2011 CROP CORN = down 4 at 3.99/BU

2009 CROP SOYS = down18 at 9.14/BU
2010 CROP SOYS = down 11 at 8.86/BU
2011 CROP SOYS = down8 at 8.68/BU

2009 CROP SOFT RED WINTER WHEAT = down 13 at 3.84/BU
2010 CROP SOFT RED WINTER WHEAT = down 13 at 4.20/BU
2011 CROP SOFT RED WINTER WHEAT = down 13 at 4.84/BU

Galbraith Creditors Told Not To Expect Much Return

A Drayton-area farmer says most of Arlan Galbraith's creditors don't expect to get much money out of his bankruptcy.
Galbraith is the man behind the Pigeon King operation.
BDO spokesperson Susan Taves confirms creditors are likely looking at pennies on the dollar when the matter is finally settleed.
However, she says investors are not actually out of pocket the full fourteen million outlined in the original documentation.

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A preliminary BDO report suggests Galbraith has, at most, about 700 thousand dollars worth of assets for dispersal.
About a thousand farmers in Canada and the U-S are claiming they were caught up in an alleged ponzi scheme to raise pigeons for the company.
Taves says a criminal investigation against Galbraith could affect the timeline for completion of the bankruptcy proceedings.

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Taves says lawyers and trustees have used up about a hundred thousand dollars from a seized Pigeon King International bank account just to bring proceedings to this point.

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Both Galbraith and Pigeon King International are in bankruptcy proceedings.

CFFO - Farmers' Patience Wearing Thin

The Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario says farmers can no longer be counted on to buy the argument that there's no money for ag programs in the provincial coffers.
The CFFO's Jenny Denhartog says most of her organisation's members think the rising deficit should not stop the province from supporting those in the primary production sector.

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Denhartog says farmers patience with the provincial government is wearing thin.

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(Click arrow to play full CFFO Commentary)

Biosecurity Funding For Provincial Poultry Industry

The provincial poultry industry is getting support to improve it's biosecurity.
The Farm Biosecurity Program will provide money to individual poultry producers to help them implement or improve biosecurity measures based on the National Avian On-Farm Biosecurity Standard.
That same program will help organisations develop and deliver educational and outreach programs to promote best practices to Ontario poultry producers and processors.
The federal and provincial governments will be funding these programs through the Growing Forward initiative.

Bruce Fed President Concerned About Turbines

Wind turbines are on the list of concerns for the Bruce County Federation of Agriculture this year.
President Lorne Underwood is worried safety issues will be overlooked in the rapid pace of development in the new green industry sector.

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Bruce county council has similar concerns.
It's endorsed resolutions calling for independent study of health impact of turbines.

OCA President Says Producers Need Strong Partnership With Consumers

The President of the Ontario Cattlemen's Association says the future security of beef producers will come from forging a strong partnership with the province's consumers.
Gord Hardy made the remark in his speech to the recent Beef Industry Convention in London, hosted by the Ontario Cattle Feeders' Association.
To help the build the partnership, Hardy says Ontario beef is about to receive a promotional boost from a deal signed by Cattlemen's Association and Foodland Ontario.

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He hopes the additional promotion will help boost Ontario beef consumption and displace some of the imported beef products that are sold in the province.
Hardy says the lack of product recognition has been a long-standing issue with Ontario beef producers.

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Hardy hopes more details about the Association's plans for promoting beef will be discussed at the group's annual meeting - February 24 and 25 in Toronto.