Iagialativa Assembly

Honourable Daniel J. MacDonald: It would be more suitable for us here in this province, Sir, if there was no limit; I think that would be very favourable to us. Whereas it would have to be looked at and weighed with a lot of consideration. I will tell you why I make this statement: this morning I was in conversation with the Milk Producers, I was in conversation with the President of the Dairymen's As- sociation of Prince Edward Island. I had a meeting the other day with Dr. Barrie, the head of this commission who was Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Dom- inoin of Canada for a great number of years. We, of course, would appreciate a higher price and I tell you what was in the Guernsey Monthly Catalogue that comes around, I was reading it this morning, and I found that artificial milk was selling for thirty-nine cents a half a gallon in comparison to fifty-three cents a half a gallon in most cases for milk. So this just indicates to me that we could price our- selves out of the market. These are things that the Commission will have to look at and study very seriously. Supposing we look for a higher price, which I sure feel we deserve down here, not only here but in other parts of the Dominion, we will still have to do it with a degree of being fairly careful of what we do.

Walter Dingwell: I understand, Sir, that this is going to be based on subsidy because of our increase of the dairy products. Is this true? It is obvious that there will be an increase of cost of dairy products to the consumer.

Honourable Daniel J. MacDonald: That is right, Sir, yes.

Walter Dingwell: The increase is not based entirely on subsidy to the milk producer?

Honourable Daniel J. MacDonald: That’s right, a portion of it is passed on to the consumer.

Walter Dingwell: I wonder what portion that would be? You don’t know?

Honourable Daniel J. MacDonald: It is two cents a quart on milk and two cents a pound on butter; just what percentage of portion we will arrive at I can’t lanswer you. It would take a bit of figuring for me to get that, but I could get it ater on.

As you all know, Mr. Speaker, we are fortunate in having Mr. J. Lincoln Dewar named as a member of this Consultant Committee. Mr. Dewar represents the three Maritime Provinces. and I am sure. with his vast experience of farm organizations and in particular the dairy industry, the interest of producers in this area will be adequately served on this Committee.

A word about D.H.I.A., Dairy Herd Improvement Association; the annual re- port of this Division shows an increase in average milk production of 257 pounds, and 6.9 pounds butterfat. Unless the producer knows what each cow in his herd is producing in milk and butterfat it is difficult to take measures to increase the pro- duction of his herd. And any good dairyman knows his high producing cows without the weighing of the milk. However, it is very hard to recognize a one or two per- cent increase from an improved feeding or breeding program. Even a slight in- crease in production could mean the difference between a profit and loss on his dairy operation. With regard to those Associations, the number of them is thirteen with a membership of 286, and the number of cows on test is 4,072. It is very hard to get people to do this although it is a very beneficial program and it certainly would contribute a lot to our dairy industry.

Now a word or two about beef. Mr. Glen Cotton, accompanied by a farmer from the Beef Producers Association, went to Toronto and Montreal to attend auc- tions and compare prices with grades. It was quite noticeable that there was far too much spread for the same grading of cattle being sold on the Island. Upon their return to the Island three carloads of cattle were shipped to Toronto which brought 87c in returns. Throughout the spring and fall of 1966, the Warble Fly program was continued. A bonus of a dollar a head is now paid to producers on all dehorned cattle or polled cattle going from here to be slaughtered. This bonus Is paid by the P.E.I. Department of Agriculture.

On September 27, 1966, the first Livestock Auction Sale was held at the Exhibition Grounds. This is a private enterprise and there have been weekly sales

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