Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - May 4, 1985, Winnipeg, Manitoba 31 Winnipeg free May cautious Farmers dig in their heels management skills sharpened to help ride out economic woes by Laura Ranee Winnipeg free press Myrtle Hodgson exudes a Type of Confidence characteristic of today like most Manitoba he int worried about losing his but Hes running a leaner operation than he did in the it want so much a question of whether wed be farming next it was How we were going to farm next he weve certainly reached a Point where we said were going to have to do some real Belt tightening the 47yearold Grain Farmer Hodgson and his wife Jacquie Are the third generation on the Fame Lys and they Haven ruled out the possibility of one of their three children continuing the Trade but for the 1980s have been a time of sharpening management trimming expenses and be coming More adept at marketing their we have not bought a lot of machinery in the last few Jacquie we have held off and repaired and a Survey conducted by the farm credit corporation in 1983 found about 80 per cent of Manitoba Farmers Are on firm financial foot and More than two thirds of them hold More than 77 per cent equity in their but they Are shy of unnecessary Treyve dug in their mustered their resources and Are wait ing for More profitable i have no other farm ing is my Only pension said Abe Thiessen of has been a beef and Grain Fanner All his life and wants to keep it that we Haven bought anything new for the past few he at the Crossroads at auction sales this bids on equipment Worth tens of thou Sands of started in the Lack of demand is closing farm equipment dealers and causing Lay offs at manufacturers a Manitoba crop insurance corporation official said the Combina Tion of an improved program and current economic times has resulted in a 10 per cent increase in hectares insured this and a 25 per cent increase in the number of Farmers choosing the maximum coverage Good soil moisture conditions and a million payout from the Western Grain stabilization fund gave Prairie Farmers a much need de boost before this Springs seed ing recovery a Good crop last year allowed Eastern Manitoba Farmers to make a significant Royal Bank spokesman Stu Bond but the farther into the Southwest you the tougher it with the cos Price squeeze on the Way it is now and has been for some the Impact of a Lousy crop is Prairie Grain bins Are nearly and Canadas Grain stocks will be at their lowest level in 32 years by the Start of the new crop year University of Mani Toba economist Daryl Kraft Grain in the bin is a Buffer Bob Hodgson int worried about losing his but Hes cutting is against a poor Kraft a poor crop in 1985 will be very serious because we dont have the Buffer he their income from the 1984 crop was already spoken for by Supply he didst provide enough to last the Start of the cur rent crop Canada had about million tonnes of Grain in the Grain handling system compared to million tonnes in this years carryover is expected to be As but Low Grain stocks in Canada dont mean better the world markets on which the Grain is sold Are initial prices recently announced by the Canadian wheat Board dropped the Price of wheat by per tonne or six per cent from last if the goes ahead with cuts in support programs to analysts predict a further drop in world hog prices also Are Down because of import duties imposed by the while cattle prices Are expected to increase statistics Canada predicts a Farmers income before taxes and depreciation will Rise about seven per but Canadian wheat Board records show the buying Power with those dollars is about half what it was 40 years farm Cash receipts have doubled during the past but their costs have nearly Brian spokesman for the Canadian Imperial Bank of com said some Farmers Are being Overly we have banners talking to Uncertain about their and they Are in a very Good he what happens they Over they become unprepared to take advantage of those opportunities include the lowest land prices in the past dec he but while Hodgson Hast ruled put expansion in the he still is waiting to see if a land Purchase made in 1978 will turn into an caught in skyrocketing interest they found that despite Good their equity was it looked like an excellent in but when youre looking at a Case where close to a third of your Gross income is going to interest you got a big Hodgson lots of equity we were fortunate have lots of we could ride that but it was unfortunate for a lot of people if they he Hodgson said the Federal govern ments decision to support the Dol Lar by raising interest rates caused major damage to Small business and Farmers who expanded in the 70s cant be blamed for not fore casting the he i think that anyone in 1978 who would have predicted interest rates were going to 20 per cent and didst come out a was a poor manager on the other Side because they could have invested he so i dont think anybody really saw that since there have been farm bankruptcies across in management 214 of which were in there Are no on the farm or land turned Back to some have just decided their Liv ing is More easily earned else Mickey Demman didst like the and didst need the so he auctioned off his farm equip ment this Spring and took a Job As a after farming All his the 52 year old Portage area resident said current economic conditions had him the 1981 statistics show that the average investment by Manitoba Farmers in their operation was Hodgson believes the challenges of recent years have changed his operation for the he believes the risks Are higher in farming but he discourage his son from taking up the i would certainly want him to realize at the same time what Hes getting the risks a Farmer takes Are so much greater a Mckenzie seeds officials going to court the preliminary hearing into charges against three former executives of Mcken Zie seeds begins monday in Brandon and is expected to last Between three and four a Crown attorney Crown attorney Bruce Mel Lon said 79 witnesses originally were scheduled to through admissions and pre trial procedures that has been pared Down to charged Are former company president William former Vic president Charles Mceachern and for Mer assistant comptroller Louis also charged is Robert corporate lawyer for some of the companies in which the former executives held along with eight com face fraud and conspiracy a lawyer for one of the accused said defence counsel will ask for a ban on Publica Tion of the pre Limary hearing our mistake a Story yesterday said wrongly that the James Art club will hold an open House in the open House will be 1 to 4 at 3180 Portage weather City Calendar h High l Lew cold from front Winnipeg area forecast mainly Cloudy today with Chance of showers or Thunder show High today near Chance of thundershowers in the Low near mainly sunny tomorrow with a High near probability of precipitation near 40 per cent today and tonight and 10 per cent extended Outlook Southern Manitoba mainly sunny monday and temperatures near Normal rising to above Normal Normal High is Normal Low is Northern Manitoba unsettled sunny temperatures near Normal rising to above Normal Normal High is Normal Low Northwestern Ontario mainly sunny monday and temperatures near Normal becoming above Normal Normal High is Normal Low the vital Community recreation Branch offers adult Golf lessons Early this month four half hour sessions monday to thursday at the Maginot 910 Maginot session times 6 and to Call the recreation Pauls High 2200 Grant holds a garage Sale from 9 to 3 saturday May the miniature enthusiasts of Winnipeg hold a display of doll miniature dolls and tiny accessories from 12 noon to 5 saturday May 4 and sunday May 5 in Macdonald House 61 Carlton adults children sing to the a concert by United Church Junior and youth is featured at 7 saturday May 4 in Young United Broadway at Furby entertainers Fred Bob contemporary danc footnote and the Short note quartet perform in the kid care at 11 and saturday May 4 in the Gas station 445 River tickets at Mcnally Mary scorer books and River Avenue Coop Day video 89 Princess holds a two Way Basic video workshop from 12 noon to 5 saturday May 4 and sunday May 5 on the use of Inch registration student and unemployed enrolment phone for a workshop on the makeup of Cor Earea Young their values and differences will be held from 11 to 2 saturday May 4 in the freight House Community registration Call the City Rouge recreation deaths classified death Silver medallion with every Roll of flux developed my Standard Auto Spung works the alignment professionals Spring Sale free safety inspection 2 it 4 wheel electronic alignment computerized wheel balance specials 2front disc Brake most 2rear drum brakes cars Munroe Shock special 25 discount plus installation Michelin tires while Stock lasts 20 discount installed most cars the front wheel drive specialists this and is your Coupon expires june 15 270 Higgins Al at King 9430791 National 13 i 13 6 7 2 24 8 22 7 29 14 30 14 23 16 1 21 9 28 7 24 6 Thunder 18 1 16 3 16 3 14 4 7 3 Winnipeg temperature comparisons mean May 3 last highest on record in 1980 lowest on record in 1691 precipitation total from april 1 to May 3 Normal yesterday tract International new Tel resort spots los Clear Las Cloudy Cloudy Clear Cloudy Clear partly fair partly partly 17 23 13 10 25 7 15 20 12 24 13 12 24 9 23 15 19 36 38 29 30 32 23 29 31 29 25 1 14 7 4 11 1 7 13 8 13 7 7 7 3 17 7 13 21 25 27 24 19 21 23 26 26 of formerly of Winni husband of Aline Ber Troy Kenneth of Rochester son of Beverley and Yvette of Thunder wife of Herman Thomas no of Winnipeg and husband of Julia Marion of Lac do William of 90 Champlain Hus band of Anne Albert of husband of Jeannine Ernest Alex husband of Helen of husband of Gladys Jack of husband of Ollie lome widower of Mary lever Lawrence of husband of Dar Lene onto husband of Evelyn Mol of Oakdale Anastasia widower of Nicholas Lori four of 119 Weatherstone daughter of Sharon and Arthur Mary of widow of wife of Evaristo of on mothers Day family heart pendants 10 Gold for Mother and to and grandmother up family rings 10 bold 37 available exclusively at Zimmy diamonds ;