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Copyright © 2001 Eastern Ontario Farmers Forum Inc. All Rights Reserved |
Sale barns close
By Joe Meagher
Two Ontario sales barns — both
east of Toronto — are the latest casualties in the closed border crisis.
Although beef prices over the past four weeks had been on the upswing it
was a case of too little, too late as owners of both Kingston Stockyards
and Lindsay Community Sales Barn have shut the gates. The Kingston Stock Yards had been losing money over
the winter, as much as $10,000 per month, but owner Steve Jackson was
Many of their paid staff have been working the Friday sales as volunteers in an effort to keep the stockyard open.
The move by the bank has outraged local farm representatives. John Williamson, president of the Frontenac Federation of Agriculture, says the loss of Eastern Ontario’s farm infrastructure will drive away local industry and bankrupt farmers. "This (Ontario) government would be happy if agriculture moved to Alberta."
Kim Sytsma, Ontario Cattlemen’s Association director, said the stockyards need community support. She has been lobbying the Canadian Bankers Association, heads of cattlemen’s groups and government officials in an effort to keep the Kingston sales barn open.
The Jackson family have operated the Kingston Stockyards since 1994, although Rhonda and Steven took over the farm from Murray Jackson, Steven’s father, two years ago. They upgraded the operation, took on some debt, just before the BSE crisis hit at a time when the cattle industry looked strong.
"Somebody in Toronto looked at the books, saw that he lost money last year, so now they’re shutting him down," Murray Jackson said.
Without the Kingston Stockyards, producers will have to send their cattle to sales barns 90 minutes away. "We’ll have to shoot calves now," he said. "You can’t afford to send them to Ottawa or Belleville."
In Lindsay, the sales barn closed its doors September 10 and owner Jim Hall is expected to put it up for sale. Although Hall cancelled all sales, Carl Hickson has leased the building this fall for three stocker sales.
Hickson owned the Lindsay Community Sales Barn from 1979 to 1999. "The closing has a big impact on the community," he said. "I think it opened in ’42."
Hall declined comment.