Ken Johnston
The Rainy River Cattlemen’s Association is not out of the legal wilderness yet.
Last year, they thought their legal battle with a former employee was over when a judge made a ruling.
However, the plaintiff filed an appeal.
“We thought it was over but it has been appealed,” current RRCA president told about 50 people on hand for the association’s annual meeting last Thursday night in Stratton.
McDonald said the RRCA does not know when it will be resolved.
“But hopefully it will be before the appeals court soon and be done with so we can focus on more positive things,” he remarked.
McDonald thanked all the members who donated hay and time to the sales barn in Stratton, helping to reduce costs and allow the RRCA to pay its legal bills.
To date, the association has incurred $108,159.15 in legal costs. The RRCA secured a line of credit from the Northern Lights Credit Union to deal with those expenses and keep the Stratton sales barn open.
Last year, the four sales held there generated $3,851,960.96. Less expenses of $3,764,911.60, the RRCA made $28,937.27.
That allowed it to pay $18,261.90 to lawyers and apply $9,000 to its line of credit.
The association also used $1,664.43 to pay off a deficit in their AIF account.
In other business at last Thursday’s meeting, long-time sales barn manager Clayton Teeple announced he will be stepping down.
“I have too many things going on,” he noted. “But I will help get the new manager up to speed.”
As well, the RRCA approved a constitutional amendment to allow the executive position of secretary to be filled by a volunteer rather than having to hire and pay someone.
This was done last year when Kim Jo Bliss stepped up and saved the organization a few thousand dollars.
Meanwhile, local Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs rep Gary Sliworsky reported Rainy River Resources wants to acquire land from the RRCA which it uses for a “Community Pasture” program.
He said they’ve found a good piece of land and now are
waiting for the appraisal value to see if the mining company will pay for the new property.
The other option, which RRCA members do not seem to want, is to take a buy-out for the existing property and kill the Community Pasture program.
Kim Jo Bliss reported the vet committee has secured a number of large-animal vets in recent times. However, provincial funding for mileage for the vets was limited.
“We have requested another mileage contract,” she told RRCA members. “They turned us down but we have been encouraged to re-apply.
“We will keep trying,” she pledged.
Later in the meeting, Bliss received bad news and announced to the members that one of the vets she had spoken of passed away suddenly earlier that day.
Jo Bragg reported that numbers for the feeder and breeder finance co-ops were up again in 2011, with the loan limits being raised at the ideal time.
“With cattle prices up, the move from $1.5 million to $2 million was great!” she enthused.
And Tom Morrish reported the weigh club had a great year with 19 weighings, travelling to three farms.
In other news, the RRCA held elections last Thursday, with the following offices being filled:
•Zone A—Joe Sletmoen and Steve Lowshaw (acclaimed);
•Zone B—Susan Irvine and Clayton Teeple (acclaimed);
•Zone C—Bud McQuaker and Murray McDonald (acclaimed); and
•Zone D—Corrie Govier and Keith Caul (acclaimed).
Laura Pogmore and Delton Martin were elected as delegates to the Ontario Cattlemen’s Association’s annual meeting.
Meanwhile, Kim Jo Bliss was acclaimed as the Ontario Cattlemen’s Advisory Council rep, with Joe Sletmoen as the alternate.
Finally, two guest speakers addressed RRCA members last Thursday. Barry Potter, from OMAFRA, spoke about two-stage weaning using a reusable anti-sucking device.
The other speaker, Rick Hobbs of the OCA, went over programs the provincial association has been working on this past year.
He then gave a presentation on his farm, where he and his wife started a bakery and meat shop.
