ONTARIO'S BIO-BASED ECONOMY HAS POTENTIAL
by David Morris

In his 16 years as OCPA Director for Region 11 (Bruce and Grey), Doug Eadie has devoted a lot of time and energy in developing new markets for Ontario corn, especially ethanol. Today, he is very optimistic about the potential for new markets for Ontario corn. "The whole bio-based economy has great potential for Ontario agriculture. It can do nothing but grow," Eadie says. "It's pretty exciting. I think that we're going to see some announcements related to ethanol production soon and I believe that sooner or later, there are going to be spin-offs in the form of plants using the by-products of ethanol production as their raw material. The biggest thing we can do now is to work to create the proper climate for investment here."
"We're also going to see more demand for specialty starches," he suggests, "and there will be new uses that we haven't heard of yet, as plant breeders develop tailor-made hybrids through genetic engineering. There's a big need for plant breeding programs for Ontario. Right now, most of the specialty corns are restricted to Essex and Kent counties, because the hybrids have been developed in and for the States. We've got to move those genetics into the cooler areas and share the added value around a bit more.
" Eadie farms in the Ripley area in Bruce County, in conjunction with three of his brothers, David, Kenneth and Steven. In total, they farm about 2,000 acres of land, of which Doug owns 320. Doug is quick to point out that the Eadie's are not a corporation or partnership. Each brother owns his own land and operates as a separate business. To keep costs down, however, they work co-operatively and share equipment. One brother owns the grain drill, another the corn planter, and Doug the combine and grain buggy. To keep the accounting clear, they charge each other the going custom work rate for field work. "I'm the harvest boss," says Doug. "I'm responsible for harvesting about 1,600 acres among us. Getting everything off this year was a challenge. As it was, we had some corn that was pretty flat by the time we were able to get to it.
" Although the Eadie's are known as beef producers, Doug is strictly cash-crop. He tries to adhere to a one-year rotation of corn, soybeans and winter wheat in roughly equal proportions. Soy's and wheat are planted no-till. For corn, however, he uses a form of conservation tillage, working the wheat stubble in the fall with a wing plow, a form of chisel plow with very wide sweeps. "Usually, we don't cultivate anything in the spring," Eadie notes, "but this year we're going to have to. We marked up some fields quite badly during harvest this fall. Some fields were bad enough that we had to plow them.
" Eadie graduated from the University of Guelph in 1973, with a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Agriculture. His wife, Anne, who also grew up on a farm, has just retired from teaching school. She has now embarked on a new "career", that of a Councillor for the Township of Huron-Kinloss. Doug and Anne have two sons, both of whom are now away from home. "That's one of the saddest things for me," says Doug. "Within the four households of my brothers and I, it looks like only one of the next generation is likely to carry on in primary agriculture."
In addition to his farming operation, Doug worked for 18 years as a sales representative for Pioneer Hi-Bred. He found that a very valuable experience which provided many useful insights into the way in which a big corporation views the world.
Besides his work in market development for OCPA, Eadie also served on the Executive for a number of years in the early 1990's. He was also the first Chair of the Communications Committee.
Eadie has been an active volunteer in a number of local organizations. "I've just retired as a Director of our local Community Living Association, after 21 years, that included a term as President. I really enjoyed that involvement, although it was no small undertaking. The Community Living Association has a budget as big as OCPA's - about one and a quarter million dollars a year. I went all through the Boy Scout movement working my way up to be a Queen's Scout. In the past, I belonged to the Lucknow Kinsmen's Club, and was on the Farm Debt Review Board. I'm active in my local church. The church is important to me, because it's really the only thing left of our community. I've just joined the Ripley Lion's Club. For me, it's important to be involved in something that isn't related to my work."
In closing, Eadie says, "My involvement with OCPA has been a great experience and I feel privilaged to have met and made friends with so many directors and staff over the years."