by BETTER FARMING STAFF
Grey County OPP have charged two men with 13 counts of fraud over $5,000 in connection with a failed beef marketing venture but there’s no word yet whether producers, owed more than half a million dollars, will get their money back.
On Aug. 6, police arrested Mark Kuglin, 38, of Meaford and released him the same day with an undertaking – conditions that govern the terms of his release. Kuglin is scheduled to appear in the Owen Sound Ontario Court of Justice on Oct. 22.
Arrested Aug. 12, Darryl Williams, 57, of Chatsworth Township remains in custody. He is scheduled to appear via video for a bail hearing in Owen Sound on Thursday.
In 2006 Williams and Kuglin established All County Feed & Grain Ltd., which sold cattle and horse feeds and supplements.
In April 2008, they launched Grey-Bruce Beef Marketing Ltd. The venture offered big prices for cattle raised on “an all-natural diet,” free of antibiotics and growth hormones. They planned to sell locally produced beef to Ontario restaurants, stores and food services.
On Sept. 22 the business’ provincial cattle dealing license, issued June 16, 2008, was revoked because All County failed to pay producers. All County closed the doors of its Markdale area location in January.
On Jan. 7, Kuglin told Better Farming the venture ran into trouble in the summer of 2008. Customers receiving a big shipment of meat intended for festivals in Ottawa refused to pay for it in full, he said.
Kuglin said he was a minority shareholder in the limited company and was forced out in December. Documents filed when the company was incorporated in December, 2006, list Williams as its president, secretary and treasurer.
In a recent news release Grey OPP Const. Steve Starr said police began an investigation in January following a complaint alleging that farmers had not been paid for their products.
The news release said the alleged frauds took place in 2008 and affected beef producers in Grey, Bruce and Wellington Counties as well as a feed supply company in Waterloo Region. Police estimate the amount of the 13 alleged frauds to be more than $750,000.
Brent Ross, a spokesperson for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, said 15 claims totaling $528,769.68 have been filed against All County with the Ontario Beef Cattle Financial Protection Program.
The provincially administered program licenses cattle dealers and maintains a financial protection fund that compensates producers for most of their losses when a licensed dealer defaults on payment.
Ross said the Livestock Financial Protection Board has investigated the claims and a decision is pending. No date has yet been set for the board’s final deliberations. The board will inform the claimants of its decision in writing.
Asked if either the board or the Ministry was involved in the OPP investigation, Ross said he could not comment because the case was before the courts.
Police continue to investigate and urge anyone with information to contact Grey County OPP or Crime Stoppers. BF
