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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2011-03-17, Page 12PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2011. D-N-Amazing Emily Mitchell, left, and Faith Sebastian, both Grade 7 students from Brussels Public School, stand proudly beside their science fair project about Deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA. The pair will be advancing to the next tier of science fair competition at Seaforth after they return from March Break next week. (Denny Scott photo) By Bette Jean Crews, President Ontario Federation of Agriculture The Ontario Federation of Agriculture’s mission is to work collaboratively for a sustainable, profitable future for farmers. We have fulfilled this mission throughout the past 75 years as Canada’s largest and foremost advocate for farmers. This work never ends and today, we are still working hard to secure sustainable farm sector in Ontario. We are passionate about agriculture. That’s why we’ve worked to find new ways to secure a successful future for the agriculture industry. There is no plan for our food system in this province or in this country. We recognized that makes Canada’s food system and Canada’s farmers vulnerable to the whims of government policy – our own and those of other countries. That is why the OFA has led the development and the adoption of a National Food Strategy to address future food supply concerns for the entire nation. Others have talked about it; the OFA and our partners at the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) are actually doing something about it. The strategy will guide the development of future farming and food policies to ensure our farms have an opportunity to prosper and sustain safe, local food. That strategy will soon be pushed to government at election time. We count on all farmers to make it our national plan for food in Canada. Meanwhile, we know we need to deal with a very wide range of policies that affect our farm businesses each and every day. That is why the OFA was instrumental in setting up the Ontario Agriculture Sustainability Coalition (OASC) to secure effective Risk Management Programs for farmers in collaboration with our commodity partners. And the OFA is the driving force behind the Open for Business report to government that has identified specific recommendations to fix regulatory burdens in agriculture and agri-food. Our work doesn’t stop there. The OFA is working across the industry to address the growing problem with predator and wildlife damage on our farms – damage that eats up our bottom line. We worked closely with affected farmers and the Ministry of Natural Resources to bring real solutions for elk management in the Bancroft- Hastings region. Our next task is to ensure coyote damage is minimized and proper compensation is paid for livestock losses. Crop damage from turkeys, geese, deer, sandhill cranes and other species also needs to be compensated at a fair price. There is much work to be done to help fulfill our mission. This year will be important in laying the foundation for a profitable future for agriculture. Our continued focus on completing our three-year biomass research projects at some of Southern Ontario’s largest power generation facilities will provide us with added insight into the value of purpose-grown crops. This, coupled with our work in the green energy sector, will bring new opportunities for farmers for the future. What’s more, we are enlisting a Task Team on Beginning Farmers to find new programs that will address the specific needs of new and beginning farmers. Through it we’ll help welcome a new generation of leaders to the agriculture industry. The success of the OFA in advocating on farmers’ behalf comes from the collective voice we represent in agriculture, and our ability to identify emerging opportunities that will enable a sustainable, profitable future for farmers in Ontario. Don’t miss out on the chance to be an important part of the change that you want for your farm business and your family. You can be a significant agent of change in agriculture’s history. Choose the OFA as your representative and voice in agriculture, and work with us to experience how we are shaping the future of farming today. Looking for local heroes There are so many people out there who do so much to improve their community. Now you have a chance to say thanks. Nominate that special person for the 26th Annual Citizen Citizenship Awards. Each year a committee chooses an outstanding citizen from each of the Blyth and area and Brussels and area communities to receive an award for contribution to the community. If you know someone you think should be honoured, please fill in the ballot and send it in. You may attach a longer explanation of why you think your nominee should win, if you like. If you have nominated someone before and he or she didn't win, please feel free to try again. I nominate as Citizen of the year for I feel she/he deserves this award because Nomination Deadline April 30, 2011. Name and phone number of nominator ❑Blyth & area ❑Brussels & area OFA membership works New name won’tchange mailing, 911Residents along County Road 12,Brussels Line north of Walton and North Line south of Walton, will not experience a change in their mailing addresses due to the recent decision to designate the road as Police Memorial Road. Huron East Councillor Bill Siemon brought the concerns of several residents to the March 8 meeting of council, saying that he had received numerous calls frompeople concerned about a change of their 911 number or their mailing address due to the designation. Siemon checked with clerk- administrator Jack McLachlan, who told him that it would just be an honorary designation that wouldn’t change any addresses, similar to the designation of Hwy. 21 as Bluewater Veteran’s Highway near Goderich.