HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2009-07-16, Page 20County councillors are throwing
their clout behind Huron’s
agricultural industry.
At the July 8 meeting, Central
Huron councillor Bert Dykstra asked
for council’s support in getting
governments involved in the situation
many farmers are facing.
Specifically, Dykstra spoke on the
plight of hog farmers. “We’ve lost
3,600 (producers) per year over the
past five years.”
Dykstra noted that prices are at an
all-time low and many have to go to
the Farm Debt Review Board to help
them through the crunch.
“The governments are busy helping
out the Big 3, and these folks are
pushed to the wayside.”
Councillor Joe Seili of Huron East
said that as family farms went, the
operations got more commercial.
“Even they’re selling but there’s no
one to buy. It’s tremendous the loss in
the last couple of years.”
Asked what steps county could
take, chief administrative officer
Larry Adams said a resolution could
be made to encourage governments to
become more involved.
The struggles of the beef sector
were also noted.
Councillor Bill Dowson of
Bluewater said that the beef and hog
industries lacked the power that some
of the other agricultural groups had.
“They need all the support they can
get.”
Howick councillor Max Demaray
suggested it to emphasize that helps is
needed now.
Goderich councillor Deb Shewfelt
said that it might be worthwhile for
the county to make a presentation at
the Association of Municipalities of
Ontario conference. “We should put
together a group with agricultural
backgrounds to meet with
government at Ottawa.”
Adams said that there was still time
for requests for submissions to AMO
and added that staff would work on
arranging it.
“It’s never too late to lobby
government,” said Dowson.
PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2009.Huron East council, at its July 7meeting, approved a zone amendmentthat will see a transfer and storage site
for processed organic waste in Grey.
Despite some concerns from
members of the public and
neighbours in close proximity,
comments from the landowner, Al
Stewart, and Ontario Greenways
manager, Stever Gloor put the minds
of many councillors at ease.
The bylaw will allow for the
storage of animal by-product
(described by Gloor to be the oil that
is emitted from an animal when
slaughtered, which up until now, was
going to waste) for the purpose of
being spread on agricultural lands as
fertilizer in North Perth and West
Perth Counties.
With Huron County planner Carol
Leeming on hand, however, some
worries were dispelled with a simple
change of definition. In the initial
definition of the material that Ontario
Greenways would be bringing into
Grey, a provision included sewage,
which took some people, including
Gloor, by surprise.
In response to that definition, Gloor
assured that the material is not
sewage, that no chemicals had been
added, with the exception of a
treatment for odour, which will be
applied prior to transportation to the
Grey site, and asked that the
definition be changed.
Gloor describes the waste as being
40 per cent dry matter and
comparable to the consistency of
store-bought top soil.
Gloor assure Leeming, council and
the citizens in attendance that smell
would not be an issue, with theformer turkey barn that will be usedfor storage being sealed and perhapsoccasionally treated for odour.Some people, however, still had abad taste in their mouth with an
incident from several years ago that
involved beef slaughterhouse by-
product finding its way into Huron
East.
Gloor said he was aware of the
situation and that the storage Ontario
Greenways is undertaking will be
nothing like that previous situation.
Stewart said that the barn presently
has several inches of turkey manure
on the floor to keep the floor from
drying up and potentially cracking
and there have been no smell or pest
complaints.
This proved to be a large factor in
council’s decision. Councilllors Joe
Steffler and Larry McGrath cited
Stewart’s testimony as a turning point
in their opinion on the matter.
Gloor added that the Ministry of the
Environment has also inspected the
site and found that it was safe, despite
the claims by residents that the site is
above and beside a drinking water
source.
Gloor said that the barn will be
sealed and the whole point of the
indoor storage is to keep the material
dry and out of the elements. Stewart
also added that he has a pool on his
property, which would be the first
place to become contaminated, in
addition to his drinking water, if there
would be a problem, and that he has
no worries.
Deputy-mayor Bernie MacLellan,
who chaired the public meeting, said
that if the Ministry of the
Environment had approved the site,
that council was in no position to
overrule them and certainly didn’thave the wealth of knowledge to drawupon that the Ministry of theEnvironment has.There are also built-in provisionsthat protect the neighbouring
residents if something should go
wrong, Gloor said. Not only doesOntario Greenways have toconstantly re-apply for a certificatefrom the Ministry of theEnvironment, subject to further sitevisits, but if there does happen to be
an odour complaint, Ontario
Greenways has one day to respondand neutralize the odour, in whichcase, Gloor says, liquid lime would beused.The motion was passed with justtwo councillors, Bob Fisher and Grey
councillor, Alvin McLellan opposed.
County councillors to fight
for agricultural industry
HE approves zoning for transfer and storage site
A defence of the right of Morris-
Turnberry residents not to have to
pay an additional non-resident plot
charge at the Blyth or Wingham
cemeteries will be considered by
councillors at their July 21 meeting.
Councillors said they had been
receiving complaints from residents
after North Huron councillors
decided to charge an additional $400
per plot fee for people who live
outside of North Huron.
“If they can’t operate on the
budget they should bring everyone
up a little,” said councillor Lynn
Hoy. “Everyone in North Huron and
Morris-Turnberry should be charged
the same.
Nancy Michie, administrator
clerk-treasurer, pointed out that
when a Morris Ward resident died
and left a legacy, it was used to
replace the roof on the chapel at the
Blyth Union Cemetery.
Councillors agreed they should
issue a statement defending the
position of residents who felt they
were being treated unfairly and
agreed to consider a draft at the next
meeting of council.
Showing off
The youngest participants in the Blyth Fesitval kids theatre workshops presented their
performance to family and friends last week. (Vicky Bremnerr photo)
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519-523-4792
541 Turnberry St.,
Brussels
519-887-9114
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By Shawn LoughlinThe Citizen
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