HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1997-03-19, Page 19`larmers experienced an
unusual year in 1996, the
wet Spring made it diffi-
cult to get onto. the land, and it
seems like yesterday when
farmerswere struggling. to get
their crops off before winter
arrived. The soggy autumn
weather extended the harvesting
season long after the snow
began to fly. All things consid-
ered, the return on crops was
still pretty good.
Wiarton Willy indicated that
spring is just around the corner;
which means that spring planti-
ng is in the minds of -many
farmers.. . ,
As you ponder the months
that lie ahead,. I would like to
take the opportunity to° reflect
upon the months that have
, passed. .
Many farmers ..and agricultur-
al, organizations have been in
touch with me regarding their
ongoing frustrations with the
Pest Management' Regulatory
Agency, (PMRA) and its pro-
posed cost -recovery mecha-
nisms. The size of the Agency
has• been capped .at $27.3` mil-
lion instead of $34 million due
to ;the fact that• PMRA, staff :are
no longer dispersed between
three separate departments,
Agriculture and Ag,ri-Food,
Environment and Health.
This measure has allowed the
budget: to be reduced by $7 mil-
lion, and at . the same time
7 c
improve the system by pursuing.
• efficiencies in .existing. ;pro
grams and designing new pro --
grams in a cost effective man-
ner: Also, the amount of cost
recovery: revenue is dropping .by •
25 per .cent,, from ,the projected
$1.6.5 million to $12.3 million
beeausethd government recog-
nizes that it would be unfair for
stakeholders tohave to pay for a
work backlog that should have
been eliminated before. the
Agency was created. in 1995.'
The onerous costs of Own Use
permits has been waived frcim
•
the fee regulation due to the
concerns and interventions of
numerous fanners.
Canadian Farmers have
marked their place in the world
grade, When the United States
challenged our :Canadian WTO
_tariff equiv.alents,, we fought,
and we won the battle to defend
legitimate Canadian trade rights,.
Since 1993, the dollar-value.,of
Canadian agri-food exports
has jumped by more,than 40 per
cent to reach $18,8' billion in
1996, a surplus of.$5,6 billion..
•We are now only $1.2 billion.
'Pliffn Progress'97-Fi. • .a,
away front reaching our goal of
$20 billion.
To assist our farmers locally,
on .an international: scale, we
have implemented the Canadian
Agri -Food. Trade Service, the.
Canadian Agri -Food Marketing ,
Conncirl, the Canadian Agri -
Food Trade Network (on the
global information highway);
and the Canadian Agri -Food "
Credit Facility; all of which
prove favorable tothe success:
of Agriculture, and Agri -Food'
Canada,
Technology is an incredible
science, it•has touched the .lives..•
of people in. every sector, in.
every part' of the world.
Agriculture and. Agri-Foodhave'.
been, and will continue to be,
recipients of beneficial. techno-
logical advances. B.acillus
thuringensis, better known as
+turn to page 4
Up & coming, Canadian song, writer & recording artist`
at the TOWN HALL Heritage. Theatre, Wingham
Thursday, March. 27th at 8:00 pm
Ask us for details on FREE tickets'& CD's
Don't wash .tin a trying
By howl ,
on your. ,hi�
For only $24.95 amontl , tt
talk 30: airtime' plan gives
FREE . minutes of talk time 3
month. Yourrate per m
decreases the more you tal
as little as $20 per minute.
Ree
feather Case
watt►. 91gareee
T tighter
adapter;
,'Applies to new activation at=Middleton'
an the. Belt mobility Network`-nn•a ,
• FIex-'Talk 30 air time package ,
.for a minimum of 12 months
0A0. Offerexpires
Mar. 31,.1997;
td -ix that oid
when you. oan buy this new; one Sdf . tof•s
' ACCESSORIES
When purchased
with G.B.