The Rural Voice, 1982-02, Page 16RURAL NEWS IN BRIEF
500 exhibitors at Farm Show
Plans are being finalized for the 1982
production of Canada's largest annual
indoor exhibition of farm equipment.
The 36th Canada Farm Show will be
held February 2 to 5, 1982, at the
Coliseum, Exhibition Place, Toronto,
show manager Dawn Morris has announc-
ed.
Sponsored by the Ontario Retail Farm
Equipment Dealers Association, the four-
day show will again occupy the Coliseum
complex of buildings plus the Horse
Palace and the Coliseum Arena at
Exhibition Place.
"As in previous years, more than 500
exhibitors of farm equipment, supplies
and services will be there to show their
latest lines to about 70,000 visitors from all
parts of Ontario, other Canadian
provinces, the United States and
overseas."
A major development in the exhibit area
..ne*ifear will be a national exhibit by the
Government of Italy in which a number of
Italian farm equipm. nt manufacturers
will show their wares. While some Italian
companies have exhibited separately in
the past, these companies and others will
be brought together in one big exhibit
under the banner of the Italian govern-
ment.
Along with the exhibits, the show
features a program of special events
including a draft horse sale, horse pulls,
cattle sales, a special ladies' program and
other attractions of interest to farm
visitors.
First on - farm
computer directory
Ontario farmers are joining forces to
beat the computer. More than 70 farmers
are listed in the first on-farm computer
directory, and they are prepared to
exchange computer programs and infor-
mation to save each other work.
"There is a great deal of enthusiasm
about computers in the farm community,
but there is a real shortage of information
about on-farm use of this technology,"
says Randy Ross, acting head of the
Ridgetown College of Agricultural Tech-
nology farm economics section.
Following a meeting of farmers,
government, and agribusiness represent-
atives, Mr. Ross, Bill Allen, also of the
farm economics section, and John Cardiff
of the Ontario Milk Producers Marketing
Board, began working on a three -pronged
computer information program.
The first step in the plan is the
Agricultural MicroComputing Directory.
The first edition of the quarterly publica-
tion, issued in September, lists 70
farmers, 30 educational and agribusiness
computers, they type of computer used
and the work it performs. The December
edition is expected to include more than
100 farmers.
"Through the directory, farmers can
find someone nearby with the same type of
computer and a program that suits their
needs," says Mr. Ross. "Most on-farm
computers are used for livestock record
keeping and more than 60 per cent of these
programs are homemade. Developing
these programs takes time, so farmers can
save each other a lot of work by sharing,
trading or selling programs."
Another part of the computer informat-
ion plan is the development of a software
directory. This publication will list names
of contacts offering computer programs
for sale or trade.
To help keep farmers abreast of the
fast -paced computer industry. Ridgetown
College of Agricultural Technology is
introducing a monthly newsletter in
January.
The biological
approach to bugs
A new biological control laboratory,
behind Graham Hall the headquarters of
the department of environmental biology
at the University of Guelph, was officially
opened Jan. 5. Research in the $400,000
building will provide alternatives to the
use of chemical pest controls, to meet the
needs of agriculture in this province and
hopefully contribute to a safer en-
vironment for everyone.
Actually this fighting fire with fire, or
MEETING TO WARD OFF DUMP SITE
Gary Davidson, Huron County Planning director [left] spoke at a recent meeting held in Brookside School, sponsored by the
Ashfield Federation of Agriculture. The meeting formed an eight -man committee to organize opposition to an industrial waste
disposal site in Ashfield township. Over 150 people [right] attended the meeting.
PG. 14 THE RURAL VOICE/FEBRUARY 982
[Photos by Sheila Gunby]