The Lucknow Sentinel, 1993-03-17, Page 53imur
Farm Progress '93—Page 37
Farm Agenda contains 17 key environmental issues
by Ron Wassink
WALKERTON--Farmers are
taking the initiative to prepare and
institute their very own
Environmental Farm Plans.
The Environmental Farm Plan
Initiative was started in 1991. In
January 1992 four farm groups --AG
Care, Ontario Farm Animal
Council, Ontario Federation of
Agriculture and the Christian
Fanners' Federation of Ontario --
released the Environmental Farm
Agenda.
Fischer said it contains 17 key
environmental issueshpertaining to
agriculture that farmers have
highlighted.
"The intent of the four -group
coalition is to give every farm
family the ability to voluntarily
prepare their own environmental
farm plan by the end of the
decade."'
The program started earlier this
month in Niagara North, one of the
Animal lovers
work with
MNR officials
.from page 35
returned to wildlife, said, '
vonRichter.
To some animals,,Lazy Acme is
the only aitemative to being
destroyed or certain death in the
wilderness. A cage of five great
horned owls are permanent resi-
dents...they all had broken wings
that had mended in the wild.
"Their wings had been. broken '
and were never set. The owls sat
in the wild and the wings healed
badly. They ,would have died if
left in the wild," said Goodwin.
A black bear cub taken there last
year was Tound wandering in the
town of Wiarton. When he camel
to Lazy Acre, he was 25
pounds..he¢ is now 175 and stands
five feet. t2111.
"He had lost his Mother and was
looking for food when they found
him. Ben will be a year soon and
will hopefully be released in the
spring after the spring hunt."
There is usually no problems
with animals re -adjusting to the
wild, but Ben will have to go
where there are no humans as "he
will want to go visit them."
"Working with the MNR is
something we do because we
enjoy doing it. Someone needs to
do it. We both just love animals,"
said Goodwin. .
She adds that "you have to be a
little crazy to do this."
The two owners are slowly
trying to get everything in pairs.
"Serneone once told me that to
be a success in anything, you have
to be a fanatic. I guess that's what
we are," said vonRichter.
Located three miles out of
Allenford, there is no fee to visit
Lazy Acre Farm. Visitors may be,
surprised at the variety of animals
there to fascinate and captivate.
counties involved in a pilot
program. .
Fischer said the intent is that as
farmers fill out their farm plan, they
will be able to identify key
potential areas of concern on their
farm.
After identifying those concerns,
they will "hopefully will be able to
develop an action plan to help to
alleviate. these problems, these
concerns."
It's being done to benefit themsel-
ves and to society in general.
"Also it's a proactive initiative by
the coalition rather than reactive.
The fact is very well ?..perceived
within the. farm community that if
we as farmers don't act upon it,
society will very surely force us to
do it. And if it's anything like
things in the past, if we as farmers
are not allowed to put any input
into it, after the fact it won't nearly
be as successfully or efficiently
carried out."
Hence the volunteer approach.
"We can do 'better than
government dictating to us. That's
a fact. Government ministries very
supportive of our initiative, the
voluntary approach, And we like to
set an example. We're being up
front, we're trying to relay
information in factual and honest
manner, realizing we have some
problems, realizing we as stewards
of the land we have done what we
can. We feel we've done a very
good job in. the past but there's
always room for improvement."
He said fanners have always tried
to rii pfove'.
"We'reopen for ideas and this is
one way we're hoping to proceed
ahead. We hope to set the example
for other industries."
He said other governments and
organizations are "very curious of
this initiative and very surprised
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that it has proceed as well as . it,
has," adding that almost every state
south of the board has sent request.
for "how's it going." Requests have
come From other provinces, even
from France abut the Environmental
Farm Plans.
"We have to realize, and par-
ticularly emphasize to our urban
friends, that farming is not a natural
state of the environment. That
thought out there by some people,
particularly in urban centres that'
want to keep the land as natural as
possible, if it was as natural as
possible, is the whole darn thing
would be in trees."
Farmers are trying to minimize
effect of farming on the
environment through proper care
and it's is precisely this kind of
proper care which we're advocating
through the Environmental Farm
Plan Initiative, Fischer said.
There are
many uses for
high-grade
plastic
containers
•from page 34
Another initiative is the
Agricultural Pesticide Container
Management Program. It was a
pilot project started last summer to
test the logistics in collecting,
inspecting, transporting and ultimate
processing of the containers.
"AG Care long has wanted us to.
find a rural -end use for these (high-
grade plastic) containers."
Fischer said uses for the plastic
could be as farm posts, guardrail
posts and drainage tile.
Residual testing shows that the
new 'plastic guardrail posts would
be "considerably less toxic" than
the creosote dipped posts not being
used.
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'Almost all of our unhappiness is the result of
comparing aurselues"to others."
The RING'S "goal" is to enhance the preservation
of the FAMILY FARM
IT COULD JUST PUT YOU OVER THE TOP
NONE OF US ARE AS GOOD AS ALL OF US!.
"TOGETHER, WE'RE INCREDIBLE!"
We need no -till operators
in -several areas.
We have operators to do
no -till in other areas{...
CALL TODAY!
St. Patrick knew that with the .
MACHINERY RING
you'd be in the GREEN!
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March 30 -1," We're in the Exhibit Hall #32C
Our draw prize will please you!
• YOU'LL MAKE OUR DAY i
We'll get you in "GEAR" for Spring! •
DAVE DALZELL JACK JANZEN.
AREA MANAGER GENERAL MANAGER
519-228-6904 1-800-668-0399