The Rural Voice, 2001-09, Page 14CROP/QUEST
Nutrient Management Planning
Air
CERTIFIED Ron Pennings
CROP ADVISOR 519-345-2702
Andy de Vries C.C.A.
519-229-6559
Fax: 519-229-8029
E -Mail: cropquest@quadro.net
10 THE RURAL VOICE
Jeffrey Carter
Forward -thinking farmers taking charge
The Agricultural Odyssey Group
is valuable to Ontario's farm
community, but perhaps not in the
way first envisioned by the Ontario
farm groups that set it up.
The intent of the group is to
"define the future of agriculture" in
the province.
Plans call for a
report to be
issued next year.
Roger George.
the former
Ontario
Federation of
Agriculture
president who's
heading the
Odyssey effort. is
optimistic:
"We're hoping
the nature of the
report, if it's as
bold and creative
as I hope it will be will be on the
desks (of agriculturists) for many
years to come."
I do not doubt George's sincerity,
however, it would appear The
Odyssey Group is simply following
in the wake of people who are
making things happen today.
I'm thinking about people like
Sue McLarty of Chatham -Kent and
the others who were behind the
opening of the new Agriculture
Business Centre at Ridgetown
College. In Essex County, there's
Carolyn Fuerth and other members of
the Essex County Federation of
Agriculture who established an
agricultural office a few years back,
replacing, in part, the function of the
old OMAFRA office. There's also
Dan Blonde and his FarmLink group
who are identifying market needs and
finding ways that farmers can profit-
ably fill them. Robert W. Johnston
and Don McCabe of Lambton County
also fit the bill. Johnston and McCabe
are among those farmers trying to •
shed light on the fundamental
inequities of the food system.
The role for George and The
Agricultural Odyssey Group is not so
much to lead the charge but to help
keep the ranks in order.
In this, it's important to realize
that Chatham -Kent's new agriculture
centre and the Essex federation's
office are not unique. With govern-
ment cutbacks, many OMAFRA field
offices were closed and the entire
ministry — as it related to farmers —
was "emasculated". as George so
aptly put it.
Locally -sponsored agricultural
offices were opened in the wake of
OMAFRA cutbacks and office
closures. It seems only logical to
begin to co-ordinate the efforts of the
various locally -sponsored efforts.
Here's a suggestion. Instead of
waiting to issue a report next year,
the Odyssey Group can act now by
encouraging the various community -
driven agricultural offices to pool
their efforts and resources. That
might involve the staff at each of the
offices taking ownership of a
particular special project and sharing
the information.
Links might also be made to other
organizations. A website, e-mail
bulletins or even a newsletter could
be developed to help co-ordinate the
overall effort.
It's a bit like reinventing the
wheel — the wheel being the old
OMAFRA system — but the farm
community has little other choice.
' Beyond issuing platitudes, the federal
and provincial governments provide
relatively little support for farmers.
The co-ordination of the efforts by
the farm community is important but
it should also be accompanied by a
recognition of the fundamental
inequities faced by farmers.
In this, people like Johnston and
McCabe can also play a valuable •
role. They may not grasp the entire
picture, but they surely understand
that farmers are being exploited.
There's no shame in letting the rest of
the world know about it.
A word of caution is in order,
however. The level of protest across
the country has so far failed to bring
Canadian support programs in line
with those of the United States. Just
how high are you prepared to raise
the stakes?0
Jeffrey Carter is a freelance
journalist based in Dresden, Ontario.
Letters may be sent to P.O. Box
1207, Dresden, Ontario, NOP IMO or
to this magazine.
Owen Sound
fix FaII Fair
' September
i 6,7&8
�-.11`— Victoria Park
GIANT MIDWAY
4TH ANNUAL QUILT SHOW
OLD MACDONALD'S FARM
Highlights of the Fair
Thursday
Opens at 4 p.m.
Loonie Day on the Midway - All
rides for $1 from 4 p.m
'til closing
Owen Sound 4-H Calf Club
Western Horse Show
Friday
4-H Regional Show
Entertainment from 3 p.m.
Limousin & Blonde Shows
Great Lakes Truck & Tractor Pull
Saturday
Hereford & Angus Shows
Children's Activities &
Entertainment
- Cindy Cook, Princess Karma
Heavy Horse Pull
ATV Rodeo
Entertainment - Randy & Friends
Simmental & Charolais Shows
Demolition Derby
Quilt Draw
** NEW **
Family Pass - Day $15.00
Weekend $30.00
(must be purchased by Sept. 3)
For information or
Registration
519-371-1720
See Sun Times for complete schedule
10 THE RURAL VOICE
Jeffrey Carter
Forward -thinking farmers taking charge
The Agricultural Odyssey Group
is valuable to Ontario's farm
community, but perhaps not in the
way first envisioned by the Ontario
farm groups that set it up.
The intent of the group is to
"define the future of agriculture" in
the province.
Plans call for a
report to be
issued next year.
Roger George.
the former
Ontario
Federation of
Agriculture
president who's
heading the
Odyssey effort. is
optimistic:
"We're hoping
the nature of the
report, if it's as
bold and creative
as I hope it will be will be on the
desks (of agriculturists) for many
years to come."
I do not doubt George's sincerity,
however, it would appear The
Odyssey Group is simply following
in the wake of people who are
making things happen today.
I'm thinking about people like
Sue McLarty of Chatham -Kent and
the others who were behind the
opening of the new Agriculture
Business Centre at Ridgetown
College. In Essex County, there's
Carolyn Fuerth and other members of
the Essex County Federation of
Agriculture who established an
agricultural office a few years back,
replacing, in part, the function of the
old OMAFRA office. There's also
Dan Blonde and his FarmLink group
who are identifying market needs and
finding ways that farmers can profit-
ably fill them. Robert W. Johnston
and Don McCabe of Lambton County
also fit the bill. Johnston and McCabe
are among those farmers trying to •
shed light on the fundamental
inequities of the food system.
The role for George and The
Agricultural Odyssey Group is not so
much to lead the charge but to help
keep the ranks in order.
In this, it's important to realize
that Chatham -Kent's new agriculture
centre and the Essex federation's
office are not unique. With govern-
ment cutbacks, many OMAFRA field
offices were closed and the entire
ministry — as it related to farmers —
was "emasculated". as George so
aptly put it.
Locally -sponsored agricultural
offices were opened in the wake of
OMAFRA cutbacks and office
closures. It seems only logical to
begin to co-ordinate the efforts of the
various locally -sponsored efforts.
Here's a suggestion. Instead of
waiting to issue a report next year,
the Odyssey Group can act now by
encouraging the various community -
driven agricultural offices to pool
their efforts and resources. That
might involve the staff at each of the
offices taking ownership of a
particular special project and sharing
the information.
Links might also be made to other
organizations. A website, e-mail
bulletins or even a newsletter could
be developed to help co-ordinate the
overall effort.
It's a bit like reinventing the
wheel — the wheel being the old
OMAFRA system — but the farm
community has little other choice.
' Beyond issuing platitudes, the federal
and provincial governments provide
relatively little support for farmers.
The co-ordination of the efforts by
the farm community is important but
it should also be accompanied by a
recognition of the fundamental
inequities faced by farmers.
In this, people like Johnston and
McCabe can also play a valuable •
role. They may not grasp the entire
picture, but they surely understand
that farmers are being exploited.
There's no shame in letting the rest of
the world know about it.
A word of caution is in order,
however. The level of protest across
the country has so far failed to bring
Canadian support programs in line
with those of the United States. Just
how high are you prepared to raise
the stakes?0
Jeffrey Carter is a freelance
journalist based in Dresden, Ontario.
Letters may be sent to P.O. Box
1207, Dresden, Ontario, NOP IMO or
to this magazine.