The Rural Voice, 2001-09, Page 73PERTH /Mk
County Pork Producers NEWSLETTER
Jim Van Herk, President
519-595-4863
' The Rural Voice is provided to Perth
County Pork Producers by the PCPPA
Dealing with the nitrate issue
Any opinions expressed herein
may not necessarily reflect the views
of the Perth County Pork Producers'
Association.
What can farmers do to help the
nitrate issue? Will the nitrate issue
come to the forefront again in the
coming years? 1 thought that the
following story was so well written
that we should all read it again.
The following quote was taken
from. the Western Ontario Farmer
issue dated June 26, 2001.
"Nitrate pollution of water will
become a hot issue for farmers, warns
Randy Jackiw, director of resources
management in the Agriculture and
Rural Division of the Ontario
Ministry of Agriculture, Food and
Rural Affairs.
He delivered the warning almost
in passing as he outlined the
legislation the government recently
introduced to handle manure issues
and the political process that will
follow this summer and fall.
He said nitrates will hit the
headlines soon when health officials
testify at the Walkerton inquiry.
He expects they will
identify nitrate pollution of drinking
water as one of the top three
health issues from carcinogenic
standpoint.
Nitrate levels in water can rise
from any source of excess nitrogen,
including manure, legume crops such
as alfalfa, commercial fertilizer and
even forest decomposition.
Dr. Michael Goss of the
University of Guelph began warning
farmers long ago that putting on
enough nitrogen to hit optimum
yields might raise nitrate levels in
underground aquifers because more
is being applied than the crops pick
up and use.
Among .the crops that get the
highest rates of nitrogen are potatoes,
cabbage. high -protein hard wheats
and corn.
Jackiw said the bill will be
referred to a committee which will
hold hearings this summer and it will
be fall or winter before it gains final
approval in the legislature.
Then another round of extensive
consultations will begin to go over
the long list of detailed regulations
that will be put forward by the
agriculture and environment
ministries. Jackiw said.
When everything is in place. the
new provincial rules will override all
municipal bylaws that relate to these
issues, which include nutrient
management. barn siting and lot
severances.
All nutrients are covered.
including manure. municipal sewage
sludge. septic tank material.
commercial fertilizers and industrial
waste such as pulp from paper mills.
There will be an appeal system.
but it will not cover odour issues.
Jackiw said.
He said it's one of the most
complex pieces of legislation the
current politicians have dealt with
and came forward from both the
agriculture and environment
ministries." End of quote.
Seed corn companies usually like
farmers to grow highest yielding corn
no matter how much nitrogen it takes.
Maybe it's time corn producers get
sponsorship trials from seed corn
companies on the most economical
cost of corn produced per acre versus
highest yield.0
— Submitted by Jack De Groot
PERTH COUNTY
PORK PRODUCERS'
PORK PRODUCTS
• Smoked Pork Chops • Fresh Pork Chops
• Stuffed Loin Chops • Smoked Sausage
• Smoked Cheddar Sausage
• Bacon Burgers • Teriyaki Pork Steaks
• Vittorio's BBQ Sauce
AVAILABLE FROM:
Steve Hulshof (Kinkora) 348-8167
Martin van Bakel (Dublin) 345-2666
Walter Bosch (Monkton) 356-9000
Ted Keller (Mitchell) 348-9836
SEPTEMBER 2001 69