The Rural Voice, 2000-07, Page 48GREY
446 10th St., Hanover, Ontario N4N 1P9
Email grey@ ofa.on.ca Website: www ofa.on.ca grey
County Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER
519-364-3050 or 1-800-275-9551
• The Rural Voice is provided to all Grey
County Farmers by the GCFA.
Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink
What an astronomic,ill\ disastrous
situation has been allowed to happen.
Yes. I say allowed to happen. Let us
say that if the water on the face of
this planet was all pure and clean.
good to drink right out of the stream.
well. river or wherever. then we
wouldn't need water treatment plants
would u e?
But alas the water is not clean due
to man's own stupidity — for we all
pollute. We pollute the water. the air.
the soil, to some degree. Whether you
be an urban resident with your
washing detergents, garden chemicals
or your car. etc., or an industrialist
with an oil refinery or any other
industry or maybe you are just a
farmer growing crops and raising
livestock.
Yes. we all pollute.
Then why does the media instantly
conclude that it must be the farmer
who caused the problem in
Walkerton. We commend the local
commercial water bottling plants for
their neighbourly act in sending water
to this stricken area, although this
action was no different than that
taken after the tornado that struck
near here not too long ago. Just like
anyone does during and after a
disaster. But what a wonderful P.R.
exercise.
As bad as the Walkerton water
situation isl, just think how much
more widespread the disaster may
have been if. and I only say IF, the
E.coli had turned up in the water
from any of these bottling plants.
Farmers have been conscious of
the environment forever. The word
environment is not a new buzzword
to us. Our track record will prove that
we as an industry are very
environmentally conscious, with
pesticide safety courses, baseline
water well testing, nutrient
management plans, reduced tillage -no
till, reducing erosion, reduced use of
pesticides, satellite mapping to
reduce fertilizer usage. All these
things and more are our industry's
44 THE RURAL VOICE
valiant attempt to leave a clean world.
for our grandchildren.
If only others would follow our
example and clean up their act as
much as we have. then maybe there
wouldn't be so much back-biting.
Rome wasn't built in a day. but after
all that our industry has done in
recent years to clean up our act. we
now hate Toronto's Mega City (yes
MEGA) planning to DUMP its
garbage right in our backyard. out in
areas of Ontario that feed the
Torontonians.
Fran Nychuk OFA regional
director for the Temiskaming area
tells us that Toronto is about to ship,
by train, $20 million tonnes of its
garbage, and dump it in a disused
iron ore'mine, namely the Adams
mine, near Kirkland Lake. This mine
is located at one of the highest points
in the area, and within two kilometres
of a major groundwater aquifer.
Over 1,000 opponents to the
project gave their support to more
than 60 angry farmers who drove
their tractors along the railway tracks
on the Ontario Northland rail line
earlier this month. The farmers stand
to lose more than $30 million per
dear in farming business and all the
people up there are very concerned
that their water will very soon be
badly contaminated.
These people have been protesting
this plan for nearly five years.
However. it seems that the Mega City
Media have not a clue where
Temiskaming is, let alone care what
all this garbage is going to do to an
area so far away.
TORONTO OFFICIALS CHOSE
TO IGNORE ALL THIS
OPPOSITION and the stated fears for
their groundwater and loss of income
due to leaking from this landfill. Will
they never learn?
Why does that not come as a
surprise?0
— Submitted by Robert J. Brassington
OFA Regional Director. Grey East
and 1st Vice President Grey County
On a lighter note —
We are pleased to tell you that on
July 15, as some of you may know.
Grey County Federation of
Agriculture will be holding a pig
roast/pot luck party for Grey County
OMAFRA staff to show our
appreciation for their dedicated
service over the past 89 years. You
are all invited to attend. We will be
barbecuing a whole pig and all you
have to bring is either a salad or a
dessert and your lawn chair for an
evening of fun. We hope to have
light entertainment and lots of
socializing. Please plan to attend
and let's make it a night for the
OMAFRA staff to remember!
GREY COUNTY FEDERATION OF
AGRICULTURE
DIRECTORS' MEETING
THURSDAY, JULY 27, 2000 — 8:00 P.M.
Annesley United Church, 82 Toronto Street, Markdale
Members are welcome to attend.
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