The Rural Voice, 2002-05, Page 53Continued from Pg.48
completed the program.
"On a local basis, Dr. David
Biesenthal has commented on several
occasions that he didn't know where
farmers or agriculture would be, if he
hadn't completed his EFP for his
farm prior to the Walkerton tragedy.
"Everybody wants the EFP but
both levels of government want the
other to fund it," Matthews said in
the brief.
Steckle was pressed to find
fundingfor the program which has
again run out of money.
"Environmental Farm Plans are a
stipulation (of qualifying) for some
grants," Emerson reminded him.
Other issues raised by the
Federation included:
• A request that the province remove
the provincial sales tax on farm
trucks, parts and repairs at the time
of purchase by registered farmers.
• That farm business registration
cards be recognized as proof of being
a farmer for a purchase exemption
Ag News
from sales tax for farm use.
• That the land transfer tax be
removed for farms transferred within
families.
• That the child care allowance be
made eligible to single income
families as a non-refundable tax
credit.
• That formally designated
conservation lands entitle the owner
to a tax credit of $100 per acre per
year.
• That capital cost allowance rates for
farm equipment and buildings be
reviewed since they haven't been
adjusted in many years and often
don't reflect the expected life of new
farm assets.
• That the $8,750 provision for
restricted farm losses be adjusted to
reflect the inflation in the past 13
years since it was last adjusted.
• That funds for agricultural research
and education be consistently
increased over the next three years.
The Grey Chicken Farmers called
for swift passage of Bill 81 and asked
to be consulted in the development of
rio&
Propane SALES • INSTALLATION ERVI •PARTS
regulations implementing the bill.
The group also expressed concern
over biosecurity from inspectors
coining onto their property and asked
for enforcement to be carried out by
Ministry of Agriculture, not
Environment.
On the federal side, the Chicken
Farmers complained that the federal
government is undermining supply
management through issuing
supplementary import quotas.
Canada already meets its import
commitments under WTO and
NAFTA, the group said, and the
additional imports are jeopardizing
Canadian chicken production.
The Grey County Dairy Producer
Committee reminded the members of
the value of dairy farming to the
county with 190 farmers shipping
$38 million worth of milk. Dairy
provides for 285 family members and
a total employment of 900 workers.
At 19 per cent of the province's farm
gate receipts, dairy farming remains
the largest sector in Ontario's
agricultural economy, the brief said.0
propane
deliver
Superior
Propane
WE CAN
KEEP YOU
WARM
xtended Service contract
covering common rep.
to your new appliance or.
four yea
Irimount, Owen So
t
tecf
rve-co tra
common repa
appliances f
.t'l.
covering
s to your
one low
annual price.
i47787a?747
04847.1471§
M A\ 2002 49
4,