The Rural Voice, 2003-05, Page 11National Farmers Union -Ontario NEWSLETTER
Ontario Office: R.R. 2, Godfrey, ON KOH 1TO - Phone: 613-273-5545
Email: nfuo@rideau.net Website: www.nfu.ca/on
NFU -O set to unite farmers, butchers and
consumers in fight to save small abattoirs
Any farmer involved in the
direct marketing of meat knows that
there's a crisis facing small
abattoirs. Small abattoirs are vital to
farmers and consumers alike.
Without small butcher shops,
farmers would be unable to market
their own product since all meats
sold must be government inspected.
An ever-increasing number of
consumers would like to know
where their meats are coming from
and how the livestock is raised, but
without small butchers this will be
impossible.
In Ontario the inspection system
applied to small plants that process
a few animals each week is almost
identical to large plants that process
thousands. In a recent news article,
Head OMAF meat inspector Dr.
Tom Baker said it is "almost
laughable" that small plants would
be inspected in the same way as
Targe plants.
In last month's Rural Voice,
Ag Minister Helen Johns addressed
the small abattoir issue by asking
"How could I Iaok people in the
face if something went wrong
and people got sick?" In reality
the source of recent food safety
concerns seems to be from large
processing facilities who are
now proposing irradiation to deal
with the problem resulting in
further uncertainty for consumers.
Many of the regulations being
imposed on small abattoirs seem to
have little to do with food safety
and more to do with driving them
out of business.
The NFU is preparing to tackle
this important issue. On Wednesday
June 18 the Perth -Oxford Local of
the NFU -O will be hosting a Small
Abattoir Information Meeting in
Stratford. Speakers will include
farmers, small abattoir operators
and meat inspectors. Ag Minister
Helen Johns will be invited as well
as provincial ag critics Steve Peters
and Howard Hampton. Any small
abattoir owners with specific
concerns or suggestions for the
inspection process should contact
the NFU -O Office for further
information. Watch next month's
Rural Voice for more details on this
important meeting.0
Confusion Abounds Over
Registration Process
Did you join the NFU when you sent in
your Farm Business Registration and then
receive a "welcome package" from another
farm organization? Agricorp, the CFFO and
the NFU agreed in December to send out the
FBR application packages blank, with no
organization pre -checked, but the OFA did
not agree. As a result, the applications were
sent out with a farm organization already
selected. A number of people who wrote
cheques to NFU -O and checked the NFU -O
box are now receiving welcome packages
from the OFA and the CFFO. If this has
happened to you call Agricorp, (866) 327-
3678 and let them know of the mistake.0
NFU -O Voices heard on
Nutrient Management
Members of the NFU -O are pleased with
the government's decision to put regulations
on hold for small and medium sized family
farms.
While some farm leaders seemed to be
willing to have the regulations imposed on
farms of all sizes, NFU -O made it very clear
that this approach would eliminate more
family farms.
NFU -O continues to have concerns about
the failure of the proposed Nutrient
Management Act to limit the size of Intensive
Livestock Operations based on local
conditions.0
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