The Rural Voice, 2003-07, Page 56GREY
446 10th St., Hanover, Ontario N4N 1P9
Email: grey@ofa.on.ca Website: www.ofa.on.ca/grey 519-364-3050 or 1-800-275-9551
County Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER
• The Rural Voice is provided to all Grey
County Farmers by the GCFA.
EFP — partnering for Success in Grey
The 2003 series of Environmental
Farm Plan (EFP) Workshops in Grey
County has been very successful. Six
workshops were held throughout the
county this past winter, and names are
still being compiled for future
workshops. To date, over 1,500 farmers
have participated in the Grey County
workshops.
As in previous years, farm
organizations and agri-businesses have
been part of a strong team approach,
and certainly deserve much of the
credit for the high level of success here
in the county.
Again this year, agri-business has
been very supportive of the participants
in the EFP Program, and has
contributed funds to cover the costs of a
hot luncheon for each workshop. We
want to recognize the following agri-
business suppliers: Clemmer
Technologies, Waterloo; Co-operators,
Jeff Elford, Meaford, Bob Cottell,
Markdale, Bob Lammie, Walkerton;
Holliday Farm Equipment Ltd., Mount
Forest; Earth Power Tractors &
Equipment Inc., Meaford; Formosa
Mutual Insurance, Formosa; Germania
Mutual Insurance, Ayton; Highland
Managing farming's risks
Bill Mailloux, Vice -President,
Ontario Federation of Agriculture
There is still an opportunity for
Ontario farmers to apply for the 2002
Canadian Farm Income Program.
October 1, 2003, is the deadline to
apply for this program. OFA urges all
eligible farmers to get their applications
into the hands of the Ontario Ministry
of Agriculture and Food so they can
take full advantage of existing
programs.
The new NISA or Business Risk
Management (BRM) program that is
being proposed by Ag Canada has been
cause for a lot of debate between
federal government officials and
farmers and their organizations. The
farming community has been asking
that the current Net Income
Stabilization Account (NISA) program
be extended to cover 2003 to allow
time for improvements to be
incorporated into the new BRM
proposal. Federal government officials
have resisted this call.
Until recently, most provincial
governments followed the wishes of
their farm organizations and refused to
sign onto the federal government's
BRM proposal. Since the BSE or "mad
cow disease" diagnosis in Alberta and
the farming community's call for
financial assistance for the livestock
industry, there have been suggestions
that provincial endorsement of the
federal business risk management plan
will be required before farmers in the
respective provinces can expect any
52 THE RURAL VOICE
emergency funding.
The Ontario Federation of
Agriculture resents even the suggestion
that livestock producers would be
considered pawns in the government's
strategy for acceptance of its BRM
proposal.
Canadian farmers need a business
risk management plan that will meet
the needs of a very diverse industry —
not a one -size -fits -all approach as put
forth by federal officials. We also need
a federal government that is willing to
negotiate and accept legitimate points
when they are put on the table.
Right now the farming community
is awaiting the findings of a third -party
review of the federal proposal. Officials
at the George Morris Centre in Guelph
are conducting this review,
commissioned by the Ontario Ministry
of Agriculture and Food. Findings of an
earlier review, commissioned by the
Federal Government, were dismissed
by the farming community because the
terms of reference developed by Ag
Canada officials failed to reflect the
concerns expressed by farmers and
their organizations.
Hopefully the OMAF review,
expected June 27, 2003, will clarify the
concerns of farmers and their
organizations for the Federal
Government's officials. We want a
safety net program that will meet the
needs of as many Ontario farmers as
possible, and we don't want to be
blackmailed into accepting anything
less.0
Water Well Drilling, Durham; Jim
Clarke Well Drilling, Meaford; Keady
Livestock Market Ltd., Keady; Maple
Lane Farm Service, Mount Forest;
Markdale Tractor Sales, Markdale;
Mooney Fuels Ltd., Owen Sound;
Neuman Well Drilling, Dundalk;
Ronco Dairy Supply, Neustadt; Secure
Insurance Solutions Group Ltd.,
Markdale; Simcoe District Co-
operative, Dundalk; Sprucedale
Agromart, Tara.
On behalf of the Grey County
Environmental Farm Plan Committee,
and the participants, I want to thank
individuals, host organizations and the
sponsors for your co-operation and
enthusiastic support.
The EFP Program has certainly
become well recognized as an excellent
agricultural resource and management
tool, and is now seen as a prerequisite
to qualify for many of the grant
programs that are coming down the
Pipe.
The EFP Incentive Program was
completely utilized prior to March 31,
2003, but a new National Program is
being developed, and hopefully the
details will be announced in the near
future. Farmers are encouraged to stay
tuned for details as they become
available. The Grey County
Agricultural Services website will carry
complete details when they are known.
This farmer -driven initiative has
become a world leader, and the support
of the local farm community is truly
appreciated.
Farmers wanting more information
about the EFP Program or related
programs are encouraged to contact
Ray Robertson at the Grey County
Agricultural Services Centre in
Markdale. Phone 519-986-3756.0
GREY COUNTY FEDERATION OF
AGRICULTURE
DIRECTORS' MEETING
Thursday, July 24, 2003
8:00 p.m.
Grey County Agricultural Services Centre
meeting room (Grey Gables)
206 Toronto Street South, Markdale
Members are welcome to attend
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