The Rural Voice, 2004-06, Page 45News in Agriculture
Ontario budget gets mixed ag. response
Farm groups were mixed in their
response to the first budget of the
Ontario government of Dalton
McGuinty May 18.
The $20 million over the next two
years to help farmers pay the costs
associated with becoming compliant
with the Nutrient Management Act,
is welcome news, "but farmers have
no way of knowing if it will be
enough," says Dr. John FitzGibbon,
chair of the Ontario Farm
Environmental Coalition (OFEC).
Until all details of the Nutrient
Management Act (NMA) regulations
are finalized and provided to farmers,
"it is very difficult to estimate the
actual costs farmers will face as they
bring their operations into
compliance with the Act," Dr.
FitzGibbon says.
OFEC has developed a set of
principles for a Nutrient Management
Cost -Share Program, and those
principles were explained to
government officials before the
release of the budget. One of the
principles was "funding programs
must be available to farmers well in
advance of their need to comply with
regulations." A period of 24 months
was recommended.
Another principle called for a
cost -share program that would
provide "similar funding levels to
those available to farmers in the
jurisdictions of our trading partners,
nationally and internationally."
Amounts up to 90 per cent of costs
were recommended. The principles
also called for a cost -share program
that would provide compensation not
only for initial costs of compliance,
but also "the costs of the ongoing
management required by the NMA."
Ron Bonnett, President, Ontario
Federation of Agriculture said the
OFA is pleased that a number of its
issues were incorporated into the
budget, either in whole or in part.
"Something we've been working on
for years, the use of the OFA
membership card to achieve
Provincial Sales Tax exempt status
on farm -related purchases, was
approved in the budget. Getting the
list of exempt items expanded to
parallel the list in other provinces
hasn't happened, yet."
Bonnett said OFA and its OFEC
partners will be meeting with OMAF
Minister Peters in the near future to
set out details for allocation of the
$20 million for nutrient management
act compliance. Because of the
technical support OMAF will be
expected to provide farmers as they
upgrade their facilities to meet
Nutrient Management Act
requirements, OFA will closely
monitor any plans for funding or
staffing changes at the ministry. "We
can't afford to lose any of the
technical expertise OMAF staff can
provide during this critical period."
The new budget provides in
excess of $400 million to support the
source -to -tap water initiatives. This
includes $250 million to help
municipalities bring their water
treatment facilities up to standard.
Bonnett said it was all welcome news
as everyone's role in delivering safe
drinking water comes under more
intense scrutiny.
He pledged OFA will work with
the provincial government as it deals
with its financial situation. but every
effort must be made to ensure equal.
benefits for Ontario's rural
population.
Don Mills. Ontario Co-ordinator
of the National Farmers Union
(NFU) said the $20 million over the
next two years to help farmers pay
utrient management costs falls short
of what is needed.
Mills noted if that $20 million
were equally distributed to Ontario's
50,000 farms, it would amount to an
average of only $4(X) per unit.
"That would probably buy a
wheelbarrow, a few manure forks
and shovels, and not a lot else." he
said. "On the other hand, the overall
costs of compliance. which would
still be borne by the indk idual
farmer. could easily amount to tens
of thousands of dollars per farm."0
4141,
Liberal
PAUL STECKLE
"Priority: the People),
wwwl(Wral.0
"This election is about deciding who will aggressively
fight for what you believe in...A good Member of
Parliament must be steadfast and must not be afraid to
stand up and be counted." •
l Paul Steckle - May 2004
t •
Vi
tragi
Since being elected to the House of Commons in 1993, Paul Steckle has
established himself as a person of character; someone not afraid to stand up
for his constituents. For ten years, Paul has been an effective and determined
voice for the people of Huron -Bruce. Whether on the floor of the House, in
Committee or at the thousands of pubic events he attends each year, Paul is
never afraid to loudly and passionately speak up on behalf of his constituents.
Paul Steckle is a dedicated voice for Huron -Bruce and would be honoured to
have your support for a fourth term.
For Information, Call or Visit my Campaign Office:
46 Victoria Street North, Goderich, Ontario N7A 2R6
Phone: (519) 524-4848 Toll Free: 1-800-489-8959 Fax: (519) 524-5528
E-mail: stecklecampaign@hellnet.ca
Authorized By The Official Agent For Paul Steckle
JUNE 2004 41