The Rural Voice, 1991-03, Page 3general manager/editor: Jim Fitzgerald
editorial advisory committee:
Bev Hill, farmer, Huron County
John Heard, soils and crops extension
and research, northwestern Ontario
Neil McCutcheon, farmer, Grey County
Diane O'Shea, farmer, Middlesex Cty.
George Penfold, associate professor,
University of Guelph
Gerald Poechman, farmer, Bruce Cty.
Bob Stephen, farmer, Perth County
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Sandra Orr, Yvonne Reynolds
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production co-ordinator:
Tracey Rising
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BEHIND THE SCENES
by Jim Fitzgerald
General Manager/editor
I'm becoming more convinced that
livestock producers should start pay-
ing closer attention to their operations,
and, in particular, to how they're han-
dling and disposing of their waste
products. I can smell changes coming.
One hint occurred to me while I
was driving in the country recently. A
number of farmers were spreading
various forms of manure on the land,
and the black streaks on the snow
traced their path. Several days later,
returning along the same route after a
record setting thaw, it was hard to tell
where there was more manure, in the
ditches or on the fields.
Further evidence surfaced during a
conversation with a manure spreader
manufacturer at the recent Interna-
tional Farm Show. He quietly relayed
his thoughts about the future of man-
ure handling in the province. Recent
studies show that the major source of
harmful bacterial pollution of the
lower Great Lakes is from freshly
spread livestock manure. He's betting
that there are some major changes in
the wind from the new provincial
NDP government so he's now build-
ing his equipment— injection spread-
ers — to match what he thinks will be
mandatory requirements in a few years
time.
I was even more convinced after a
speech the same day from Ontario
Agriculture Minister Elmer Buchanan
who said, "the issues of soil conserva-
tion, waste management, and chemical
use are going to be given higher prom-
inence with this government."
"My colleague (Environment
Minister) Ruth Grier has said that this
new government is a green govern-
ment. This means that, sooner or
later, environmental concerns will be
taken into account in virtually every
policy and program." Buchanan was
trying to assure the audience of farm
writers that the "urban environmental-
ists" wouldn't necessarily be writing
new regulations that will make it
harder to farm. "The only way that
agriculture can become truly sustain-
able for the environment is through
co-operative action. We believe that
the tide is s.._ ting in rural Ontario...
that a growing number of farmers are
adopting environmentally responsible
practices. Our preference will be to
use education and incentives rather
than regulations," Buchanan said.
He also hinted that there may be
the need for new tougher laws if far-
mers don't adopt sustainable practices.
Fortunately, in the past few years
we have been experiencing a wide
acceptance of soil conservation prac-
tices among Ontario farmers, with
plenty of expertise and proven prac-
tices, along with government pro-
grams, to encourage minimum and no -
till practices. With many producers
now recognizing the value of keeping
the use of chemicals to a minimum,
coupled with mandatory pesticide
handling courses, changes coming
down the pike in those two areas from
our new "green government" won't
cause undue hardship.
I'm afraid, however, that when it
comes to manure handling, we're still
living in the dark ages, and any con-
certed effort to clean up the situation
to the city people's satisfaction is
going to be mighty expensive for
somebody.
Collecting and treating barnyard
runoff, composting manure, and
timely yield manure applications under
the watchful eye of an inspector, are
very real possibilities for our livestock
producers in the future. Unless soc-
iety helps pay for the cleanup, it will
put our producers at a distinct disad-
vantage to other jurisdictions, and it
could be the last nail in the coffin for
many livestock operations.0