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The Rural Voice, 1992-06, Page 52Advice Water matters: Curb program provides funding to clean up water quality problems The Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority has received funding from the Ontario Ministry of Environment to administer the Clean Up Rural Beaches (CURB) Program over the next five years. The S57 million program has been established across Ontario in order to clean up targeted rural beaches with grants which are made available to the rural/farming community for various property improvements. This funding comes as a result of an intensive water quality investigation on the Saugeen River upstream of the Durham reservoir and the Penetangore River. These areas were selected due to concerns over repeated beach closures and consistently high bacteria counts found in the river water. This type of pollution can pose an immediate health hazard to those who drink or swim in this water. Waterborne illnesses to humans mainly include stomach flu, diarrhea and also ear, eye and throat infections. These contaminated waters also pose a health risk to watering livestock. Disease causing organisms arc carried downstream from upstream herds. With the results of this investigation, it was found that unacceptable septic systems was the primary cause of bacterial pollution and phosphorus inputs to the study or target areas. These results were not altogether surprising since other southwestern region CURB studies have shown similar results. Other common sources of bacterial pollution include livestock access to streams and rivers and poor manure management. Dairying can also add substantial phosphorus and bacteria to nearby water resources through inadequate milkhouse wash -water disposal. The nutrients will promote growth of algae and reduce oxygen in local surface water resources. In order to reduce the bacteria and phosphorus delivered to swimming beaches, four improvement items arc eligible for grants in the Penetangore River watershed and the Saugeen River upstream of Durham: repairing unacceptable septic systems, fencing livestock from streams and rivers, manure management projects and milkhouse waste disposal systems. A 50 per cent grant rate is assigned to all items with the exception of fencing at 75 per cent. Financial assistance will be limited to those applicants who are presently impacting local water quality in the targeted areas mentioned earlier. Proposed projects with the greatest potential for improving water quality will be considered first for funding. Check with the SVCA to determine your eligibility for funding. For more information contact: Janette Smiderle, CURB Program Facilitator, Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority, 519-364-1255.0 This is another in a series of articles by Janette Smiderle of the Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority, highlighting information on water quality in the rural environment. Herd sire shopping For many beef producers, the breeding season will soon be here. Selection of the herd sire is perhaps the most important economic decision made with a beef herd. Over time, bulls will account for 90 per cent of the genetics in the herd. There are a number of Bull Evaluation Centres throughout the province that provide a great variety of bulls. As a bonus to seeing a large number of bulls at the same place, under the same management, is the fact that performance data is also available. The first step in adding a new herd sire is the defining of goals for the beef herd. The goals for each farming operation will be somewhat unique. These goals should be based on the resources available and the demands of the market place. The cow herd should match the resources and the herd sire produce calves in demand by the market. Once goals are established, it is possible to assess the herd and determine the criteria to be used in adding a new herd sire. The evaluation centres provide EPDs (expected progeny differences) on growth rate; data from the Beef Herd Improvement Program which includes birth weight, calving ease, adjusted weaning weight, and weaning index; actual measurements such as weight, backfat, scrotal circumference and height. After determining which bulls meet your criteria on paper, the "short list" should be visually appraised for muscling and soundness. Ask the centre manager or OMAF county office for advice.0 Brian Pogue OMAF Beef Cattle Specialist There's still no free lunch You and I both know that a free lunch docs not exist. However there arc always some people who would like to make you think otherwise. How else can you explain advertisements like this: Money for first, second, or third mortgages! 48 THE RURAL VOICE Power of sale stopped! Debt consolidation. No credit checks. Farm or residential. What legitimate lender would provide third mortgage funds without a credit check? If you said no one you're right. The problem is that a person trying to manage a difficult financial situation may be suckered by the free lunch ad. If you are in the market to borrow money check any offers carefully. Find out what the fees are and the stated interest rate. Will your financial situation be improved after the loan, or will you actually be in worse shape? Can you identify the problem and make changes before things get desperate? Consider your alternatives.