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The Rural Voice, 1998-03, Page 33go to fix them," Ridder says. The committee has been meeting monthly to prepare its application for funding of $15,000 to go along with $5,000 which has already been promised from farm organizations. The money could pay for the study which would be carried out under the supervision of Professor Douglas Joy of the University of Guelph. The aim, says Ridder, is to have the researchers verify the data that has been collected "so that it's not our judgement but that the scientific community says it is so." It's also hoped that if the study goes ahead, it will create a process that other regions will be able to plug in their own data to create similar studies. The competition for funding under the National Soil and Water Conservation Program will be stiff, with many other projects competing for the available funds. Other sources of funding are also uncertain. Municipalities, Ridder says, have lent moral support but haven't promised any financial help. "It's too big a project for the agricultural comm- unity to finance on its own," he says. If the funding is found, a graduate student will be hired under Professor Joy's supervision and the project would likely take about eight months. Wayne Caldwell, senior planner with the Huron County Planning and Development Department says getting a full spectrum of information would be helpful in trying to bring the community together on issues of food production and the environment. On the one hand, he says, there are the people who would like to ban Targe, intensive operations. On the other extreme there are some statistics to show that large operations are the safest for the environment because there is a better level of management involved than with smaller operations that aren't so concerned about the dangers of manure storage or application. "The truth lies somewhere between the two extremes," he says. Caldwell, who has volunteered as secretary of the group, has been in the eye of the storm over the role of intensive livestock operations in Huron since 1996, when Grey Township initiated setting up a committee involving representatives from his department, OMAFRA, and several building and municipal officials. Grey has a concentration of some of the largest livestock operations in the province and there was concern with the Targe amount of manure being produced. The result of the committee was the development of a new model building bylaw which has since been adopted, sometimes in modified form, by most townships in Huron. It calls for a nutrient management plan to be prepared before a building permit is issued for livestock operations with more than 150 livestock units. Nutrient management plans have since become a hot topic across the province. As part of Huron's plan, a committee was set up in the tall of 1997 to examine how the nutrient management plans are working. The county appointed five HFEC representatives to this committee, along with members of the original Grey Township committee, three rep'esentatives of the public at large -1111/ Auer tarts j One Day Consignment AUCTION SALE Monday, March 16, 1998 at 8:30 a.m. for Ritot4:s Farm & Industrial Supply Ltd. Hwy. 6 - 3 km south of 401 or 12 miles south of Guelph, or 15 miles north of Hamilton RR X2, PUSLINCH, ONT. NOB 2J0 PHONE (519) 837-0710 FAX (519) 837-0307 FARM TRACTORS SALVAGE TRACTORS FARM EQUIPMENT TRUCKS & TRAILERS LAWN & GARDEN TRACTORS ¢i' 25 Years of Complete Auction Service tam Lkensed, Bonded & Insured Indoor Heated Sale Ring ter Secure Fenced Yard ¢a' Competent Friendly Staff tar Pickup and Delivery Service tar Low Commission Rates tam Fast Payouts err Free Estimates sg Free Extensive Advertising INDUSTRIAL COMBINES & HEADS ANTIQUE & COLLECTABLE TRACTORS Much, Much More... Call or Fax for an Updated List!! Last Year We Had Over 350 Tractors And Over 1,000 Pieces of Equipment!! Consign Early, So We Can Advertise It! Auction being conducted by Bryan's Farm & Industrial Supply Ltd. Lunch Available by Freelton Lions Club All items subject to prior sale. Not responsible for accidents day of sale TERMS: Cash or Good Cheque AUCTIONLER: Jim McCartney & Associates WHERE THE DEALS ARE ALWAYS BETTER! awes FARM & INDUSTRIAL SUPPLY LTD. Hwy. 6, 3 km south of Hwy. 401 North of Hamilton, South of Guelph Puslinch 519-837-0710 4- KITCHENER TORONTO -0 Hwy. 401 BRYAN'S * Hwy. 6 a Hwy. 403 4- HAMILTON NIAGARA -0 MARCH 1 OOR 24 IN