The Rural Voice, 1998-09, Page 66the market is a food product on the
hoof and we have to treat it as
such."0
OFA goes to bat for
apple growers hard
hit by tax increase
The Ontario Federation of
Agriculture is angry over the number
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62 THE RURAL VOICE
News
of apple growers in Grcy County
who have recently received amended
property tax assessments for
refrigerated storage facilities.
"Local assessment officials are
calling storage a value-added
activity," says OFA President Ed
Segsworth. "These climate-controled
storage structures have been
reclassified from farmlands to
commercial," he explains. "Farm
Storage of agricultural crops is a
farming activity. Apples don't
change their form by putting them in
storage — apples go in and apples
come out."
In one example, property taxes
could skyrocket from $2,800 per year
to a whopping $16,900.
"This is unacceptable and will
bankrupt farmers," said Segsworth.
"We are urging all members to check
their amended property tax
assessment notice in case a portion of
their operation has been reclassified
from "farmlands" to "commercial".
The deadline for appeals of 1999
property taxes is Monday, August 31,
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For further information please contact
Bob Leeming at 519-522-2248 or
Scott Rocher at 519-348-8103
1998.
"The Ontario Federation of
Agriculture is not prepared to accept
the dccision of assessment staff in
Grey County," said Segsworth said
he understood officials from
OMAFRA and the Ministry of
Finance were to meet August 26 to
discuss the issue.°
North Easthope
writes its own history
The long awaited North Easthope
history book is now being printed
and bound. It was over three years
ago when the 12 -member North
Easthope history book committee
met for the first time, back then the
book was only a dream.
Today the hardcover book reflects
the life and times of the people of the
township from 1827-1997. The over
800 pages and 1,400 photos in the
book tell the histories of churches,
schools, veterans, organizations, lots,
municipalities and villages.
Pat Campbell, chair of the book
committee said Dean Robinson a
writer and editor from Stratford and
Barb Boyne a graphic designer from
the Beacon -Herald printing division,
have done an excellent job in giving
the book a professional touch.
The book committee was
overwhelmed when over 1,000 books
were presold by the end of June and
the orders are still coming in.0
Chesley student wins
Women's Institute
scholarship
Margaret E. McDonald of Chesley
has received the 90th Anniversary
Educational Award from the
Federation Women's Institutes of
Ontario.
The $600 award, established in
1987, is presented annually to a
Women's Institute member who
wishes to upgrade her education.
McDonald, a member of the Gillies
Hill WI, it taking a Master Gardener
program at the University of Guelph.
She is working toward a diploma in
horticulture.°