The Rural Voice, 2019-03, Page 80Email: perthcountyfedofag@gmail.com Website: www.perthcountyfarmers.ca
Agnes Denham, Secretary: 519-229-8866 or 1-866-829-8866
Robert Martin, President: robertmartin@xplornet.ca or 519-291-4853
Perth County Federation of Agriculture
76 The Rural Voice
* The Rural Voice is provided to OFA Members in Perth County by the PCFA.
Ahead of 2019 planting season is an
opportunity to review requirements and
safety for farm equipment on roadways.
Farm implements driven on the roads
are subject to the Highway Traffic Act
(HTA). When preparing equipment for
use this spring, please consider what
lighting, signage, and safety equipment
and practices you need.
Below are some items to review
from the Ministry of Transportation of
Ontario FARM GUIDE: Farm
Equipment on the Highway. The Guide
is available on line or contact your
local OFA Member Service Rep for
more information. Below, “Highway”
refers to all public roads.
Lights:
Farm vehicles on a highway must
use head and tail lights from a half hour
before sunset to a half hour after
sunrise, or when vehicles are not
clearly visible from 150 metres (500').
Have at least two white lights facing
forward and one red light facing
rearward. When towing implements,
the rearmost unit must have at least one
red taillight; two tail lights if over 2.6
metres (8 1.2') wide. Farm vehicles
over 2.6 metres wide require special
lighting. Refer to the FARM GUIDE
for the specific requirements. Farm
implement combinations over 6.1
metres (20') long require side marker
lights; two green or amber at the front
and two red at the rear; clearly visible
from 150 metres.
SMV Signs:
Every farm tractor or self-propelled
implement on a highway must display a
Slow-Moving Vehicle (SMV) sign.
SMV signs should be centered on the
rear of the rearmost vehicle, .6 to 2
metres (2' – 6') above the road. Farm
equipment using a SMV sign must
obey its 40 km/h (25 MPH) speed limit.
Amendments to the HTA in 2009
permit farmers to tow implements
behind a pickup truck. The
truck/implement combination must
operate at a speed of 40 km/h (25
MPH) or less too. All farm tractors and
self-propelled implements of
husbandry, including those capable of
road speeds over 40 km/h must obey
the 40 km/h speed limit attached to use
of the SMV sign.
Replace faded SMV signs. They
must be clearly visible from 150 metres
(500'). Farm vehicles carried on a truck
or trailer are not slow-moving vehicles;
they are a load, and the SMV sign
should be removed or covered up. As
well, SMV signs must not be placed on
a fixed object, such as a gate post or
mail box, visible from the road.
Safety Chains:
The HTA requires farm wagons and
implements drawn along a highway
behind a farm tractor, combine, pickup
or car, to have two separate means of
attachment, so if one fails the towed
implement will not separate from the
towing vehicle. The draw bar/hitch
provides the first means of attachment;
a safety chain/cable the second. A
single safety chain is the most common
way to meet this requirement. The
safety chain must be strong enough to
hold the weight of the towed implement
plus its load. If more than one
implement is towed, each draw
bar/hitch combination must have its
own safety chain. A three-point hitch
does not require a secondary means of
attachment. Two chains crossed under
the draw bar is a requirement only for
heavy truck trailers. MTO’s FARM
GUIDE contains chain strength tables
Hand-held devices ban:
An amendment to the Highway
Traffic Act in 2009 that banned the use
of hand-held devices (cell phones, etc.)
while driving applies to farm tractors
and self-propelled implements of
husbandry on the road.
Where to Drive:
Although it is not illegal to drive
farm equipment on the shoulder of the
road, you should always drive on the
travelled portion of the highway as the
shoulder may not be able to support the
weight of your farm equipment. Also,
although farm equipment is exempt
from the width rules in the HTA, you
must yield half the roadway to
oncoming vehicles.
For more information go to:
https://ofa.on.ca/resources/?xfilter=fact
-sheets or watch a webinar from OFA
at: https://ofa.on.ca/resources/
webinar-keeping-your-wheels-on-the-
road/
Farm equipment on the roads – know the rules
PCFA celebrates 75 years!
2019 is Perth County Federation of Agriculture’s 75th Anniversary.
Watch this page for some interesting “Did You Know” facts from the past 75 years.
Mark your calendar for Saturday, November 16, 2019 as we will be celebrating
this landmark occasion at this year’s Perth County Harvest Gala.
PCFA 75 years
1944-2019
Did you know?
Answers below:
1. In 1944 when PCFA was
formed, how many members did
they sign up the first year?
A. 1,600
B. 1,800
C. 2,000
D. 2,200
2. Who was the first PCFA
President?
A. James Corry
B. William Anderson
C. Frank Bell
D. Clayton Bender
3. Who was the first secretary-
treasurer?
A. George Waldie
B. Fraser Gibb
C. Albert Bowman
D. Edward Dearing
A
n
s
w
e
r
s
:
1
:
C
.
2
:
C
.
3
:
A
PCFA DIRECTORS MEETING
Thursday, March 21
Contact office for time and location
OFA FARM TRANSITION
WORKSHOP
Thursday, March 28
Neustadt Community Centre