HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1997-03-19, Page 39THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 1997. PAGE A-19.
Agricull tire '97
Quality assurance vital
to all agricultural sectors
By Janice Becker
Citizen staff
From a consumer’s point of
view, the quality of a meat or milk
product is paramount when pur
chasing goods for the family, but
that assurance of quality is just as
important for the farmers producing
the product. It is their livelihood.
Every sector of livestock produc
tion now has quality assurance pro
grams in place or are working on
new improved methods to guaran
tee the expected quality.
Top performance
To strive for a top quality
product, farmers must ensure
the health and welfare of their
livestock.
Pork producers
The Ontario Pork Producers are
in the initial stages of doing a com
plete on-farm quality assurance
study, with 70 producers involved
in the pilot project.
Begun in response to a demand
by both consumers and pork
importers, pork producers con
ceived the project with an aim to
keep export markets open, says
Blyth-area producer Dave Linton,
and assure customers of quality,
beginning at the farm level.
An 18-member committee, con
sisting of six producers, one repre
sentative for packers, exports, feed
manufacturers, pharmaceutical
companies, food safety, vets,
OMAFRA and two representatives
from the Ontario Pork Producers
Marketing Board (OPPMB).
The three-phase pilot project will
take place over three years, begin
ning this year.
The first phase will look at “on-
farm” factors such as: residues in
pork, such as sulfa; avoidance of
antimicrobial contamination like
salmonella and assurance of prac
tices which are environmentally
and animal friendly.
The 70 participating farmers will
be required to keep drug and feed
logs for their animals. This is to be
completed by the end of 1997.
The second phase, for 1998, will
deal with slaughterhouse monitor
ing for bacteria.
By 1999, a quality assurance pro
gram, with revisions from project
participants included, will be
offered to all interested producers,
as will the results of phase two.
Included in the quality assurance
package will be information which
will assist pork producers to opti
mize production efficiency.
The final portion of the study
which is still under consideration,
may deal with nutrient management
plans and a recommended code of
practices. The study is to be fin
ished by January, 2000.
Though in favour of ensuring the
quality of the product, Linton says
producers still have questions as to
the cost of the program, particularly
with phase two.
“How will the meat in the
slaughter houses be tested and how
will it be analyzed unless it is done
from one plant.”
“I’m not sure what they will do
with all the results or how they will
sort it all out, but they are trying,”
he says.
Beef industry
The Ontario Cattlemen’s Associ
ation (OCA) has launched an edu
cational program in conjunction
with the Dairy Farmers of Ontario
to ensure knowledge and awareness
on the part of the farmers.
Not only has the organization
developed a large binder filled with
information, but they have gone
high-tech with a CD-ROM to pro
vide easily accessible material to
cattlemen, animal health compa
nies, feed companies, veterinarians
and other beef industry partners.
With the inclusion of text, slides,
video and audio information, the
CD-ROM covers a wide selection
of topics in two sections.
The infobase has more than 200
fact sheets, technical bulletins and
articles which deal with animal
care, carcass and meat quality,
engineering, environmental man
agement, health and preventative
medicine, marketing nutrition,
research and specialties.
The second portion gives detailed
information and pertinent
Continued on A-20
More than just flowers
So many mysteries surround herbs, that most people don't realize the flowers in the front
gardens may not just look good, but taste well and have the power to heal and cure. Birgit
Hillier of Highgables Herb Farm outside Holmesville hopes to help people uncover some of
those mysteries with her new business.
Herb success possible for novices
Continued from A-20
ly begin with culinary herbs. The
best thing is to find out what they
have to work with for a garden."
Even a novice can have success
with most herbs grown outdoors,
says Hillier, as the plants are quite
hardy. The annuals are particularly
easy to grow and as most outside
herbs are drought resistant, the
biggest danger is that they may be
overwatered. Some, such as pars
ley, don't even need sunlight.
Another interest Hillier is pursu
ing, is companion planting. This is
based on the theory that certain
plants when placed in proximity to
others will be positively impacted.
For example the borage plant is
apparently a benefit to the straw
berry plant as it attracts bees.
"A lot of people (scoff at) this
idea, but it's been working for me,"
she says, explaining that
horseradish is purported to deter
the potato beetle. "It may be a coin-
cidence, but when I planted it
around the edgg. of my potato patch
last year, it was the first time I did
n't have to pick any beetles out."
Such hints Hillier has unearthed
from her treasure trove of research
material. Books and magazines, she
says, are a tremendous asset to any
one interested in herbs. She intends
to add to her already extensive
library so that it may be utilized by
clients for research.
A member of the Canadian
Organic Growers, Hillier says she
doesn't want the business to grow
too quickly too soon, but she is
looking ahead with enthusiasm.
Presently Highgablcs has kitchen,
medicinal and rose gardens. Plans
are in the works, however, to open
up nine and a half acres for display
gardens, to be designed by James
Sampa of Seaforth.
There is no charge to visit High-
gables, which will be open on Sun
days from noon until 5 p.m., Friday
by chance and the remaining week
days from noon until six. Satur
days, Hillier will be al the farmer's
market in Goderich.
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