HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen-Agriculture 98, 1998-03-18, Page 38With aid from information
obtained by Grey Twp. council
who passed a nutrient
management plan
(NMP) bylaw a
year ago,
OFEC
decided
upon
some
The constraints encompass
jurisdiction, public rights,
enforcement issues, public and
political support and the protection
of agriculture while maintaining
competitiveness.
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PAGE A-18. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 1998.
Agriculture '98 • f.'."'"
Nutrient management first step to improvement
By Janice Becker
Citizen staff
As the millennium winds down,
the need to manage nutrients
becomes more critical.
With the boundaries between
agricultural, non-agricultural rural
and urban dwellers continuing to
blur, heightened awareness of
environmental issues has become a
prominent part of every day life.
Actually, it was in the early
1990s that farm and
environmental organizations as
well as municipal leaders
began to look at policies for
nutrient management
planning.
Though often considered
an issue dealing only with
the disposal of livestock
waste, frequently for
swine operations, those
working on the plan say
nutrient management is
important for every
agriculturalist, whether
spreading animal waste
or chemical fertilizer.
Getting the most out
of the land, in the
most efficient and safe manner is a
benefit to everyone.
The Ontario Farm Environmental
Coalition (OFEC), which consists
of the Ontario Federation of
Agriculture (OFA), Christian
Farmers Federation of Ontario
(CFFO), Agricultural Groups
Concerned About Resources and the
Environment (AGCare) and Ontario
Farm Animal Council, as well as 28
other farm groups, held an
information and input meeting
recently in Brussels to discuss a
draft policy.
Since OFEC's formation in 1991,
the organization has dealt with
environmental farm plans through
workshops, action plans and peer
reviews, said OFEC member and
Simcoe County dairy farmer, Gord
Coukell.
It was the process of looking at
water quality and consumption in
the study, which brought OFEC to
the point of creating a nutrient
management strategy. A model
bylaw and complaint mechanism
were also developed to give
municipalities a starting point for
their own bylaws.
When asked why NMPs are
needed, Perth County's Paul
Verkley, a member of OFA's
environmental committee, said,
"We have had a lot of success being
proactive. With the changing
demographics in rural Ontario, the
growth of the industry and
municipal concerns for odour and
water quality, there were requests
for guidance in the matter."
The outcome for the strategy was
to create a consistent approach
across the province, increase
awareness of, and education about,
NMPs for farm and non-farm
residents as well as municipalities
and increase farm documentation on
exactly what is being done to
manage nutrients, he said.
By setting out guidelines, bylaws
can meet accepted standards, based
on scientific information and
through a consensus of all involved.
triggers which would set off the
need for an NMP.
Triggering an NMP
The main indication that an NMP
would be required would arise when
a building permit was sought for an
facility to house more than 150
animal units or an operation where
there were more than 50 animal
units and more than two per acre.
"This number was chosen," said
Verkley, "because those are the
operations in which more than one
person is involved in the running of
the business. There may be one
looking after the animals and
another after the crops. They have
more of a paper trail as the business
is more involved."
However, it was strongly pointed
out that all farmers should have
NMPs.
Verkley detailed the numerous
aspects which make a good NMP,
the first being a good neighbour
policy.
"A good neighbour does not go
spray on the morning of Mother's
Day," he said.
The components looked at
include soil and manure tests, crop
requirements for nutrients, timing
and application and environmental
safeguards.
Improved record keeping, on a six
year rolling schedule, protects both
the farmer and neighbour if
something goes wrong.
"There is documentation as to
what has been done."
Legal constraints
Once the purpose of the plan was
discussed, Huron County planner
Wayne Caldwell addressed legal
matters with regards to bylaws.
There is legislation in place such
as the Environmental Protection
Act, Water Resources Act, Planning
Act, Municipal Act and the
proposed Farming and Food
Production Protection Act, which
influence at the NMP bylaw can
deal with , said Caldwell.
Bill 146, the right to farm bill,
will also have an impact.
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have to put it together in a workable
approach."
The Planning Act covers issues of
location, erection and use of manure
pits as well as health, safety and
welfare, said Caldwell.
However, a bylaw should address
minimum distance separation,
manure storage capacity and the
handling and application of
nutrients.
In the handling of nutrients, the
relationship between the land base
and the waste must be considered.
"Minimum distance separations
work both ways. It keeps farm
operations away from houses, but it
also keeps houses away from
barns."
Verification and complaints
The third aspect of the strategy
was to develop a verification
process and complaint mechanism.
George Garland, program
manager, engineer, for the Ontario
Ministry of Agriculture, Food and
Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), briefed
those in attendance on the review
process for NMP completed by
farmers.
The plan would be developed by
the farmer or hired out to a
consultant at the time of a building
permit application.
OMAFRA would then act as a
third party review to ensure all
aspects of the NMP had been
covered.
Though Garland said it would be
conscientious for farmers to review
their NMP each year, it would be
particularly important when any
significant change was made,
regardless of the timing.
Changes could include a drop in
the land base or a modification in
the way waste was handled.
OMAFRA got into the third-party
review process because of a need
for accountability and a level of
security for the municipalities, he
said.
A procedure for complaints has
also been developed by OFEC
which will allow input from
residents and due-process for
farmers.
An initial complaint concerning
anything from smells to serious
breaches of environmental
protection would be received by
the municipality or ministry.
A determination would be made
as to whether there was a legal
violation of practices.
If there were, protocol would
be followed which have been set
by the ministries involved such
as the Ministry of Natural
Resources or the Ministry of the
Environment.
If there was no legal wrong-
doings, the complaint would go
before a local nutrient management
advisory committee to deal with the
concerns at a peer level.
OFEC would like to see a
regional or county advisory
committee set up with both farmers
and non-farmers to handle each
issue, said Garland.
The advisory committee could
have numerous people, though only
two or three members, with a sound
knowledge of the area of agriculture
involved in the complaint, who
would approach the operator
concerned.
If the advisory committee
determines there has been a
violation, it would then go to the
ministry, if not, they would discuss
"good neighbour" policies.
They would act as mediators.
However, if the issue was not
resolved, the matter could be dealt
with by the Farm Protection Act or t
he proposed Farming and Food
Production Protection Act.
The advisory committee could
also suggest a complete NMP if one
is not already in place.
In summarizing the intent of the
strategic plan for NMPs, Verkley
said, "Leadership is not about
following old rules, but creating
new ones."
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