HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2001-07-04, Page 26Ontario's pork producers were
pleased to hear of the new proposed
safe food legislation announced by
the Ontario -government earlier this
week.
The new safe food act will aim to
consolidate existing food safety and
quality requirements that are current-
ly found in six different pieces of
legislation. These acts include the
Dead Animal Disposal Act, the
Edible Oil Products Act, the Farm
Products grades and Sales Act, the
Livestock and Livestock Products
Act, the Meat Inspection Act and the
Fish Inspection Act.
"Pork producers in this province
take pride , in producing a safe,
wholesome .product and we support
the consolidation of safe food legis-
lation," said Ontario Pork Chair
Clare Schlegel. "Ontario has one of
the safest food supplies in the world
and this new legislation will help
maintain the high level of consumer
confidence in our product."
As part of their ongoing commit-
ment to the production of safe pork.
Ontario producers are 'active partici-
pants in the Canadian Quality
Assurance® (CQA) program.
CQA® is a national on-farm food
safety program based on HACCP
(Hazard Analysis Critical Control
Points) principles, and over two mil-
lion hogs in Ontario are produced
under this program annually.
Ontario Pork represents the 4,400
farmers who market hogs in -the
province in many areas, including
hog marketing, consumer education,
research, government representation.
3 winners announced
in Walk to Win challenge
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11 o lw for Tomorrow.
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Help protect the
environment
Reduce, reuse
and recycle
Celebrate the International Year
of the Volunteer by coming out
to a Habitat for Humanity build.
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There's one thing you can predict in life.
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me Multiple Sclerosis
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1.800-268-7582 www.mssociety.ca
PAGE 26. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JULY 4, 2001.
Ecological armers plan organic arm tour ,
Heard a lot about organic farming
but never had a chance to see it up
close? Well, this summer the EFAO,
(Ecological Farmers Association of
Ontario), the largest organic agricul-
ture organization in the province, is
hosting farm tours at several mem-
bers' farms who allow fellow farm-
ers, consumers, educators and fami-
lies to see it up close, in the barn and
in the field.
This Saturday, July 7, there are
tours in eastern and western Ontario.
Children are welcome, but not pets.
Be prepared to walk in the sun or
rain.
In western Ontario, there is a tour
at the farm of Martin de Groot and
lneke Booy, who have an organic
dairy farm and on-farm ice cream
processing plant (Mapleton
Organics) north of Elora, just
off Wellington Rd. 7 close to
Teviotdale.
The tour begins at the processing
plant at 11 a.m. and after a break for
lunch (bring your own) the farm tour
resumes at I p.m. The organic field
crops include spelt, soybeans, rota-
tional grazing, grains, open pollinat-
ed corn and specialty crops like pota-
toes, squash, carrots, and sweet corn.
Phone (519) 638-3481.
In eastern Ontario, the tour is at the
-icash crop farm of Marlyn and
Josephine O'Conner at 10925 Van
Camp Rd., Mountain, Ontario.
Phone (613) 989-2652. The
O'Conners have been certified
organic since 1991 and grow corn,
soybeans, spelt, winter rye and buck-
wheat.
Next Saturday, July 14, there is a
farm tour at the farm of Ike and
Beatrix Enter, who raise beef, sweet
corn, peas, alfalfa, soybeans, white
beans, and spelt on 600 acres south-
west of Parkhill. This tour is at 1343
Elm Tree Dr., northwest of London.
Phone (519) 232-9458. This tour
starts at I p.m.
On Saturday, July 21, there is a
tour at the sheep and cash crop oper-
ation of Chris and Gabrielle
Boettcher, near Brussels, 44046
Moncrieff Rd. They have a 200-ewe
herd of sheep and crops include
grains, beans, hay, buckwheat, red
clover and fodder rape. This farm is
Demeter certified by the Biodynamic
Society. The tour starts at 10 a.m.,
bring your own lunch.
The Ecological Farmers
Association of Ontario is a voluntary
not-for-profit association that edu-
cates people about organic methods
of farming. EFAO brings together
people who are concerned about eco-
logical/organic agriculture so they
can learn from each other.
The organization's mission is to
maintain and enhance the health of
soil and crops, livestock and the
community. The 500 members of
EFAO include commercial farms,
backyard gardeners, researchers,
journalists, academics and con-
sumers and are spread across
Ontario. They have a web site at
www.gks.com/efao
Wingham hospital bd. meets for last time before summer
By Jim Brown
Wingham Advance Times
The Wingham and District
Hospital Board held a brief meeting
last Thursday evening before taking
a break for the summer.
Chairman Judith Gaunt said the
past three board chairman have
guided the Wingham hospital
through the biggest challenges faced
by the board.
Noreen Gnay led the hospital
when there were threats of possible
closures among Huron and Perth
hospitals.
George Underwood led the hospi-
tal during the formative yearS of the
Huron Perth Hospitals Partnership.
And, Bob Pike as chairman of the
Wingham board was instrumental in
the development of the joint execu-
tive committee with all eight hospi-
tals of the partnership.
Gaunt noted Pike was a strong
leader during the past two years.
Although a number of issues have
been dealt with, there are still a
number of upcoming issues, includ-
ing the 'clinical plan, accreditation
and rectifying the budget.
She added if everyone works
together, the board should be able to,
present another successful report to
the 95th annual meeting next June.
COMACK'S REPORT
Site Administrator Margret
Comack said the staffing and week-
ends for the summer have been
worked out.
She noted the leadership team
members had already started their
vacation schedules with Pat Pietrek
the only member in attendance at
last Thursday's meeting.
Comack indicated they have
planned things for the staff for the
next two months, as those who are
working will try and make the work-
place more enjoyable by creating
games for the staff to do while work-
ing.
There will also be rewards such as
popsicles.
She noted these games will make
a difference in the workplace by
making it a better place to be.
Comack said the partnership has
$1.7 million to spend in the repatria-
tion program.
She added that Stratford will
begin its program immediately,
while Wingham works on its- pro-
gram.
She pointed out new consultants
have come on board for the hospital.
Also, a new general surgeon and a
new radiologists will be starting in
the fall.
At' the provincial level, the hospi-
tal has not heard if its operating plan
for 2001-2002 has been approved.
She hopes the Minister of Health
and Long Term Care listens to the
various hospital boards' in regards to
hospitals being under funded.
One proposal was that this year be
a 'wash out' in regards to an extend-
ed operating plan as the first quarter
of the year is already complete.
The hospitals can then proceed
with their two or three year plans
beginning next year.
Unless the same amount of money
is put into health care this year as
was put in last year, health care is
still under funded.
According to Comack, adjust-
ments to the budget will be worked
on over the summer.
Safe food legislation pleases Ontario's pork producers
Three lucky winners in the Walk to
Win Challenge have been
announced.
Ten-year-old Travis Carrick from
Goderich won a scooter, Carleen
Lawrence from Huron Park won a
prize package from the Maitland
Trail Association, Brenda Blair from
Bayfield is the winner of a Heart
Smart cookbook and Wendy Gozzard
from Goderich has won a prize pack-
age from the Maitland Valley
Conservation Authority.
The Walk to Win Challenge kicked
off in May and continues until Oct.
28. By walking three different trails
from the Let's Get Active Trail
Guide, or conservation areas in
Huron County, you can enter the con-
test.
Ballots and trail guides are avail-
able at all "Huron County library
branches as well as at the Huron
County Health Unit, Falls Reserve
Conservation Area and Morrison
Dam Conservation area. Prizes for
children and adults • will be given
away in October including another
children's scooter, camping equip-
ment, book packages and frisbees.
"We're really pleased with the
response to the contest so far,"
reports Wendy Hoernig, chair of the
Maitland Trail Association. "The
Walk to Win Challenge has. been
developed to encourage people to use
walking trails located close to home.
Huron County has a wonderful net-
work of trails just waiting to be
explored."
The Walk to Win Challenge is
sponsored by Take Heart Huron, the
Maitland Trail Association and the
Ausable Bayfield and Maitland
Valley Conservation Authorities. For
further information call 335-3557 or kAo hi es 1311,7„,. 482-3416 or 235-2610. no/ • • tib
Habitat for Humanity
For more information on
Habitat for Humanity
and to contact your nearest
affiliate, contact us at
1-800-667-5137
Eruail: habitat@habitat.ca
www.habitat.ca
environmental- issues, animal care
and food quality assurance. It is esti-
mated that the total industry output
from farm gate sales is worth $4.2
billion to the Ontario economy. Visit
Ontario Pork's website at:
www.ontariopork.on.ca
_HEALTH ON THE HILL
A Review of activities at
SEAFORTH COMMUNITY HOSPITAL
VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION the community may have
noticed the beautiful tent on the lawn June 25th. This was part of
the celebration to honour our Volunteers who include: Board and
Auxiliary members, Student Volunteers, Huron Hospice Volunteer
Service members, Spiritual/Pastoral Care Volunteers, Activation
musicians, Foundation members, Morning Out Volunteers, Care
Team and Centre of Excellence community representatives. We
value the many hours of service and commitment.
MEMORIAL DONATIONS we 'have a designated Palliative`
Care room with tasteful furnishings and a calming atmosphere. It
has recently been enhanced with a lovely framed print - a serene
fishing scene - a tribute to the memory of the late Mr. Frank
Elliott donated by his wife, Claudette. Our sincere appreciation
for this very thoughtful gift.
SEAFORTH COMMUNITY HOSPITAL FOUNDATION
gratefully acknowledge recent donations received in loving
memory of the late: Fred Glanville, Ann Lansink, Elma Jewitt,
Mary Scott, Wes Coombs, Harold Turnbull, Mabel Handy, Jean
Ross, Eric Doig, Sean Clark, Annie Staffen, Dorothy Munro,
Gordon Miller, Jean McNaughton, Don Crowley, John Patrick,
Frank Elliott, Delmer Erb, Spence Scott, Lloyd Riley, Mae
Habkirk, Luella Regele, Isabel Chesney, Mary Nolan, Durl
Hopper and Norman Kramers.
BOSTON "WALK-A-LONG" WINNERS congratulations to
the following staff who are winners of Boston Detroit Red Wings
prizes donated by Boyd Devereaux: Pauline Linton, Leona
Sharpe, Carol Hunt, Mary Barnes, Kelly Gillis and Sheila Feeney.
This was a staff initiative in the "Running for Excellence"
Campaign to raise awareness of and funds for the Comprehensive
Seniors Health Centre of Excellence planned for Seaforth. Watch
for further Centre of Excellence updates in the future.
CPR/FIRST AID/BABYSITTER COURSES if you require
Standard First Aid certification/recertification, Basic Rescuer
CPR or Babysitter Course, please contact the Canadian Red Cross
Society, (519) 273-9339.
"Have a safe and happy summer everyone."
Check out The Citizen's
WEBSITE
at
www.northhuron.on.ca