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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2000-01-26, Page 20PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2000. PROTECT voices concerns at NMP meeting in Ontario’s agricultural Assistants By Carl Stavros Clinton News-Record Consultations being held by the province on the effects of intensive livestock farming made a stop in Clinton last Wednesday to hear the opin­ ions of residents most productive county. Parliamentary Doug Galt and Toby Barrett, who are conducting the province-wide meeting, were told that large scale agricul­ tural operations, specifically livestock, pose a significant threat to Huron County’s environmental well-being. In a later interview, PRO­ TECT (Presenting Recom­ mendations on Township Environmental Concerns Together) member Francis Hogan stated that in their presentation to the MPPs. the organization called for a moratorium to be placed on the construction of new, inten­ sive operation barns until the province can legislate regula­ tions for the safe storage and disposal of the vast quantities of manure produced by this type of farming. “We would like to see more stringent regulations, zeroing in on the storage of liquid manure,” said the Lucknow­ area farmer. According to PROTECT, manure manage­ ment plans have been enacted in some municipalities in the county, but in most cases are based on voluntary compli­ ance. Manure management plans offer farmers informa­ tion and recommendations on the amount of manure which can be safely distributed over a given area of land. The storage tanks that hold liquid manure produced by intensive livestock operations are of primary environmental concern to PROTECT Leaks from the underground tanks that hold over 240 days of waste can be potentially dev­ astating to the county’s water supply. LeBeau given 4 yrs. the lives of and severely serve four injured. The crown had asked for an eight-year term while the defence had suggested a sen­ tence to be served in the com­ munity so LeBeau could act as a spokesperson against drinking and driving Hogan explained that the stored liquid manure is over 95 per cent water. As a result, severe environmental damage to the aquifer could occur within minutes if a tank was leaking. Spreading animal produced fertilizer onto the field also poses a similar risk due to the liquidity of the waste. The problem that arises with large scale livestock operations is, that in many cases, the waste produced is much greater than the land can sustain. Combined with the high expense of trucking away the manure, Hogan said this places the farmer in a dif­ ficult position as over-fertil­ ization becomes a viable option. This factor puts at risk not only the pollution levels of Lake Huron, he stated, but also the drinking water in shallow and deep wells. By not regulating the con­ struction and inspection of the storage tanks, Hogan warned that the door is left open for environmental damage that could cause fish kills and the beach closings that were com­ mon last summer. “Lake Huron beaches are becoming quite polluted,” he explained citing, “(In the past few years) they have been closed 30 per cent of the time.” This trend is troubling to the county’s lucrative tourism industry. Grand Bend other west have Councillor Bob Mann expressed the village’s con­ cern that intensive livestock operations threaten aspects of Ontario’s coast. “We can’t afford to intensive agriculture take pre­ eminence over all others who work to make this county great,” Mann said in The London Free Press. Even more troublesome to PROTECT than the lack of regulations is the inability of governments to enforce the regulations that do exist, explained Hogan. The Huron County Federation of Agriculture (HCFA) echoed PROTECT’S call for enforcement. Although representatives of the county’s farming popula­ tion expressed their opinion that there is no need for regu­ lations or the creation of more bureaucracy, the HCFA stated that action must be taken against repeat offenders. “The main point (of the meeting) was on record many times ... over-fertilization would cause pollution prob­ lems,” said HCFA Vice- President Neil Vincent, adding that farmers depend on the land and environment for their livelihood and need to treat it accordingly. However in their presentation to the governmental panel, HCFA representatives stated that cre- ation of codes of conduct, reg­ ular inspection of intensive operation facilities and nutri­ ent management plans should be enacted province wide, with room for municipal cus­ tomization. More importantly, the HCFA requested that the government assume the responsibility for deterring environmentally unsafe farm­ ing practices. “There should be a way of enforcing (that would penal­ ize) people or companies that routinely make mistakes,” Vincent said. The HCFA sug­ gested fines on an incremental scale, based on previous offenses. Although Vincent acknowl­ edged carelessness in the application of fertilizer can lead to pollution problems, he stated the majority of farmers do comply to the effective nutrient management plans. Vincent said the current plans should be used as a basis in the creation of legislation. Both Vincent and Hogan agreed that there is a necessi­ ty for governmental involve­ ment and the hearings are a step in the right direction. “The federation does not want to see polluting to become a cost of doing busi­ ness,” Vincent concluded. Ontario Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) representative for Clinton and area Daryl Ball also attended the infor­ mation gathering session at the Legion. He stated that he would like to see the various factions develop an under­ standing of each other’s situa­ tion from the meeting. He hopes that OMAFRA can help bring the opposing sides clos­ er together, but said, “There are no easy answers.” The information gathering sessions moved on to Orangeville from Clinton and will wrap up with a telecon­ ference with northern Ontario farmers on Jan. 31. Written submissions are being accept­ ed until Feb. 15. Letters can be sent to Dr. Doug Galt, Parliamentary Consultation Agricultural Ontario Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 1 Stone Rd. W., Guelph, ON, NIG 4Y2. Assistant, on Intensive Operations, Prescription I for Maintaining I Healthy Weight'. Physical activity, healthy eating and your doctorsa^____ I A\ www.participodion.com Sarah LeBeau received her sentence Monday for sever­ al impaired driving-related charges which resulted from a crash that took four area teens injured another. LeBeau will years concurrent for each of the charges involving death and two years concurrent for each injury charge, said OPP Sr. Const. Don Shropshall. Her licence has also been suspended for 15 years. In handing down the sen­ tence, Justice Thomas Granger said it was not aimed only at LeBeau but at anyone who drives recklessly or while drunk. In attempting to send a mes­ sage, Granger said, “There is a high price to pay regardless of past exemplary conduct.” “The enormity of the crime committed by Ms LeBeau is beyond any real comprehen­ sion,” he added. It was a “most difficult trial.” LeBeau, 22, of Stanley Twp. was convicted on four charges of criminal negli­ gence causing death and four counts of impaired driving causing death. Evidence presented at the trial showed that LeBeau had been hitting speeds of at least 150 km. per hour with more than twice the legal limit of alcohol in her system when the car crashed through a guardrail and into a ravine. Neal Atchison, Pamela King, Brian Hill and Mark Webster were killed. Brandon Gardener was severely Stitcher opens Schneider Haus Continued from page 19 A Stitch in Time: The Embroidery of Ingrid Steiner, will kick-off another season at Joseph Schneider Haus when the museum re-opens to the public for another season on Feb. 19. For a brochure outlining Ingrid’s complete programme for 2000, call the Museum at (519)-742-7752. Ohtario Child Care Supplement for Working Families © Ontario • Monthly payments under this Ontario Government program have been increased • Up to $1,100 a year for each child under age seven © Designed for low-to-middle-income families (working, in school, or one parent stays home to care for their children under seven) • 220,000 families with 365,000 children are eligible to benefit Apply now for your Ontario supplement. It’s as simple as completing an application form each year and returning it promptly to the Ministry of Finance. Helping Working Families For more information call toll free: 1-800-263-7965 (teletypewriter: 1-800-263-7776)