HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2000-02-16, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2000.
Letters to the editor
PROTECT responds to Acre T letter
THE EDITOR,
Over the last two and one half
years, PROTECT concentrated our
attention on the province-wide
problems associated with the
expansion of the intensive livestock
industry. However our focus has
unfortunately been directed once
again to local events. This is due to
the fact that a large amount of
manure entered field tile and
flowed into Lake Huron during five
different days between Nov. 26 and
Dec. 5.
Much to their merit, our local
council, on behalf of the ratepayers
of Ashfield Twp. recently laid
charges against Acre T Farms Ltd.
in connection with this incident.
A letter from Acre T Farms Ltd.
was published in this paper on Feb.
2, 2000. We would like to respond.
Although our response is specific
to the information set out in that
letter, there is of course a much
broader application for our
observations.
The charges and our responses
are as follows:
• “It permitted livestock manure
to be applied to saturated soils
causing puddles to remain in the
fields.” On the night of Nov. 25,
1999, we received only one quarter
of an inch of rain and the field tiles
were running water and manure the
following day. Therefore, to
explain the pollution event which
occurred, either the field could not
have been dry or excessive
amounts of manure were applied.
Even if the field had been dry at the
time of application, the weather
forecast that day was 100 per cent
chance of rain, making it a risky
time to spread liquid manure.
• “It permitted livestock manure
to be applied in excess of 4500
gallons per acre as provided in the
Nutrient Management Plan.” The
Nutrient Management Plan was
developed for Acre T Farms Ltd. In
their letter, Acre T Farms Ltd.
states that the application rate was
3,648 gallons per acre on dry,
excellent field conditions. There
was minimal rainfall and yet the
tile drains were running with
manure the following day! The
widespread concern around lack of
monitoring of manure management
plans is validated by the conflicting
application rates. How much
manure actually was applied and
where is it now?
• “It permitted livestock manure
to be spread on lands that were not
cultivated prior to said
application.” The practice of
cultivating prior to application is
not to make soil mellow or dry as
stated by Acre T Farms Ltd. It is
done to seal off water channels
such as cracks and worm channels,
thereby decreasing the chance for
liquid manure to seep down to field
tiles.
• “It permitted livestock manure
to be applied closer than 35 feet to
open watercourses or municipal
drains.” Acre T Farms Ltd.
acknowledges this contravention.
• “It permitted livestock manure
to be applied closer than 100 feet to
wells.” Acre T Farms Ltd.
acknowledges this contravention
but states they have the water rights
for these wells. The well being
referred to in this charge is owned
by a neighbouring family and is
used for their domestic water
supply. The privilege of having
water rights to this well should not
be seen as licence to risk
contaminating the well.
„ • “It permitted livestock manure
to be applied closer than 200 feet to
dwellings other than those owned
by landowner.” Acre T Farms Ltd.
acknowledges this contravention.
• “The Nutrient Management
Plan provides that spreading shall
only be done during the spring (or
early summer) since no cover crops
were established to allow for fall
application.” The Nutrient
Management Plan was developed
for Acre T Farms Ltd. In their
letter, Acre T Farms Ltd. states that
they were under pressure to check
the manure tank for leaks and
therefore had to spread at this time.
The tank could have been emptied
much earlier in the fall under more
favourable weather conditions and
checked for cracks at that time.
• “It permitted livestock manure
to be applied to the vicinity of
dwellings without considering wind
direction.” Acre T Farms Ltd.
states that Nov. 25, 1999 was a
relatively calm day with very little
wind. When manure is spread on
all sides of a dwelling, closer than
200 feet from the dwelling, wind
direction becomes a mute point.
Since 1997.we have received
many public assurances of
exemplary production practices
from Acre T Farms Ltd. and
industry leaders. We therefore have
a great deal of difficulty with the
assertion by Acre T Farms Ltd. that
this is a learning experience, given
the scale of their operation and the
number of years they have been in
production.
How many years of experience,
how many production sites, how
many mistakes and how many
charges are required in order to
“get it right”?
Land application of manure is
basic to any livestock operation.
What does this say about
governmental and leadership group
contentions that the methodology
for liquid manure application is
finely tuned and state of the art?
Our township council has taken a
necessary stand. Who else is going
to stand up and squarely address
the issues to ensure responsible
development of the intensive
livestock industry in the townships
and counties of our province?
Sincerely,
Stephen Howard and George Hoy
PROTECT.
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Workers9 stand angers writer
THE EDITOR,
The report in The Citizen that
some healthcare workers in Huron
protest that they will not be allowed
to work with elderly people in
nursing facilities is disturbing.
It is time these people think first
of their frail charges before they
worry about themselves. If I had
elderly relatives in a nursing home
I would insist that no one without
vaccination would come near my
dear ones. Their lives are too
important to be placed at risk, how
small it may be, to be infected with
the flu virus.
Of course, if they don’t want to
work under these conditions they
should not be paid. Doing
otherwise would open the door to
fakers who could pretend to object
to vaccination but only want a
holiday.
These protesters remind me of
the smokers in Kitchener and
elsewhere who are not allowed to
smoke in public gathering places.
They too insist that it is their right
to smoke and by so doing put
others at the risk of cancer. Both
groups appear to me to be very
selfish.
Adrian Vos
Biyth.
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WI groups meet in
progressive euchre party in the
Brussels Public School auditorium
on Saturday, Feb. 12 at 1:30 p.m.
To celebrate Women’s Institute
Week, four branches of Huron East
District were hostesses to a
Concentration
It was a busy, entertaining day for Women’s Institute
members from the south half of Huron East District on
Saturday as they gathered at Brussels Public School to
celebrate Institute Week. Yvonne Knight, left and Jeanne
Ireland with their partners competed in the euchre games.
(Vicky Bremner photo)
Brussels
Tables were decorated with lace
favours of Valentine candy and tied
with red ribbons.
After a brief history of the
Women’s Institute organization,
formed in Feb. 19, 1987, and some
of the accomplishments through the
years, accomplishments achieved
through lobbying at different
government levels, 16 tables
enjoyed an afternoon of fun and
fellowship.
The following people received
prizes which had been donated by
the Bluevale, Majestic (Brussels),
Molesworth, and Walton branches:
high lady, Helen Dobson; high
man, Edith Garniss; ladies’ lone
hands, E. Mann; men’s lone hands,
Marguerite Beirnes; lucky tallies,
Tena Empey, Mary Huether, Mac
Smith, Violet Smith, Bob Bremner,
Kathleen Whaley, Jim McGillawee,
Mary Kelley, Irlma Edgar, Marie
Stute, Murray Keffer, Margaret
Peebles, Elsie Smith, George
Pearson, Mary Lowe, Isobel
Armstrong, and Viola Adams.
Share the Wealth winners were
Catherine McCormick, June
Jacklin, and Doris McCall.
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