HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2005-03-17, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2005.
Letter to the editor
NM specialist
clarifies issues
THE EDITOR,
Based on on a number of
telephone calls and e-mails
we have received recently, I
thought it would be good to
clarify a couple of issues
regarding dates, deadlines
and nutrient management
plans that were previously
done for municipalities.
We have been receiving
many calls regarding the
dates and deadlines for
applying for financial
assistance under the Nutrient
Management Financial
Assistance Program
(NMFAP). There are actually
three important deadlines.
In order to access the
funding available under
NMFAP a Nutrient
Management Strategy (NMS)
must be submitted to OMAF
by March 31. For those
wanting to access NMFAP in
order to construct additional
manure storage, you will also
need to submit a Nutrient
Management Plan (NMP).
If you have questions about
the difference between those
two items, please contact
either myself 519-482-5170,
jacqui.forbes@omaf.gov.on.ca
or the NM Info Line at 1-866-
242-4460. The key is to have
made a submission to OMAF
by March 31, because
without it. you cannot access
NMFAP
After you submit your
strategy and/or plan, OMAF
will review it and may ask
you for additional
information. If the
submission is complete, we
will issue you a Record of
Approval.
July 1 is the final date to
submit an application to
Ontario Soil and Crop
Improvement Association
(OSCI A). In order for OSCIA
to process the application
they will require a copy of the
Record of Approval.
July 1 is also the date for
those farmers who have 300
nutrients units in their farm
unit to have submitted a
nutrient management strategy
to OMAF, if they do not wish
to participate in NMFAP.
Dec. 31 is the final date to
have taken EFP courses,
completed the projects and be
compliant with the Nutrient
Flooding will depend
on spring rainfall
Continued from page 1
He indicated whether or
not there is flooding this year
will depend on the amount of
rain that falls in the spring.
“Right now, there is a good
snow cover,” said Grummett.
He said it will depend in
whether or not there is a
quick thaw or a slow gradual
one.
If the days are bright and
sunny like there were this
past Monday, and a few
degrees warmer, the snow
may melt quicker.
According to Grummett,
I here was an ice jam at
Salllbrd, near Goderich, on
Management legislation
(with an Approved NMS/P).
You must have also an
approved nutrient
management plan by this
date. You will receive a
Record of Approval when
your plan has been approved.
Farmers can prepare and
submit their own nutrient
management plans, in recent
OMAF Nutrient Management
courses, approximately 50
per cent of the participants
have been farmers interested
in doing their own plans.
Some farms were required
to have a nutrient
management plan as a result
qf municipal bylaws.
The Nutrient Management
Regulation considers a plan
that was reviewed by OMAF
prior to Sept. 30, 2003 as
“deemed approved” until the
earlier of the following dates:
the date of expiry on the
original OMAF engineer’s
review letter or Sept. 30,
2008.
It has been determined that
cessation of the NMAN
printout is equivalent to the
expiry date when no date has
been stipulated. The producer
is not required to redo the
strategy or plan by July 1,
2005 unless the strategy or
plan expires before that date.
These farms, at or above
300 nutrient units, are also
eligible to participate in
NMFAP.
Please contact me if you
have a deemed approved
plan, and 1 can assist through
the NMFAP process. Keep in
mind that while you will not
need to redo the nutrient
management plan, you must
be in compliance with the rest
of the requirements of the
regulation.
Finally, there are several
other funding programs for
environmental improvements
administered by
Conservation Authorities or
in some cases, municipalities.
Typically, farmers may apply
for funding under several
different programs for the
same projects.
Jacqui Forbes,
Nutrient Management
Specialist
Clinton Resource Centre,
OMAF
March 3, but the situation
dissipated.
There was a couple weeks
of warm temperatures in
January which affected the
ice conditions.
He indicated that
commencing the week of
March 20 they begin their
regular watch of the ice.
“There was no one long
cold spell this year,” said
Grummett. “It’s been thaw
and freeze most of the
winter.”
He is still advising people
to be careful along the river
and to stay away from the
waterways.
Going once
Auctioneer Kevin McArter with an unidentified assistant uses his expertise to ring up the bids at the
Bluevale fundraising auction held last weekend. (Vicky Bremner photo)
Letter
Festival GM says thanks
THE EDITOR,
A special thank you to
editor. Bonnie Gropp and The
Citizen for publishing the
lively photos from
performances and workshops
during the Sears Ontario
Letter
Farm groups express displeasure
THE EDITOR,
Farm organizations in
Ontario are disappointed with
the government’s recent
appointment of an advisory
group to study agriculture’s
business risk management
system. The government
claims this advisory group
will ensure a strong Ontario
agricultural sector now and
into the future with an eye
toward fiscal restraints.
Ontario farmers have
elected their choices for
leaders of their respective
sectors, and these people
have already provided the
government with ample
knowledgeable input on
every aspect of safety net
programs for farmers,
including this current
emergency situation. We find
it difficult to rationalize the
decision to proceed in this
direction.-
Although the people
appointed to the advisory
group may be qualified, this
decision does not fall in line
with the government’s
election promise to ensure
stakeholder involvement in
decision making. We are left
to conclude that the primary
objective lies in diverting
farmers’ concerns with yet
another review as a means of
further delaying much-
needed action by your
government.
The government’s
insistence on carrying
through with this advisory
team, with an eye “toward
fiscal restraints”, is even
more dubious when farmers
in Ontario have seen a very
driven and concerted effort
on the government's behalf to
fund the automotive industry
and the casino gambling
industry in Ontario as an
“investment” to preserve jobs
Drama Festival in Blyth.
Ten high schools and over
200 students participated in a
great learning experience
where they met and mingled
with students from all over
Huron and Perth Counties.
in those sectors.
Fanners in Ontario deserve
and demand the same kind of
investment and leadership
from their Ontario
Your photographers captured
on film memorable moments
from their productions and
took photos from behind the
scenes during workshops to
capture lessons learned in
improv and stage combat.
government. The livelihoods
of Ontario’s family farms are
counting on the government’s
leadership to see them
through this emergency.
From all of us at the Blyth
Festival - thank you for being
a part of our community’s
activities.
Jane Gardner
General Manager
Blyth Festival.
Ontario farmers should not
have to wait for yet another
advisory group to give the
government information that
Continued on page 7