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Goderich Signal Star, 2017-01-04, Page 1918 Signal Star • Wednesday, January 4, 2017 Iceculture to be feature artist at 2017 Conservation Dinner Selection if acknowledges international artistic and technical achievements, worldwide Postmedia Network The Conservation Dinner Committee has announced Iceculture, Inc., Hensall,, Ontario as the featured artist at the gala fundraising din- ner to be held at the South Huron Recreation Centre, Exeter on April 6, 2017. "We are very proud of what Iceculture has accom- plished as a local business and of the international rep- utation the company has earned overseas," said Janet Clarke, Co -Chair of the Din- ner Committee. "It is fitting to acknowledge the crafts- manship and artistry of their ice creations that are recognized throughout the world." Iceculture will display its workmanship at the 28th Conservation Dinner and, with other donor partners, will offer a feature package which will include (among other valuable items) a visit to the Chill Ice House in Toronto (Canada's only per- manent ice lounge) for live auction. Mary Ryan -Allen, Co - Chair of the Dinner Com- mittee, said Iceculture is from a small town in our community yet its products are admired all over the world. "That is quite amaz- ing," she said. "It is a thrill to be able to showcase their talents at our gala dinner." The 2017 Dinner is already adding up to be another exciting event not to be missed, according to Ryan= Allen. "Tickets are already available and would make great gifts," she said. Says Heidi Bayley, Presi- dent of Iceculture, "We are honoured to be the Conser- vation Dinner feature artist in 2017 and I would like to sincerely thank the Commit- tee for choosing us. We sel- dom have the opportunity of presenting our business locally and we will try and make the most of the opportunity." Just like the Conservation Dinner itself has been sup- porting community conser- vation projects for 28 years, Iceculture has been operat- ing for the same length of time. The family-owned business has served mar- kets all over Europe, the Middle East, and Asia in addition to undertaking projects in South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, and Japan. In all, 58 differ- ent countries have been touched by Iceculture expertise in some form or another - either with ice sculptures or specialized machinery and equipment. Background on the Con- servation Dinner: • The first Conservation dinner was held in 1990. • The Exeter Lions Club and the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation have worked together on the event for 27 years. • Net proceeds are split evenly between the Exeter Lions Club and the Founda- tion to support local Working with ice at Iceculture community conservation projects such as nature edu- cation; parks and recreation; programs for youth; and accessible trails to keep peo- ple healthy and enjoying nature. • Previous featured guests have included well-known local and national artists in watercolours, pastels, and acrylics and other artistic media including metal work and culinary skills. • The 2017 Dinner will be the 28th Conservation Dinner. • The Conservation Din- ner has raised more than $1 million in net proceeds for the community over the past Bad faith bargaining claim irks farm group John Miner Postmeida Ontario's vegetable pro- cessing companies this week have hit the farm group that negotiates on behalf of grow- ers with an avalanche of unprecedented attacks, accusing the farmers of eve- rything from bargaining in bad faith to lying. In statements issued over a news release distribution network, the processors went as far as to criticize the chair of the growers' associa- tion for spending two weeks moose hunting. Demanding an end to the negotiating powers of the Ontario Processing Vegeta- ble Growers Association, the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Processors Association announced they would be cutting contracts to buy Ontario produce, resulting in millions of dollars in lost production. They called the London- based Ontario Processing Vegetable Growers Associa- tion, a marketing board elected by farmers, a "cartel." "The grower's cartel has endangered tie jobs and economic health of commu- nities throughout Southwestern Ontario. They have even endangered the livelihood of their own grow- ers," says Karl Evans, presi- dent of the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Processing Association. Wallaceburg area tomato grower and chair of the, growers association, Francis Dobbelaar, said Thursday he was puzzled by the series of attacks by processors. The processors and the growers association signed a five-year pricing deal in March that provided for price discounts and resulted in tomato processors increasing their contract vol- umes, he said. "Our signatures are on the bottom of those papers and we are not complaining," Dobbelaar said. He also rejected the claim the growers association is a cartel. "We are a bunch of farmer families elected to represent the growers in Ontario," said Dobbelaar. Measures announced the past week by the processors have included a 100,000 - tonne cutback in contracting for tomatoes and notifying growers they would not be buying any seedling tomatoes. The Ontario Process Growers Association does not set prices. If an agree- ment cannot be reached with processors, the issue is turned over to an arbitrator. Earlier this year, the pro- vincial body that oversees • farm marketing boards, the Ontario Farm Products Mar- keting Commission, released proposals to strip the vegeta- ble growers association of its bargaining rights, allowing processors to deal directly with farmers. That triggered a backlash from growers who threat- ened to walk away and plant other crops if they lost their 27 years, thanks to donors and businesseg; patrons and guests; volunteers and artists. • For more information visit conservationdinner. corn: negotiating rights. In August, Agriculture Minister Jeff Leal ordered the commission not to change regulations until it consulted farmers. Proces- sors this week called for the commission to stick with the original plan. Leal's office said the min- ister was not available for comment but released a statement saying the Ontario government contin- ues to support marketing boards. "We look forward to see- ing how the commission moves forward with this file," the statement said.