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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1994-03-16, Page 80Page ISA -Farm Progress '94 �MAF changes expected next month •from page 1Sa The commodity advisors serving clients in Bruce County include Cheryl Russwurm, Beef Advisor and Keith Reid, Soil and Crop Advisor. Other advisors serving Bruce County include Harry Harricharan, Dairy Advisor . and Wayne Gayman, Swine Advisor, both located in Markdale and Ken Wilson, Horticulture Advisor in Clarksburg. Specialized information regarding in-depth management of the farm business will be provided by Colin Reesor and Pat Kuntz, Business Management Advisors, added Hold- en. Over the next four to five months, staff will take pan in a major retraining program. The change -over is expected to take place in April and "it is hoped the initial phase of the retraining will be done by the fust part of July." The ministry is also increasing its focus on rural community develop- ment. Sharon Gardiner, Rural Com- munity Advisor, will be available to assist communities with local initia- tives, including advice and training support for leadership development and organization effectiveness. Gardiner, previously called a rural organizational and service specialist, MIN =IN mit nor amo SPARK PLUGS Regular or Resistor 10' OFF ALL Regular Stocked & Special Order ,���" Oil, Air & Fuel Filters For Example: Most Common Champion Resistor Plugs Reg. 1.99 Now 1.79 TSC stocks most common applications for farm tractors, combines & other agri- cultural power equipment as well as most domestic and foreign cars & trucks. ALL Automotive/Farm REPLACEMENT HEADLAMPS WAGNER' Red Sole RUBBER BOOTS Example: H6054 Halogen Rea. 12.99..11.94 988 1 088 STORES STORE LOCATIONS STRATFORD Ontario St. E. Hwy. #7 273-3083 LISTOWEL 135 Inkerman St. E. 291-1882 YOUR SUPERSTORE FOR FARM, AUTO, HARDWARE PRICES GUARANTEED TO MARCH 19, 1994 Store Hours WE'RE OPEN AT 8:00 AM!! Mon. to Wed. 8:00 am - 6:00 pm All stores open Thursday & Friday nights till 9:00 pm Saturdays 8:00 am - 5:00 pm works out of the Walkerton office. Holden said the work of these specialists won't change dramatical- ly, but "we're trying to keep up with changing times. "Ministry staff will be working closely with their current and new clients to ensure a continued level of service during the transition phase," he said. To emphasise competitive agri- culture, the ministry has changed but field staff are still in the same mold of the 1980s. "Back then farmers had a lot of financial problems. There were a lot of programs available to help them, and these programs required a lot of servicing." Today's problems are different and these changes will hopefully help farmers adapt. The changes in the Agriculture and Rural division complement the goals set out by the ministry. The goals include focusing on rural economic development as a key to stabilizing the agriculture industry and rural communities; and facilitat- ing industry -wide participation and alliances to maintain a competitive agriculture and food industry within a new trade environment. FLEMING FEED MILL 60 Irwin St. Clinton, Ont. 482-3438 (110 PIONEER' KE3838 AM -FM AUTO REVERSE DIGITAL TUNING V - 24 STATION PRESETS --_AUT-a-REVERSE-TAPE - 4 SPEAKER OUTPUT - BASS & TREBLE - CLOCK $19995 Bud's Sound • BoutiqueLd.• WALKERTON 881-3161 Biotechnology fights plant pests and diseases (NC) - Every time you munch on a piece of bread or cheese, you're enjoying the fruits of biotechnology. A living organism, yeast, is used to make bread, while bacteria "age" cheese. And that's what biotech- nology is - using living organisms, or their parts, to produce new produces. Scientists today are producing more controlled and specific results by removing or changing specific genes - the hereditary units that determine the characteristics of an organism - and transplanting them into another organism's genetic makeup. According to a recent survey conducted by Decima Research for the Canadian Institute of Biotech- nology, Canadians are most supP9r- five of biotechnology when it is used in agriculture and medicine. In addition, the public expects biotech- nology to offer concrete benefits such as increased food production and improved medical treatment. Current biotechnology research in agriculture promises several benefits. For instance, scientists are working with plant genes to give farmers more ways of fighting pests and diseases that attack crops. Here are some of the possibilities: * Designing plant genes, and subsequently developing new crop varieties that will be able to withstand cold temperatures, drought and other environmental stresses. * Determining what attracts in- sects to a particular plant, and then developing plants without that characteristic. * Developing new strains of plants which have a built in resis- tance to disease and insects. At the same time, scientists are mindful of the questions raised by = biotechnology, such as the impact of introducing a modified plant into nature. Despite these challenges, the benefits of biotechnology - such as wider variety of crop protection techniques - make the research essential to meet the world's over- growing demand for food. For more information, call 905- 821-4943. A safety tip Respiratory Protection Farmers face a multitude of hazards to their respiratory systems. Dust masks trap most of the air- borne particles, but you'll need a chemical cartridge respirator when working with pesticides. Don't even consider entering silos or manure pits without appropriate self-con- tained breathing equipment. You'll need assistance from others, and you must know how to work safely in such extremely dangerous con- fined spaces. (frorn the Farm Safety Association)