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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2002-08-07, Page 3News Farmers fed up with lack of help, says agriculture federation president By Matt Shuttle' Goderich Signal -Star staff Weather was only one of many hot topics on the agenda last week as Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) president Jack Wilkinson visited Huron County. Speaking at the Brpadfoot farm just east of Holmesville, Wilkinson said farmers are getting fed up with the lack of financial compensation being made available to them. "Last year we had a major campaign to try and improve the farmer income support package but that wasn't fixed," Wilkinson said of the plan to target grains and oil seed prices. "We got a one- time injection of capital federally and provincially but the same international price with some pretty modest improvements remains this year. "With yields in many areas going to be worse than they were last year the question is again nervousness over how this is going to turn out this fall." While talks about a farmer support package are ongoing with the provincial government, Wilkinson said any progress was halted by the summer break at Queen's Park. "We've met with (Agriculture) Minister (Brian) Coburn on it and he said very clearly this is obviously something that has to go to cabinet," Wilkinson said. "His view was we've got a plan here and we'll put together the background material for this plan and when the fall comes he'll start going to see his cabinet colleagues and talking to them about this." Wilkinson also targeted another piece of provincial legislation, the nutrient management plan. "I know we've got first reading but this thing has been talked about for literally five years here in Huron County," Wilkinson said. "It's got backed off and where's it going to be? "I think there is a real sense of frustration from the farm community." Wilkinson said the proposed nutrient management plan was questioned during his meeting with farmers from across the county. "As one of the individuals brought up here there's a lot more players in this water quality issue than agriculture and we've always made this point," Wilkinson said. "If everything was agriculture how come Newfoundland has a massive problem with water quality when you're hard pressed to find much livestock. "Maybe some of these people along the Great Lakes system and the lakes up to Matt Shuffle photo Ontario Federation of Agriculture president, Jack Wilkinson (right) speaks with Huron's federation president, Charles Regele and other area farmers during a tour and visit with farmers around the county to hear their concerns about the agricultural industry. the north should start looking at the water systems and septic systems that are there because we think we're doing a pretty good job here otherwise there would be an awful lot more pollution charges." Wilkinson said a proposed plan wouldn't do anything to fix the problem of current pollution. "We think that a nutrient management plan is a prevention problem as far as dealing with potential pollution versus real pollution," Wilkinson said. "I think people have had just about enough of this because it saves all these cottage owners from putting in proper septic tanks." Wilkinson said there is a real sense of frustration that the farm community seems like it's under attack. Another area discussed during Wilkinson's visit was endangered species legislation that is now affecting farmers and how they maintain their fields. "We've had some farmers charged with willfully destroying habitat for a bald eagle," Wilkinson said. "When you get into the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) guidelines it's basically 300 m around the nest - that's 31 acres of ground which supposedly is listed for the habitat and there is no compensation for that. "We know the bald eagle is an endangered species but there's all sorts of endangered species from grasshoppers to toads but at what point does the farmer just become society's stewart for everything that has to be Farmers warned to watch nitrate levels after heavy rains, as harvest soon begins With recent rains after a lengthy dry period, farmers arc cautioned to watch their moisture levels when bringing in silage. "Harvest looks like it is going to be early and farmers really need to pay attention to the moisture content in their silage," said Peter Johnson, a soil and crop advisor with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. The reason is high nitrate levels. High nitrate levels can lead to the buildup of dangerous silo gases that threaten the lives of farmers working inside and they can be harmful to stock being fed silage with high nitrate content. Moisture -starved corn have drawn in Targe amounts of nitrate from' the soil following the heavy rainfall this week. Johnson said farmers need to give the plants time to convert the nitrate to proteins before harvesting silage, which takes about a week. He told The Expositor on Monday he expects the silage harvest to begin in about two weeks, about 10 days ahead of schedule. By Semi Hilgendorfir done and yet no compensation." Wilkinson, himself a farmer in Northern Ontario, said farmers are not being compensated through the market and something needs to be done - and fast. "There is a real sense that we can just ask the farm community and rural community to do this and that while increasing prices for fuel and fertilizer," Wilkinson said. "The list of things goes on and people effectively want them to do it for next to nothing. "There's a point here where people are just getting fed up so ydu either make a commitment as the Europeans have to basically cover off the cost of all these extra activities you want us to do other than food production or there's a limit to what you can ask us to do." On the heels of Ontario's driest summer in recent memory, many area farmers remain worried about their crops and how they will make ends meet. "It's quite frustrating because there's no way around it," Brucefield cash crop farmer Michael Becker said. "It's just as frustrating as looking at the commodity prices. "I have seen some crops and they are awfully scary - where the corn is virtually beyond repair." Rainfall over the weekend may have helped the situation but more is needed to help save the crops. "The sense now is that this stuff is very, very close and a lot of corn is sort of moving from the ground up," Wilkinson said. "You can see real serious damage that's taking place and when you add the aphid problem we've had in soybeans that's another stress on the plants. Some people are talking about there being a lot of pods in flowers that have been aborted in soybeans and they're talking about being lucky to have half a yield. "The first two-thirds to three-quarters goes to pay all your bills, the last one-third or one-quarter is what you live on so if we've got yields anywhere down at that level we effectively have no net income as producers." Huron County Federation of Agriculture president Charles Regele said it's important for farmers to get a chance to speak with Wilkinson. "It's important for members to see a face on the OFA and it's important for the OFA president to see what the issues really are and make sure they're on the same wavelength," Regele said. Muscular Dystrophy Association of Canada *A* 1 800 567 -CURE Unfit there's a cure, there's us. The Sunshine Club Preschool Early Literacy Programme Director Shannon McGavin B.A. Sc., B. Ed. A newly expanded preschool is currently taking new registrations for the 2000/20001 programs in Walton. Our preschool offers your child a fun, developmentally appropriate program with an emphasis on early literacy. 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Vandermey Worship Service at Northside United 9:30 AM Sunday School during Worship St. Thomas Anglican Church g Jarvis St. Seaforth 482-7861 Rev. Tim Connor Sunday Service at 9:30 am. Parish Assistance Call '522-0929 or 345-2023 Catholic Church Saturday - 5:15 pm St. James Parish, Seaforth Saturday - 7:15 pm St. Joseph's Parish, Clinton Sunday - 9:00 am St. Michael's Parish, Blyth Sunday - 11:00 am St. James Parish, Seaforth Father Lance Magdziak Bethel Bible Church An Associated Gospel Church 126 Main St. Seaforth Sunday Worship Hour 10 am Adventure Club for Kids & Youth Groups Wednesdays 7 p.m. Egmondville United Church Worship Leader Steve Hildebrand Service 10 a.m. NORTHSIDE - CAVAN UNITED CHURCHES Rev. Sheila Macgregor - Minister 527-2635 or 527-1449 54 Goderich St. W. Month of August Cavan and First Presbyterian and Northside Worship together at Northside at 9:30 A.M. (No service at Winthrop) Sermon title: "Where Are You Hurting" Please Join Us for Lemonade following Worship & Come Walk With Us Down Memory Lane! MAPLEWOOD MANOR Retirement Home 13 Church St., Seaforth At present we have Large Private, Private and Semi -Private accommodations available. Features include: • excellent dining and snacks • dietician approved menus • laundry • housekeeping • medication administered by our professional staff • transportation arranged for appointments • 24 hour friendly professional staff • beauty salon • barber services • daily activities ORCA sr for more information contact Tracy Nash at 527-1440 Fax ft 527-2977 Maplewood Manor ,"Your Invitation to Gracious Retirement Living"