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Home My WebLink AboutLakeshore Advance, 2012-03-21, Page 20MPP unveils Risk Management Program Farmers laud RMP announcement Dave Sykes OMI Agency da While it certainly didn't attract a lot of ttention in budget debates out of Toronto last week, the Liberal govern- ment's $150 million Risk Management Program will have positive implications for farmers and municipalities across rural Ontario and especially in Huron County. Huron -Bruce MPP and Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Carol Mitchell formally announced the government's plan for a cost -shared risk management program for sectors of the local farm economy that will help pro- tect family farms, income and a strong agricultural economy. Pledging up to $150 million in the budget as the ministry's share over a three-year period, the new Risk Manage- ment Program will he available to grain and oilseed, cattle, hog, sheep and veal farmers and the province will provide a self-directed program for fruit and vege- table growers. "Tuesday (budget day) was a big day for Agriculture and the provincial budget is being referred to as the 'Farm Budget;' Mitchell told a gathering of about 40 people at the farm of Wayne and Joan Black in Asfhield-Colborne-Wawanosh Friday morning. "This is the first day in 25 years that we have a made in Ontario agriculture program. It is significant.' craft a program and urged the federal Designed as a three-way partnership, government to step up to the table and the program asks farmers to contribute participate in the cost- sharing 30 per cent of the long-term costs of the arrangement. insurance program while the federal and "I want to thank Carol Mitchell for all provincial governments traditionally her hard work in a program that gives us share the remainder of the costs on a hope and stability, Bakker said. "1t has 60/40 split. been funded the last four years by For Mitchell, the program is the cul- Ontario and let's hope that the federal urination of a year's worth of work with a government steps up." coalition of agricultural groups that pres- The agri-food industry contributes $30 sured the provincial government for a billion to the provincial economy every permanent solution to income stability year and provides jobs fur 700,000 and fluctuating commodity prices. She people. There are nearly 60,0(X1 farms in lauded the persistence of the agricultural Ontario and each farmer produces community in pushing forward its con- enough food to feed 120 people a year. cept for a risk managenwnt plan. Farmers produce more than 200 "Risk management is about sustaining commodities including fruits, vegeta- rural communities and it's about food hies, livestock, dairy, poultry, grains and processing and it means jobs and it's oilseeds. about building a strong foundation and The Ontario Agriculture Sustainability strategy for a prosperous food process- Coalition (OASC) with members from ing and agricultural industry;" she said. the Ontario Cattleman's Association, the "You demonstrated a need for us to Ontario Fruit and Grower's Association, come forward with a plan. Your dedica- Ontario Veal, Ontario Grains and tion paid off and you should he proud of Oilseeds, Ontario Pork and Ontario your work and what was accomplished." Sheep Marketing Agency together with Based on the success of a model intro- the Christian Farmers' Federation and duced by the province for the grain and oilseed industry, the program proposed worked on the establishment of the by farmers would help offset the differ- program. ence between current market price and Speaking in general terms of the pr - the average long-term cost of production election budget delivered by finance for local Ontario farmers. Both Huron Minister Dwight Duncan lust week, county Federation of Agriculture Mitchelll characterized the document as president, Marinus Bakker and board a "balanced and a good budget coming member, Wayne Black, thanked the out a recession that addresses health minister for working with farm groups to care and education." the Ontario Federation of Agriculture Winegarden continues to sweep up Cheryl Heath OMI Agency George Winegarden has been clean- ing up for 40 years. Winegarden, the long-time custodian at the Gill Road Medical Clinic, still has the welcoming letter of employment, dated August 1971, which offers hien the position at a monthly wage of $50. "Not bad in those days," says Wine - garden, who notes the clinic will mark its 40th anniversary this August. And it may be, come August, that Win- egarden will decide whether to retire. "As long as my health holds, 1 ani just going to carry on," he says. Winegarden, who now works at the clinic a coupe of days a week as opposed to the early days when he was on site nearly every days, says there have been a number of notable changes at the clinic since it first opened. "This was something new for this ;urea. They were waiting for patients ... the doctors stayed extra hours waiting for people to come, says Winegarden, who notes that, eventually, things picked up. So much so in fact that anew addition was required for the clinic that quickly grew to house a dentist, Dr. Robert Clay, who like founding Dr. Wil- liam O'Connor, is still on site after 39 years.'Ibday though O'Connor and oth- ers have moved over to the new state - of -the art Grand Bend and area Com- munity I lealth Centre, the Gill Road site sits still in service with a number of spe- cialists on site including, most recently, a sports medicine doctor. 1n addition to his clean-up duties, Winegarden has held other hats over the years, including as a longtime pro- pane truck driver, first with 1 iotson and late superior Propane. After nearly two - million miles of travel and 31 years at the wheel, Winegarden entered semi retirement with his beloved wife, Inez, by opening up a furniture store in Dash- wood, known as GI. Furniture. "1 really enjoyed that," notes Winegarden. '(hese days, both Winegarden and his wife enjoy attending the Church of God in Grand Bend, along with plenty of rest and relaxation, including yearly trips to Florida. Though, he notes, a decision not to go down south in 2010 proved to be an especially sound one because on Feb. G, he suffered a heart attack. "1 felt this pressure in my chest," he says. An ambulance ride to the hospital in Exeter resulted in a doctor adminis- tering what proved to be lifechanging clot -busting drug. 1 was as cool as a cucumber. l had no fear whatsoever ... 1 just put it in God's hands," says Winegarden, noting he was feeling better within five minutes of the drug being administered. 1 came home on the Wednesday and George Winegarden 1 drove the car home,' he says. Winegarden, who enjoys a healthy lifestyle including a four- kiloinette daily walk, is in perfect health today, and he enjoys it by continuing to walk regularly and attending his longtime church, the Church of God in Grand Bend. Winegarden, who has two adult chil- dren and a grandson, adds though he not sure about whether to retire from his janitorial duties, he is not one to bring his work home with him. Asked whether he takes care of all the cleaning at his Parkhill home, which the couple retired to about four years ago, he laughs and says, "1 do the cooking. This is the deal we have: l do the cooking, she does the dishes" Welinesdey; April 6, 2011 Lakedhore Malice' 9•' 041111,1111. SUPPORTING OUR FARMERS Dave Sykes OMI Agency Program announcement Huron -Bruce Liberal MPP and Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Carol Mitchell, announced details of her ministry's new Risk Management Program at the farm of Wayne Black Friday morning together with local agricultural leaders. �I- NAIvu'tMtce' MOIUAL 37868 Zurich-Hensall Road, Zurich, ON NOM 2T0 519-236-4381 • FARMS • HOMES • COTTAGES °Mello nsw+sb Insurance for Living Today... 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