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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1992-10-07, Page 11Announce Good Steward Award CLINTON - The Huron Soil and Water Conservation District (HSWCD) wishes to announce the Good Steward Award and that nominations are now being accept- ed. The purposes of the award are to recognize farmers practicing good stewardship of natural re- sources, inform and promote good stewardship to other fanners, and to increase the awareness of the media and general public of the stewardship efforts of fanners. UP to three awards will be presented each year. Eligible individuals will be land- lords or tenants who are actively engaged in farming in the IiSWFCD (Ausable Bayfield and Maitland Valley watersheds) and who utilize good land practices in managing property under their control. Individuals devoting con- siderable effort to ensure that con- servation is an integral part of community development will also be eligible. Of particular interest are individ- uals who have, during a three to five year period, contributed sig- nificantly to the conservation of natural resources on the farm through one or more of the follow- ing practices: reforestation, ero- sion control, stream improvement, woodlot management, grassed wa- terways, contour plowing, restrict- ed cattle access, manure handling and storage, windbreaks, tile outlet protection, 'crop rotation, milk - house waste management, buffer zones, alternate watering devices, and energy conservation It is recognized that no single one of these stewardship practices alone will provide the basis for re- ceiving the award, but a whole farm approach will be taken in re- viewing suitability of individuals to receive the Good Steward Award. Nominations for the Good Stew- ard Award can be made by con- tacting the Clinton OMAF office at 482-3428 or 1-800-265-5170. Deadline for nominations is Octo- ber 16, 1992. FARM 71PDATF _____ Times -Advocate, October 7, 1992 Page 11 Hog carcass competition One Foot in the Furrow By Bob Trotter "What, asks George Strachan, a verteran Wellington County direc- tor of the Ontario Federation of Agriclutrc. "is all the squawking about?" He asked the question at a meet- ing of farmers in Kurtzville this summer when the proposed $150 fee for every farmer in the prov- ince was being discussed. This NDP idea has been cussed and dis- cussed for more than a year. It would appear that a great many farmers hate the idea. But 1 can only echo Strachan. What is all the squawking about? Farm organizations have been needing more money for years. They cannot fight big labor, big business, big governments and multi -national corporations with peanuts and pennies. The money collected by the province would be given to the three major farm or- ganizations in the province: the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, the Christian Farmers Federation and the Ontario branch of the Na- tional Farmers Union. All three need the bucks. All three fight for farmers. All three represent perhaps 25,000 farmers. But what they do, benefits the 60,000 or more farmers in the province. In other words, the mem- berships fight the battles and pay for the war but every farmer reaps the benefits. Detractors are saying it is un- democratic, a forced "member- ship". But this idea of mandatory membership in a professional or- ganization is not new to Canada Law societies, medical associa- tions, teachers federations, police associations and even automatic checkoffs by unions are cases in point. The Supreme Court of Can- ada has found the idea to be consti- tutional. Which is why I get a little puz- zled when I read editorials in the urban press decrying the "automat- ic checkoff' proposed by Agminis- ter Elmer Buchanan as dictatorial, even fascist. Naturally, the urban press is going to be against it. Most of those guys have never seen ma- nure, let alone get some on their boots. Once again, the urbanites are wit- nessing fanners fighting each other. The detractors of the 5150 "tax" -- members fee -- are sniping at those in favour. Big business and the mul- ti -national food companies are sit- ting back and gleefully watching the internecine war by farmers. They, the big food oligarchies, do not want to see the OFA and the CFFOwith adequate funding to fight them. The big guys already have the money, the power and the brains to fight for themselves and their profit pictures. If this idea is passsed, farm organizations will also have money to fight the good fight for green, growing things and the rightful place of farmers as part of an essen- tial industry in the Canadian eco- nomic scene. An editorial in the Ontario Farm Women's Network Newsletter, writ- ten by Corry Martens, the president, summed it up better than I can. "We (the Ontario Farm Women's Network) support stable funding for farm organizations. Agriculture needs strong organizations to repre- sent the people working in this in- dustry. We cannot expect to have qualified and knowledgeable spokespeople representing all of us on such issues as trade, environ- ment, land use and labor laws, when we don't have a stable financial ba- sis carried by all farmers. Weneed to be right at the decision-making / level when laws affecting our busi- ness arc drafted, mostly by people who mean well but don't have a clue about the impact of their proposals on family farms. "Too much of farmers' and farm organizations' time is now spent to retain membership and hunt for pos- sible corporate donations." Couldn't have said it better. Strong message delivered ' TORONTO - The Ontario Feder- ation of Agriculture (OFA) along with other concerned rural resi- dents delivered a strong message to the Ontario Government during a rally at Queen's Park that it will not tolerate garbage dumps being built on viable farmland. Farmers from as far away as Renfrew and Lanark Counties in the east. Elgin and Lambton in the west and New Liskeard in the Exeter 4-H 4110By Jayden Ruase!1 EXETER - The Exeter II 4-H Lifestyles Club is now "laying" the fall season with the "Great Lhicken and Egg Project". The "Mother Hen" Leaders are Nor- ma Cockwill and Linda Russell, with the assistance of "Junior Hen" leader, Melinda Nether- cott, who is holding all meet- ings in her "nest". Under their wings are 10 "chicks" - Char- lene Chappel, Juanita Chappel, Jennifer Grenier, Melinda Ne- thercott, Amy Regier, Jayden Russell, Melanie Seip, Tracy Snell, Megan Straw and There- sa Wilhelm. "Chicking" out the 'Egg"citement was the theme of the first meeting on Monday, September 26. The club execu- tive was elected with Theresa as president, Jennifer as vice presi- dent, Juanita in charge of rotat- ing secretary and Jayden as press reporter. Then inc "chicks got crack- ing" in the kitchen with soft and hard boiled eggs, cheese omelet and devilled eggs. Many "e "atraordirtary recipes will be "haa,;ad" at future meetings. north, joined with residents from the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) proposed landfill site areas of Dur- ham. York and Peel.Regions_to_tell the Minister of the Environment that the site selection process lacks integrity. "We Ontario farmers are sick and tired of having ow agricultural land constantly being used by the urban population for whatever they want and we are expected to move out," OFA vice president Jack Wilkinson told the crowd. "Our best farmland is not this city's dumpland. We find that to- tally unacceptable." Of the 57 proposed sites in the GAT, 50 are on family owned and operated farms." "If these farms are in Ruth Cri- er's 'urban shadow', that the sun must be at a very low angle," said OFA president Roger George. 4-H County Show SBAPORTH - The 4-H County Show will take place Friday Octo- ber 9 at the Seaforth Fait. Mem- bers from around Huron County will participate in the Horse, Dairy, Goat, Beef, Swine and Sheep Championship Shows. A number of 4H achievement pro- grams will take place on October 9 as well. The day kicks off at 9 a.m. with the Seaforth Horse Achievement Program. The Huron Sheep and Central Huron Swine Shows will take place 10 and 10:30 respective- ly. At 11 the Clinforth Dairy Club will bold their Achievement Pro- gram. The Hone and Goat Cham- pionship Shows will take place at 11 and 12:30 respectively. Both the Dairy and Beef Championship Shows MU begin at 1 p.m. At 2:15 the Sweepstakes Showmanship competition will take place. Spec- tators are invited to come and watch tie skills dime 441 mem- bers have acquired. "The Interim Waste Authority (IWA) has proposed putting dumps on farmland that has no de- vclopmertt potentialan.ourJifetime and in no way can they be consid- ered 'urban shadow'." George also said that "those who may have to live next to a mega - dump will be living next to a tick- ing time bomb. No amount of compensation will be enough to re- place the quality of life these peo- ple will lose. These dumps will be- come the new urban shadow and it will be one that casts a dark cloud over life in ural Ontario." While Liberal leader Lyn McLe- od and PC leader Mike Hands were on hand to address the rally, neither Preimier Bob Rae not Minis- ter Ruth Grier were available. `OM of ivas Chased by Herdt 09*****. `Beside him Is ittopsignrexhibitor Tony 2',WOOtbsg whose ham was purtr hased by Hem Farms. 'Next `are 'Lany Shapton of ..the Herman Co -Op who Puvchatseff the second place ham of Linda Naccius, Scott Morgan of MTS Farm Supplies, purchaser of the 4th place ham, Paul Passmore, 4th place, exhibitor, and first place exhibitor Carolyn Johns, whose ham was purchased by Dan Lester. u.UL rramr. Customer Appreciation Day 1962 - 1992 Tues., October 20, 1992 10 a.m.-4p.m. We would like to thank each of you that have supported us over the past 30 years. e exted ells 41aitatioir to our- GG1.S'Tllif9f�PffPP,PEG/AT/ONDAy * Good Food (served all day) * Door prizes * Parts Discounts all week 5% to 15% (details in store) You are welcome to tour our facilities, talk to our staff and Sales & Service "holre (519) 236-4934 Fax (519) 236-7330 E. ,3 s... ••: : • • • • • • • • HiM and HO Farms Ltd. Vama Grain WE ARE READY TO RECEIVE YOUR 1992 CORN AND SOYBEANS Jf White Winter Whet is in your plans we have: Cart. Harus (bagged or bulk) Cart. Fundulea Please contact Prue Rowntree or Bev Hill at 233-3218 or 233-7908 for your fall aced needs Varna G rain Hill & Hill Farms Ltd. 233-1908 Varna 233-3218