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Times Advocate, 1999-08-11, Page 3intheN Genetically modified organisms top agricultural issue in world nusea rtii I '1 rrtSW Wednesday, August .11 , 1999 ,,, By Kate Monk TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF HENSALL — Genet- cally modified organ- sms (GMOs) are going to oe the biggest issue in agriculture in the next few years. That was the pre- diction of Gord Pryde, edible bean marketing manager at Hensall Dis- trict Co-op, at Thurs- day's edible bean day. Gerber, the major baby food company, recently announced they will not be accepting any mod- ified products. Japanese and European buyers are bucking at GMOs and this has major implica- tions for the multi- national crop input com- panies, all of which have already invested major dollars in research and development. The impact of these ac- aons will filter through to producers who will have to look for a new market if they want to stay with genetically modified crops. HDC general manager Earl Wagner agreed con- sumers are focusing on safe and high quality food and will require growers to change their perspectives. "Farmers have to think they're edible food pro- cessors, not commodity producers," Wagner said. Field documentation and crop management will be the keys to pro- ducing the crops for high volume users. HDC mar- kets beans to more than 25 countries. "It's a challenge to re- main a preferred cus- tomer for high volume users," Wagner said. Pryde doesn't think re- sistance to GMOs is all doom and gloom for growers or companies such as Hensall District Co-op. A strong niche market is developing for non-GMO crops but prov- ing a product's identity has been preserved will take effort on the part of companies and growers. He predicts a full iden- tity preserved program will be a requirement as soon as next year. Pryde is optimistic growers in Southwestern Ontario are well posi- tioned to meet the de- mand for non-GMOs. They have proven in the past they are innovators, willing to go beyond the ordinary to meet the needs of consumers. "The days of food grade beans are coming to an end," Pryde ad- vised. Pryde also spoke about this year's crop. White bean harvest should start by Aug. 15 and con- tinue into early October. "Weather still leads the factors," he added. Last year, the dry weather presented many chal- lenges in handling the dry crop but Pryde hopes this year's conditions are better. The low Canadian dol- lar continues to be a pos- itive issue with a 70 cent or less dollar a "good crutch" for overseas markets, Pryde said. Dry bean production in China, though, has been interrupting the flow , of Canadian beans into Eu- rope but Pryde hopes it will only be a minor im- Council regulates dangerous dogs HENSALL — Council has passed an interim bylaw ` to regulate dangerous dogs. Another bylaw will be addressed at the September 13 council meeting to label specific breeds such as pit bulls and rottweilers. Six people in three delegations at- tended Monday night's meeting with their concerns. The bylaw states that when a dog has been designated as dangerous, it must be confined on the owner's prem- ises or enclosed in a pen so the dog can not escape nor a child enter. When the dog is away from the owner's premises, it must be walked by an adult and muzzled. A letter will be sent to two individu- als who have dogs council has labelled as dangerous or potentially dangerous. A dog is defined as dangerous if in the absence of mitigating factors, it has chased or approached someone with. an apparent attitude or the dog has been retrieved by the animal control officer or impounded three times with- in a 12 month period. The complete bylaw is available • at the municipal office. POLICE BRIEFS • POLICE BRIEFS Patrol pegs pot growers f rz LUCAN — Three Lon on men have proven you can't take it with you, at least when it comes to pot. At 5 a.m. on Aug. 7, an officer patrolling Lucan stopped a vehicle on Main St. The officer walked up to the car and noticed two three and half foot tall marijuana plants, soil and fertilizer in the car. The three London men have been charged with drug offences. BB damage at McCur HURON PARK — A McCurdy Public School custodian found the kindergarten glass fire door riddled with a total of 11 BB gun shots after the long Civic Holiday week- end. London OPP Const. Doug Graham said tvvo of the BBsleft holes in the glass, No, damage estimate was released.` pact this year. The market for col- crease another 15-20 - HDC has shipped out oured beans is not as per cent next year. virtually all of the 1998 healthy. "Therefore, buyers will crop of white beans and Pryde said acreage is be hesitant to forward aid to Kosovo could help up 15-20 per cent as an contract now," he said. sales since it's a white industry and buyers per - bean consuming area. calve the acreage will in - Study given green light Continued from front page be done with the proceeds of Exeter Hydro's sale. Hundey said the money has to be put into a reserve with purpos- es to be spent on projects that would benefit the town. Reeve Roy Trlebner suggested setting up a trust fund and only spending the interest the fund generates. HEC chair- person Chan Livingstone recommended rebating some money back to Exeter Hydro customers. Mayor Ben Hoogenboom said keeping a "slush fund" may make it hard for Exeter to get provincial or federal grants. Hundey alerted the committee that the .$ amalgamation order from Exeter,; Stephen and Usborne townships in front of Huron County council now must be amended to provide for the utility, sale and the proceeds going to Exeter's bene- fit. Hundey was to set up a meeting with Usborne and Stephen to discuss the Exeter Hydro sale sometime this week. eter considers water meters Continued from front page rate structure were deemed the more eco- nomical and practical options. Most town water cus- tomers (1,840 out of 2,100) are now paying a flat rate of $160 per year for water consumption. Fifty businesses have water meters. Nabisco is by far the biggest water consumer in Exeter, using 25 per cent of all water consumed and sometimes up to 41 per cent during peak usage in August during harvest. The proposed new rate system, though only an exercise to see if the cur- rent system is fair Burns noted, would see the resi- dential water cost go to $185 a year from $160. The businesses already on meters would see their rate go to $1,415 from $1,130 and Nabisco's rate would go up to $92,855 from $78,000. The only winner identified in the new rate structure would be Exeter Produce. The only other large water customer in town (five per cent of total water usage), Exeter Produce's rate would drop to $14,955 from $16,000. (All figures based on averages.) Burns said the current rate is fair, but rates do pefl ing., aturday, August. 14th, 1999 Noon -7 p.m. Outdoor BBQ - 1/2 Chicken, Salads, Hill4illy Beans, more.... Only 86.00 Abe's Kitchen need to go up. Complicating the matter is the PUC's water reserves have dwindled in recent years to offset rate increases (there hasn't been a water rate increase in five years) and the present rates would have to go up if the PUC wants to do any new capi- tal projects in the future. Burns placed. the cost of each meter at about $180 meaning a total of $380,000 would have to be spent on meters. Possible ways of paying for the meters include having the customer pay for them on their water bills over time,, the town paying for meters as a capital project (meaning rates would go up) or having customers lease vmeters from- a manufac- turer. It, was noted sewer sur- charges are high due to the sewage lagoon upgrade and expansion. Town chief administrative officer Rick Hundey said those rates will go down once the sewer lagoon work is paid for. Mayor Ben Hoogenboom suggested the town ban all lawn watering before spending money on water meters. Reeve Roy Triebner, added the water usage problem is only during June and July. Coun. Peter Armstrong argued against a lawn watering ban. "Everything in this town will be dead," Armstrong said, meaning Exeter would end up with shriv- eled flower gardens, dead trees and brown grass everywhere. He is in favour of installing the meters and a smaller than proposed: water rate increase to help the conservation effort. c' A concern was raised water consumption would fall dramatically with meters cutting into water revenue. Commission chairperson Chan Livingstone said water. consumption in Wingham dropped significantly after meterswere installed but now have returned to pre -meter levels and even beyond. Commission general manager Sherman Roth said wasteful water users will be hit twice under a new system — they will pay for what they use and then again with the sewer surcharge. Burns said the, meter costs will be eventually paid for through develop- ment charges as growth continues in Exeter. oihin Ivo 7,4%9 - NOTICE HURON COUNTY HIGHWAYS DEPARTMENT proposes to apply the herbicide •DyCleer 480", Reg. No. 19157 under the Pest Control Products Act (Canada) on County Roads No's 1, 12,13,15,17,18,20, 22,25 and 31 rights-of-way for control of noxious weeds as listed under the Weed Control Act. Application time is to be the weeks of September 1 to September 17, 1999 weather permitting. There will be no spraying done in built up areas. For further information and for the location of the roads to be sprayed, contact Sandra Lawson, Huron County Weed Inspector at (519) 524-7412. Collect calls will be accepted. e�?