HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1985-3-20, Page 32•
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The,ontadempitstry of Agriculture and
Rood is .COntimdrig its soil conservatien and
management efforts, with two new initiatives
this year, Agriculture and Food minister
Philip Andrewes announced recently.
Fburteen soil conservation advisors have
Wen Wed on three year contracts to work
with farmers to solve soil conservation
problems. Nine are already in place with
another Ave sdreduled to begin work April 1,
he said. Jane Sadler Richards has been
appointed senior soil conservation advisor
and will workout of the Clinton 01VIAF office.
The enhanced advisory se/mimepart of
the $25.5 million Ontario Soil Conservation
and Environmental Protection Assistance
Program announced in 1983. The program
More money for research
After spending one year as the Ontario
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Fbod, Dr.
Clay Switzer says the Ministry's main goal is
"helping fanners help themselves".
Switzer told more than 300 farmers in
Hanover recently, that it was the role of the
ministry to provide information to fanners to
help make them mare productive.
Providing information to farmers comes
naturally to Switzer. Before his appointment
to OMAF last January, he spent 29 years as a
professor at the Ontario Agriculture College
in Guelph.
One area where Switzer hopes the govern-
ment can help fanners is in research.
Ontario etwrently spends $30 million on
research each year. Switzer outlined the value
of research. He says that each dollar spent on
research generated $30 to $40 in income to
farmers through increased productivity.
In order to help fanners market their
products, Switzer said he hopes to see
Ontario agricultural exports double in the'
next five years. Ontario currently exports $1.6
billion worth of produce each year.
Red meat development
More than 4,700 Ontario producers are now
enrolled in the three red meat development
programs for beef and sheep.
The programs, announced last May as part
of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fbod's Red
Meat Plan, have paid out more than $1.7
million in incentives to beef and sheep
producers.
"The programs were introduced to boost
the quality, productivity and efficiency of the
beef and sheep industries in Ontario," said
program co-ordinator Dr. Jim Ashman.
There are three development programs,.
one each for cow -calf, stocker -slaughter and
sheep producers.
"The main component for each program is
enrolment in performance testing pro-
grams," said Ashman./ "There are additional
grants including assistance for herd health
programs, feed testing, management analysis
and capital facilities.
"We are pleased with the progress of the
programs so far and we are considering some
enhancements to the stocker -slaughter and
sheep programs," he said.
Other red meat development initiatives
include a red meat research fund to accelerate
red meat research, and improved advisory
services for beef and sheep producers.
The red meat development invitiatives
were formulated as the first part of the
ministry's $62.5 million, five-year Red Meat
Plan. The plan also includes strategies to
improve marketing systems for beef and
sheep.
Producers may contact local agricultural
offices for additional information about the
red meat program. ,
alto provides capital aSsistailee frif on faun
erosion contml projects and manure storage
facilities
abs prig= has created greater aware-
ness abouf the devastating effects of erosion
which causesiesses of about $68 million each
and every year in agricultural productivity,"
said Andrewes. "These losses are due in part
to poor soil and crop management practices.
The Improved education service will try to
remedy this' situation by advising producers
on better soil and crop management and soil
censers/Akin for better profits.
Run off agricultural lands has also
contributed greatly to water quality problems
both in the Great Lakes and local inland
waters. This advisory program should help to
Tellico the leVela og118, bacteria
and sediment* these waters by encouraging
improved erosion and conservation tillage
methodS.
"This Sepik* actually bad its genesis,"
said the minter, "as our ercatriblation in a
recent co-operative effort with the Ministries
of the Environment and Natural ReAgrrees to
find ways to improve water quality in the.
province."
The program staff for the advisory service
will be located in seven of the Province's -most
erosion -prone areas, where it is becornMg
increasingly vital to maintain crop" !land
productivity,
The seomd phase of the 1985 soil censer -
thrust involves the Wmgemeattican clt a•
iota agricultural soil gethiervatiatt program
with local conservation authorities.
"Negotiations are now underway with 12
conservation authorities and wa:ilePe to be
making joint announcements with them next
month," he said.
lihrlier this year, the ministry introduced a
sed conservation awards program in -akiper-
ation withAbe -Ontario Soil and Crop Improve-
ment Association, to retognize fanners who
have made a eorranitment to good soil
management .on- their WM, The -awards
programa is administered by local soil and emp
improvement associations which will also
select the recipients.
A farmer's friend.
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At Work Or Play!
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