The Citizen, 2009-09-03, Page 15THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2009. PAGE 15.
By Don McCabe, Vice-President,
Ontario Federation of Agriculture
After a year of serious economic
hardship in southern Ontario, it was
good news to hear Prime Minister
Harper announce plans recently for
the area’s own development agency.
With a budget of a billion dollars
to be spent over five years, we’re
looking forward to major
infrastructure development as a
result of the Federal Economic
Development Agency for southern
Ontario.
MP Gary Goodyear, minister of
state for science and technology, has
been put in charge of the new
agency. From his Cambridge riding
and the agency office in Kitchener,
we expect he will have a good
understanding of where agriculture
can contribute to sustainable
economic development for the area.
Prime Minister Harper, in making
the announcement, said he expects
to see as little of the one billion
dollars as possible used on
bureaucracy – leaving the bulk of the
money for programming. We
definitely support that approach.
Acknowledging the loss of more
than 200,000 jobs in southern
Ontario in recent months, Prime
Minister Harper wants to see MP
Goodyear and his agency at work
turning things around in southern
Ontario.
The good news is that we know
investment in agriculture and
agriculture infrastructure pays
dividends. Such investment will
certainly help turn around our rural
and provincial economy.
The plan calls for the investment
of millions of dollars through a
variety of programs, most of them
already existing, for research.
Agriculture looks forward to
working with Minister Goodyear
and his agency to explore
opportunities for farmers and others
in the agri-food sector. We want to
use every opportunity possible to
create more optimism for success in
agriculture.
Using production efficiencies
created through research, agriculture
has reached the stage where society
counts on farmers for a lot more than
just food. Society looks to modern
agriculture for a reduction in its
reliance on fossil fuels and a
reduction in greenhouse gases.
Increased production capabilities
now permit farmers to produce food
and feed well beyond their own
needs.
An increasing amount of output
from today’s farm is being used to
produce energy, both transportation
fuels and electricity. Again, research
has brought agriculture to these
capabilities. It is now imperative for
us to capitalize on the possibilities
using this new agency.
Agriculture is also showing
increased abilities in the production
of industrial feed stocks for
everything from starches to oils and
fibre.
Making use of the abilities and
imagination of research workers,
we’re confident the horizons for
agriculture will reach even greater
levels for service to society.
A recent report from Ontario Agri-
Food Technologies discusses a
number of areas where agriculture’s
capabilities for growth and
contribution to modern society are
unlimited. A major limiting factor,
according to that report, is
investment capital.
The federal government’s
economic development agency for
Southern Ontario is a likely source
for some of the needed investment
capital.
The agency announcement by the
prime minister tells us the Business
Development Bank of Canada will
invest a total of $50 million through
venture capital firms and its own
programs. As well, the National
Research Council’s Industrial
Research Assistance Program has
close to $100 million to foster
innovation among Southern
Ontario’s small and medium-sized
enterprises and supporting
organizations.
The OFA will continue to work
with our industry partners to explore
and develop the true potential of the
funding announced by the prime
minister to help agriculture advance
its capabilities for meeting society’s
needs and the needs of our Ontario
farm businesses.
OFA Commentary
Praise for economic development plan
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Men, Take Control
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By Zach Drost
Bayfield was the setting for a
recent meeting of the Huron County
4-H Sheep Club (South).
On Aug. 15 the members loaded
up their lambs and headed for the
Bayfield fair to have a day of
learning and fun. Members of the
new Lucknow 4-H Sheep Club also
attended the day.
The members began arriving at
8:30 a.m. and the first order of the
day was to claim a pen for the 4-H
project lambs.
The members then took their
lambs to the shed to get shorn. Karen
Wermeir from Elmwood did a great
job of shearing all the lambs. Some
of these fleeces will be shown at the
Seaforth Fall Fair.
The lambs were weighed to see
what class they would be put in. All
members paid a toonie towards
getting their lamb shorn and the club
also put some money towards the
shearing cost.
After lunch members changed into
their show uniforms, a white shirt
and black pants, to get ready for the
show.
The judge was Cliff Carrothers
from Lambeth.
The first class to show was the
young breeding ewes. Sara VanWyk
placed first and Greg Heyink
second.
The yearling breeding ewe was the
next class to enter the ring and
Graham Finley placed first and Cody
Younglao second. Graham Finley
won with the champion breeding
ewe lamb.
The light market lamb was the
next class and Taylor Kinsmen’s
lamb won with Zach Drost placing
second. Alanna Henderson placed
first and Jacob Skinner placed
second in the heavy market lamb
class.
Alanna Henderson had the
champion lamb.
The next class was showmanship.
For the seniors, Joel Brodie placed
first and Roy VanBrugge placed
second.
Graham Finley placed first in the
intermediate class with Amber
Brodie coming in second.
In the junior class Katie Willis
placed first and Janette Plaetzer was
second. Nikki VanBrugge and Taylor
Kinsmen were first and second in the
novice class for first-time
showpersons.
There were also two pre-4-Hers
who showed their lambs in a
separate class. Graham Finley was
the overall top showman.
Each member received some prize
money for coming to the fair.
This money was donated by the
United Credit Union, Clinton
Branch with Terri Louch there to
present each member with their prize
money.
Locals perform well at plowing matchThe 82nd Huron County plowingmatch was held on the farm of Patand Bob Down north of ExeterFriday, Aug. 28. The Junior Day on Thursday saw14 4-H plowers complete theirSodbusters Club with their
achievement day. The top plow
person was Brandon McGavin who
received the TD Bank Award with
David Grobbink winning the Ross
Gordon Memorial Trophy for Best
Crown.
The Princess competition saw
Laura Higgins from the Brussels
area being crowned the 2009 HuronCounty Princess. On Friday the Queen of theFurrow competition was held with 6young ladies competing for the titleof 2009 Queen of the Furrow. Aftera delicious barbeque supper held at
the South Huron Ag building the
2008 Queen of the Furrow Melissa
Sparling crowned Stacey Reinsma
from Clinton as 2009 Queen of the
Furrow.
First runner up was Erica Murray
from Seaforth. Best land plowed
went to Samantha Klaver of
Seaforth. A field of 40 plowers competed in10 classes. Many trophies andawards were presented after thebarbeque. Huron Junior Championwas Jacob McGavin of Walton withKevin Haney of Seaforth winning
Huron Junior Reserve.
Huron Senior Champion was
Steven Haney from Seaforth with
Paul Dodds of Seaforth receiving the
Huron Senior Reserve trophy.
The McGavin Family Award for
highest score in classes 2-4
(previous winners not eligible) was
presented to Kevin Haney Seaforth. The Don Dodds Award for theplower from out of county went toKatie Davenport of Owen Sound. Best Gang Plow Team from MTSFarm Supply went to Lyle Douglasfrom Alvinston.
Many antique pieces of machinery
were on display with a Farmall H on
steel owned by Ron Coleman Varna
winning the Most Original Restored
on display award and Cecil Pepper
Hensall with a Farmall F14 winning
the Most Original Unrestored on
display.
Antique plowing champion wasKen O’Brien Midhurst. The Val-LeaAward for the youngest plowercompeting from Huron County wentto Troy Leeming of Seaforth.The MGM Townsend Tire Awardfor the top junior and senior
plowmen from Huron going on to
compete at the IPM 2009 in
Temiskaming are Jacob McGavin
and Steve Haney. The Huron County
Warden’s Award to Junior
Champion (previous winners
ineligible) went to Scott Bann of
Walton.
4-H Sheep Club members attend Belgrave fair
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