The Rural Voice, 1980-02, Page 23Computers at Bruce Farmers' WeekâDon Fortune of United
Breeders was one of the speakers who outlined different
agricultural applications for computers in Hanover in
January. Watch for a number of articles on computers in
farming coming up in the March Rural Voice.
OFA likes "Spill Bill"
BY LAURA DRUMMOND
The Ontario Federation of Agriculture celebrated a victory
when the government accepted most of the recommendations it
put forth to amend Bill 24 --the "Spill Bill."
Jim McIntosh, of Tuckersmith Township, was last year's
chairman of the Provincial Committee of Pollution and
Pesticides. McIntosh and six other people studied the bill last
year and made recommendations to the Ontario Federation of
Ariculture who in turn made the recommendations to the
government.
The original bill would have made farmers totally liable for
spills of pollutants on his property, regardless of whose fault it
was. McIntosh explains, "Under the new bill, if a truck
containing poisonous substances overturned on your property,
damaging the land, it is now assumed the carrier of the pollutant
is liable, instead of going through court to prove it."
Also, liability limits will be established sometime this year by
the government. Additional protection will be provided by a
government funded compensation fund. This fund is to be used if
a carrier of a pollutant does not have adequate insurance to
cover returning the farmer's land to the original condition after a
spill, McIntosh explains.
Bill Mann, a committee member of Pollution and Pesticides]
from Grey Township explains, "Ten years ago we didn'thavethe
things to worry about that we do today. One of our big concerns
is liquid nitrogen."
McIntosh said, "We got everything we wanted except they
will not include radiation as a pollutant in the new bill."
Another OFA recommendation that was approved was that
animal wastes used in normal farming practices, such as
spreading manure, are exempt from the bill.
Farmers, however, are liable to liquid manure spills into
streams. Mann gave the example of possible water conta mina -
tion by a farmer who stored liquid manure in a gravel pit.
McIntosh advises farmers to check their insurance policies to
see if they are protected in such a case.
THE RURAL VOICE/FEBRUARY 1980 PG. 21