The Rural Voice, 1981-10, Page 31ers are liable for clean-up and fines when
contaminating spills occur.
"It's a farmer's responsibility to ensure
he does not discharge a contaminant into
the environment," says Mr. Weeden.
"Everybody is concerned about main-
taining the environment," he says. "It
doesn't take many incidents before people
start complaining. Pollution control is not
something you have a choice about."
Centralia offers
computer course
The paperless information age is here.
A business without a computer is
equivalent to running a race wearing ankle
weights.
To avoid leaving farmers buried under a
ton of paper and to meet the growing
demand for trained personnel in the food
service industry and agribusinesses, the
Centralia College of Agriculture Technol-
ogy (CCAT) is offering an introductory
computer course beginning this fall.
"Computers will soon be as common a
means of communication and data storage
as the telephone, the filing cabinet and the
pocket calculator," says Jack Underwood,
head of engineering at CCAT.
The college is now acquiring a micro
computer and 12 terminals to begin
teaching in September. Initially, the
course will be a second -year option in the
food services and agriculture business
management programs.
Eventually all students will be able to
take the course, says Mr. Underwood. The
agricultural colleges at Ridgetown,
Kemptville and New Liskeard offer similar
courses.
Mr. Underwood says the course is a
basic introduction to computers and is now
designed to train programmers.
"We want to familiarize our students
with computers so if they walk into an
agribusiness that has computer inventory
they won't choke on the keyboard."
Graduates may be putting information
into a computer or getting information out
concerning anything from cafeteria menus
to breeding records.
Such a course is especially important,
says Mr. Underwood. since farming will
be the next business to use computers
extensively.
Computers already allow larger farms
to keep track of herds, production and
other records. Cheaper computers and
better information systems mean a farmer
may soon buy and sell produce. compare
market prices and calculate feed rations
and costs without leaving the office or
lining a pencil.
About 50 students are expected to take
the CCAT course this fall and Mr.
Underwood says he Fopes to extend it to
night courses sonie time in the future.
Mailbox of the month
Wilfred J. Tuer, R.R. #3, Stratford is the
owner of this mailbox. (Photo by Donna Thiel)
Drainage pays off
in energy savings
VMell drained soils require less horsepower to worts and
smaller equipment operates with greater fuel efficiency
when excess water does not have to be moved during field
operations
In fact, It has been shown that the cost
of drainage projects can often be
recouped very quickly in fuel savings
and lower capital investment in equipment
roEh drainage
IMITEp
FARM DRAINAGE SYSTEMS
Gads Hill, Ontario NOK 1J0 Cr (519) 656-2618
THE RURAL VOICE/OCTOBER 1981 PG 29