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The Rural Voice, 1985-07, Page 52Where Hopper goes, the water flows • Prompt Reliable Service • Free Estimates • 5 Modern Rotary Rigs CaII Collect Neil 527-1737 James 527-0775 Durl 527-0828 W.D. HOPPER & SONS Water Well Drilling SINCE 1915 R.R. 2, Seaforth Members of the Ontario Water Well Assoc. Don't go through Blyth without stopping at Yvonne's for Homemade Hamburgers • Milkshakes • • Ice Cream Cones • • Take -Out Dinners • (Also tables inside) Hours: 7:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m. Mon. to Fri. 8:00 a.m. - 8:30 p.m. on Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. on Sun. Yvonne's Take -Out At the Sunoco Station, in the centre of Blyth, east side of Highway 4. 50 THE RURAL VOICE FARM ADVICE Are pesticides killing farmers? Researchers are using laboratory animals to determine the effect that Alachlor (an ingredient in the her- bicide Lasso) has on living things. Their research shows that tumors are found in all mice and rats at all levels of exposure to Alachlor. At the same time, research is being carried out to determine the amount, if any, of Alachlor in drinking water. This research shows that the Lasso in- gredient does exist in ground water. Alachlor was found in municipal drinking water supplies in Kent County, especially in the Dresden area. But current research shows very lit- tle about the effect of this chemical on farmers who have been working with it for the past 20 years. "We can't wait 20 or 30 years until the peo- ple who have used it (Alachlor) get symptoms," says Dr. Harry Cieslar, Huron County health officer. Cieslar, who recently attended a day- long meeting conducted by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment to discuss Alachlor, is very concerned about the hazards of using this chemical and other farm chemicals like it. Alachlor has been used in her- bicides in Ontario for between 15 and 20 years. Recently, it appeared in drinking water in sandy areas. (None has been discovered in Huron County and area drinking water.) Lasso is ex- pected to be off the shelves by 1986. Monsanto, the company producing it, has made an appeal to save the product, but considering the threat to health it presents, the appeal will like- ly be lost, Cieslar says. Before being registered, Lasso underwent the extensive tests that the law demanded, although tests are more precise and extensive today. "But it's my understanding that there were some falsifications of data at that time, 20 years ago," Cieslar says. As a result, there will be further study not only of Lasso, but of all chemicals, Cieslar says. "Much data will have to be redone, and it is cost- ly. But necessary, considering the danger," he emphasizes. Everyone recognizes that chemicals used in agriculture "have changed our incomes and changed our lifestyles," acknowledges Cieslar, who adds that farmers should be made aware of the dangers of the materials they are using in spite of the benefits. "We need fewer chemicals," he suggests. Cieslar says that there has been relatively little publicity about the dangers of Lasso since it was discovered. He believes that OMAF should do more to tell farmers about their own safety. He agrees with farmers who say that those using the chemicals should be tested to see if the materials have affected their health, but unfortunately there are no easy ways to test people for this chemical, Cieslar told Huron County Council at its June meeting. Lionel Wilder, reeve of Hay Township, is a farmer who uses such chemicals in crop production. Many tractors don't have cabs, and farmers are exposed to the chemicals they are working with, he points out. Wilder has felt the "burning sensation" when a chemical touched his skin. "If we can save the life of one person in Huron County through better educa- tion and communication, we should do it," Wilder emphasizes. ❑ Sample as you fill silo Summer is approaching and with the beginning of roughage harvest it is time to start thinking about and preparing for feed analysis. In order to get a representative sample of what is in your silo, it is best to sample as you fill it. Sampling as you fill is not as time consuming as one might think. Here is a suggestion. Have a garbage bag sitting by the blower. Every two or three loads, put , a handful or two of silage into the bag. Be sure to keep the bag tied up between loads so that the silage does not lose moisture. At the end of the day, put the sample into the freezer to preserve it. Do this every day until harvest is over. At the end of harvest, when you have more time, send the samples to the feed lab. A little extra thought before harvest can make the feed analysis results much more meaningful after harvest.