The Rural Voice, 2001-12, Page 66BRUCE
Email: bruce@ofa.on.ca 519-364-3050 or 1-800-275-9551
www.ofa.on.ca/bruce
www.ofofa.on.ca/bruce
446 10th St., Hanover, Ontario N4N 1P9
County Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER
• The Rural Voice is provided to Bruce
County Farmers by the BCFA.
This month 1 would like to give
credit to some winners in our
agricultural community. In these days
where there is so much doom and
gloom. it is enlightening to realize how
many strong and capable people we
have in Bruce County.
In the last month the Bruce County
Federation of Agriculture (BCFA) has
presented scholarships to three students
graduating from high school who are
looking forward to, continuing in
agriculture. These students were Herald
Oude Voshaar, Saugeen District High
School: Chris Misch, Chesley District
High School: and Jonathan Zettler,
Sacred Heart High School. Walkerton.
It is a cliche to say the future is in
our youth but is also very true. Young
people of today will have many options
when it comes to careers so encouraging
some to choose agriculture is extremely
important. Farmers must earn respect as
well as a livelihood for this to happen.
At the November BCFA Board
meeting we were treated to a
presentation by Glen and Sheila Burgess
of Formosa. Ontario's winners and
representatives to Canada's Outstanding
Young Farmers Program Award this
year. The slide show and presentation
which they will make in Quebec in
December, was extremely well done and
gave us insight into how a young and
growing family can make a life and a
livelihood in farming in Bruce County
today. Their optimism and enthusiasm
impressed us all. Hard work,
intelligence, enthusiasm, and some luck
seem to be the main ingredients for
success.
Our society and our community was
built and will continue to be built by
people like the Burgesses. Their
achievements are a credit to all of us.
At our Annual meeting the Award o
BRUCE COUNTY FEDERATION
OF AGRICULTURE
EXECUTIVE 2001 - 2002
Past President: Murray Clark
President: Jayne Dietrich
1st Vice President: Rick Robson
2nd Vice President: Robert Emerson
OFA Regional Directors:
Bruce West - Robert A. Bregman
Bruce East - Allan Smith
Executive: Mark Hamel, Wietse Posthumus,
Emie Young
(One vacant executive position to be filled at
December Board meeting)
62 THE RURAL VOICE
Bruce - a county of winners
Merit was given to Allan Smith a
longtime OFA member from the Tara
area. The work of Allan and the others
on the drought committee has meant
their fight to get justice and fair
treatment from AgriCorp has gone to the
highest levels. Their professionalism
and integrity have added a great deal to
the credibility of their cause. The power
of the force they are up against has not
stopped them and win or lose we are all
better for their efforts.
Allan has contributed countless hours
to not just the cause but to the work of
being on the OFA Board, BCFA
Executive as well as the Grey -Bruce
Humane Society. We are lucky to have
him working on our behalf.
Lately there has been a flurry of
project funding approvals from both
levels of government. These projects are
the result of partnerships of farmers,
rural residents and governments whose
aim is the improvement of our
environment. The BCFA has received
approval for its application to the
Agricultural Adaptation Council for an
Agricultural Environmental Stewardship
Initiative grant for on farm
implementation of best management
practices specific to water quality
improvement. Almost $400,000 will be
put towards projects for water quality
improvement in the watersheds of Deer
and Otter Creeks, and the Teeswater
River. Hard work and dedication got this
funding and more of it will get the jobs
done.
As well the OFA and County
Federations including BCFA have
secured funds from the Healthy Futures
for Ontario Agriculture program to
develop the Rural Well Upgrading and
Decommissioning Project for rural
residents of Ontario.
Both these projects require the
completion of an Environmental Farm
Plan (EFP) which in my opinion is one
of the benefits of these grants. The more
farmers that complete an EFP the further
down the road we are to a clean and
healthy environment which will benefit
us all.
Let us be happy that we live in one
of the best places on the planet and let
us keep working to keep it that way.0
— Submitted by Rick Robson
1st Vice President
�Sectscov% s GNeefiv qs!
The Bruce County Federation of Agriculture
would like to wish all our members and their
families a very Merry Christmas and a
healthy, prosperous and Happy New Year.
BRUCE COUNTY FEDERATION OF
AGRICULTURE
DIRECTORS' MEETING
MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2001 -- 8:00 P.M.
Sprucedale Agromart
RR. #2, Walkerton
25th sideroad Brant (north off of former
tiwy.#4 - east of Walkerton)
MEMBERS ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND
441;41.110al @MG:It@ OM antra*
Important! Farmland Property Taxes
Is your farm in the correct tax class?
• There are two (2) programs you must apply to:
1. Farm Business Registration registers your farm business each year.
2. Farmland Property Class Tax Rate puts your farm property in the
Farmland Tax class (25 per cent).
Note: If you filed a multi-year Farm Land Property Class Tax Rate application in 2000 or 2001, then you only
need to notify OMAFRA if any changes have occurred in your situation.
• You can check this by looking at your most recent Property Assessment Notice:
"Res/Farm Taxable: Full" If your notice says only this, it means you will pay 100 per cent of the residential
tax rate on your farmland!
"Farmlands Taxable: Full" If your notice says this, it means you will pay 25 per cent of the residential tax
rate on your farmland.
For a farm with a house on it, both of the above classes should be on the assessment notice.
•If there is a problem, TO CORRECT IT:
ACT NOW! You only have until March 31, 2002
Call OMAFRA 1-800-469-2285 or the Ontario Assessment Review Board at 1-800-263-3237
• Purchasing a farm?
Check with OMAFRA, before you buy, to be sure the property is in the correct class: 1-800-469-2285
• Renting farmland?
The owner of the land must get the Farm Business Registration number and signature of the tenant, on
the Farmland Property tax application.
IMPORTANT: Please read your "Property Assessment Notice" carefully when you receive it
to ensure you will not be paying 100 per cent tax rate on your farmland in 2002.