Loading...
The Rural Voice, 2000-09, Page 80GREY County Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER 446 10th St., Hanover, Ontario N4N 1P9 Email grey©ofa on ca Website www.ofa on cagrey 519-364-3050 or 1-800-275-9551 • The Rural Voice is provided to all Grey County Farmers by the GCFA. It's time to think safety on the farm At one time safety on the farm meant being careful not to get hurt and being watchful of others helping out on the farm. Now. safety has taken on more and expanding ways of explanation. First is being safe and careful in the way we do our work and when working with others. Are all safety shields in place when equipment is operating, or do you leave one or two shields off so we can gain a few seconds when adjusting or servicing a piece of equipment? The time saved now may well be lost if our hand or clothing is caught in moving parts when we operate the equipment. Has a shield been lost or misplaced and never put back on, thus creating a dangerous situation at all times, especially if someone else operates the machinery in your absence or while working for you? Do you have "Slow Moving Vehicle" (SMV) signs on all vehicles and equipment when moving on the road. These signs must be visible from a distance of at least 150 metres (500 feet) and be placed on the rear- most piece of equipment, not just on the tractor. A SMV sign may not always prevent someone from rear - ending you, but you will have proven due diligence and be in a reasonably safe legal position. Flashing lights will also keep you more visible to faster moving traffic. Safety also means being responsible for disposal of all 35th Annual Grey -Bruce Farmers' Week and Trade Show January 3 - 6, 2001 Elmwood Community Centre For more information contact Grey County Agricultural Services Centre 519-986-3756 76 THE RURAL VOICE nutrients on the farm. Animal manure as well as chemical fertilizers must be used in a way so as to be able to gain maximum economic benefit in crop yield without polluting the groundwater or the soil. Water safety is currently in the forefront of the news and agriculture is being blamed for much of the problem. Rightly or wrongly, we must be able to prove due diligence in our operation. Safety storing. hauling and spreading manure is of the essence. New rules and regulations are imminent and we will have to be able to conform to them in the way we handle animal waste. whether solid or liquid. While chemical fertilizer is not as visible or as smelly as manure, it too can be a source of contamination to groundwater. Extra nitrogen and phosphorus may give that extra bit of yield, but is it economically viable in Tight of the cost and risk of pollution? In a year such as this, excess rain will likely have caused much leaching of nutrients before the crops have been able to use them. Even with application rates within recommended levels, leaching may have occurred. Flooding will only have added to the problem this year as more nutrients will have been washed to low areas and then settle into the ground where there are no plants left alive to use these excess nutrients, thus creating a bigger problem. Third, safety means "Safety Nets" to many. With the numerous Safety Net programs available to anyone with large numbers of livestock or acres of crop, safety is security in knowing help is available in a year such as this. Many other countries have support programs far superior to Canadian programs. We as farmers must lobby our Provincial and Federal Members of Parliament to increase support for the farm community. We are the second largest industry in the country in terms of overall employment. The food industry in Canada can compete anywhere in the world with our equal counterparts, but we cannot compete against an almost bottomless bank roll from the European Union, United States and other government support. Safety means these things and much more. We all have our own ideas of safety. Have a happy and SAFE harvest.0 — Winston Kirkpatrick OFA Regional Director Grey North and Bentinck Township President GREY COUNTY FEDERATION OF AGRICULTURE DIRECTORS' MEETING Thursday, September 28, 2000 8:00 p.m. Annesley United Church, 82 Toronto Street, Markdale Members are we/come to attend. GREY COUNTY FEDERATION OF AGRICULTURE 60th Annual Meeting and Banquet and OFA Regional Meeting Friday, October 31, 2000 Markdale Community Centre Social: 6:30 p.m. - Dinner: 7:00 p.m. Guest Speaker: Dr. Gord Surgeoner, President Ontario Agri -Food Technologies NOTE: OFA Regional Directors, Delegates and Alternates for OFA Convention and GCFA Presidents will be elected at the meeting