The Rural Voice, 2002-03, Page 62PERTH
Burnell Kipfer, R.R. #1, Sebringville NOK 1X0 Ph: 519-271-3399 Fax 519-273-0789
PCFA Office 519-229-6430 Fax 519-229-6269 e-mail: perth@ofa.on.ca
County Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER
The Rural Voice is provided to farmers
in Perth County by the PCFA.
Nutrient Management Planning in rural communities - getting the details
OATI is offering Nutrient
Management Planning Workshops in
Hanover on February 27. March 6
.end March 20 and Stratford on April
3. April 10 and April 17. Market
research commissioned by OATI in
the spring of 2001 indicated that
Nutrient Management Planning
topped the list of immediate concerns
that rural residents were most
interested in learning about. In
response to these needs. OATI's
program will provide rural residents,
farmers, as well as, municipal
politicians and planners an
understanding of the key issues and
considerations in planning for
agriculture and large livestock
operations.
The program will be offered in
three evening sessions. Participants
may attend one or all three depending
on the topics they are interested in
learning about. Session one will
explore relationships between
agriculture, the community,
municipal/provincial planning and
the legislative framework. Session
two will describe, in plain language,
components of a nutrient
management plan. Finally, session
three will discuss conflict resolution
and time tested techniques in dealing
with the public and media. All
sessions will be offered in the
evening from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
All sessions will be facilitated by
Wayne Caldwell. Wayne is a faculty
member in the School of Rural
Planning and Development with the
University of Guelph and a planner
with the County of Huron Planning
Department. Caldwell was also part
of the writing team, along with John
Turvey and Mike Toombs from
OMAFRA and Ruth Knight from the
County of Huron. Cost for each
session is $50 + GST and includes a
comprehensive resource manual as
well as refreshments. Participants can
attend all three sessions for $125 +
GST.
Refer to the OATI website for the
most up to date program locations.
Bell rings in $30,000 grant for Farm Line
The Farm Line. a distress help
service for Ontario Farmers and rural
families, has been given a $30,000
boost through Bell Canada's $1
million community development
fund.
A non-profit service relying on
donations and grants, the Bell
contribution will allow the Farm Line
to continue its weekday, toll-free
hotline service, to provide an
accompanying web site and to
expand its data base of rural support
resources, said spokesperson Susan
Klein-Swormink.
The Farm Line was selected for a
grant, said Bell's Renato Discensa,
because it uses communications
technology to enhance both the social
and economic climates within
Ontario's rural community. "They're
providing a positive framework for
other organizations to develop similar
programs," Discensa said of Farm
58 THE RURAL VOICE
Line sponsors — the Ontario 1 -arm
Women's Network — which launched
the service 14 months ago.
The service has already proven its
worth and the existing need, said
Alice Koekkoek, manager of the
Farm Line's bilingual Brockville -
based call desk which employs four
rotating counsellors from 8:30 a.m. to
8:00 p.m. weekdays.
"We've had close to 1,000 calls to
date on everything from illness and
isolation to threatened foreclosures
and divorce," Koekkoek said. "The
calls are referred on to professionals
in the field...unless the callers are
simply looking for a sympathetic
voice on the other end of the line."
A detailed evaluation of the Farm
Line is now being conducted in co-
operation with the University of
Guelph, Koekkoek added.
The number for the Farm Line is
1-888-451-2903.0
OATI is a not for profit
corporation whose mission is to
strengthen rural communities by
providing superior, specialized,
accessible training and development
opportunities.
For registration information
contact John Thompson, OATI
office, 1-800-668-6284, ext. 222 or
Nyree Wilson, OATI office, 1-800-
668-6284, ext. 221.0
Downie
History Book
The Downie History Book
Committee has been hard at
work since April 2000.
A limited number of books will
be printed, so we recommend
that you order your copy of this
book now. The pre -publication
advance payment price is $85
including GST, after March 1,
2002 the fee will be $95.
For further information or to
order your book contact Marion
Ready at 519-393-6965 or the
Township of Perth South.0
PERTH COUNTY
FEDERATION
OF AGRICULTURE
DIRECTORS'
MEETING
Thursday,
March 28, 2002
8:00 p.m.
Downie Mutual Insurance
Sebringville