The Rural Voice, 2002-04, Page 64JjS( 446 10th St., Hanover, Ontario N4N 1 P9
Email: grey@ota.on.ca Website: www.ofa.on.ca/grey 519-364-3050 or 1-800-275-9551
County Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER " The Rural Voice is provided to all Grey
County Farmers by the GCFA.
What does it take to get a forage insurance payout?
The first day of April is drawing
near. This is the day that if you decide
you w ant to cancel your AgriCorp crop
or forage insurance, you must let
AgriCorp know.
We had quite a drought in
Midwestern Ontario in 1998,
particularly in the Tara and Paisley
areas. To address the drought issue the
Grey and Bruce Federations of
Agriculture hosted a public information
meeting at the Tara Community Centre
in October 1998. The result of this
meeting indicated that a large number
of farmers did not have forage
insurance.
In 1999 the number of people who
signed up for forage insurance
increased tremendously. The drought
continued in 1999 and there was still no
pay out, even though they told us in
1998 that forage insurance was the only
way to go.
A group of 38 farmers in Grey and
Bruce Counties had approximately 65
per cent of their normal yield, which is
a far cry from the 80 per cent that
should be reached before AgriCorp
would not have to pay anything. "BUT
AGRICORP DID NOT PAY".
The group of farmers appealed and a
Tribunal Hearing was held in May
2001 which revealed several discrepan-
cies in AgriCorp's administration of the
program. The Paisley station that
AgriCorp indicated weather data had
come from had been closed since 1992.
We also presented other evidence of
incorrect data used by Agricorp.
The decision of the tribunal was
approximately 13 pages long, and was
critical of AgriCorp on several counts,
but in the last two paragraphs said
AgriCorp would "STILL NOT HAVE
TO PAY".
Where does this leave most of the
people in the group of 38 farmers who
GCFA OFFICE HOURS
Monday to Friday
10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
GREY COUNTY FEDERATION OF
AGRICULTURE
DIRECTORS' MEETING
Thursday, April 25, 2002 - 8:00 p.m.
Grey County Agricultural Services Centre meeting
room, (Grey Gables) 206 Toronto St. S., Markdale
Members are welcome to attend
60 THE RURAL VOICE
have an appeal. I have heard some of
the farmers say we will have to survive
without AgriCorp, and maybe this is
what they want.
In the year 2000 AgriCorp started a
pilot project on strictly rainfall but I am
not sure that this program works either.
In 2001 we had another drought in
the early part of July which lasted
nearly until the end of August.
However, we had just enough rain early
in July and late August for the rainfall
formula to show that we had received
enough rain, although it did not fall in
the critical period.
The drought in late July and early
August was at a critical time for pasture
land. The pastures dried up and there
was absolutely no second cut hay. We
were fortunate enough that our first cut
was approximately 125 per cent of
normal for our hay, however our
second cut was zero per cent. STILL
AGRICORP DID NOT PAY.
I feel that these rainfall formulas
should overlap from half one month to
half of the next month, because a
drought at a critical time could finish
pastures for the rest of the year and
possibly have an effect on the next
year. When drought hits at certain times
of the year it is too late for the pasture
to grow back to do any good.
In cohclusion will I continue to pay
for insurance that does not work? That
remains to be seen, but if I don't join
this year, I have no way of ever getting
any money hack. Perhaps the Ontario
Ombudsman could see if we are treated
fairly. That is the direction 38 farmers
in. Grey and Bruce Counties are taking
next.
The Ontario Federation of
Agriculture continues the effort to get a
workable program for forage crop
insurance in Ontario.°
— Submitted by D'Arev Healy
Derby Township Director
GREY COUNTY FEDERATION OF AGRICULTURE
MEET THE MEMBERS AND TOMMY COOPER
AWARD MEETING
Friday, April 5, 2002
St. Peter's Family Centre
850 Garafraxa Street North (Hwy. 6), Durham
Social: 6:30 p.m. Dinner: 7:00 p.m
Tickets: $12.50/person
For tickets call our office at 519-364-3050 or 1-800-275-9551
or your Township Director
Grey County Federation of Agriculture
57th Annual Public Speaking Competition
The GCFA 57th Annual Public Speaking Final Competition was held on March 5 at Sydenham Central
School in Owen Sound. Congratulations to the winners:
Junior:
1st - Jessica Kropf, Holland -Chatsworth Central School, "Crayons"
2nd - Michelle Parkes, Holland -Chatsworth Central School, "Harrison Park"
3rd - Emmi Ott, Notre Dame Separate School, Owen Sound, "Redheads"
Intermediate:
1st . Kasey Dunn, Normanby Public School, "New York"
2nd • Jody Van Dorp, Timothy Christian School, Owen Sound, "Vanity Through The Ages"
3rd (tied) - Lisa Schnurr, Timothy Christian School, "Everyday Saying and Quotes"
- Adam Sprott, Osprey Central School, "Martial Arts" •
GCFA would like to thank all the participants in our Public Speaking Competition. All the speeches at both
the semi-finals and finals were well done, both in content and presentation. Special thanks 10 the teachers who
assisted the students to prepare for the event, and the schools that hosted the semi-finals and finals.
We would also like to thank the co-ordinators, judges, and timekeepers. It would not be possible to have a
successful competition each year without everyone's participation and co-operation.0