The Rural Voice, 2002-08, Page 63GREY
County Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER
446 10th St., Hanover, Ontario N4N 1P9
Email grey@ota.on.ca Website• www.ofa.on.ca/grey 519-364-3050 or 1-800-275-9551
• The Rural Voice is provided to all Grey
County Farmers by the GCFA.
OFA proposes rules for Nutrient Management Act
Bili 81. The Nutrient Management
Pian Legislation was passed in the
Ontario Legislature and given Royal
Assent on June 27. 2002.
Last fall OFA hosted nine
workshops across the province. seeking
input from farmers that could be
incorporated into the regulations that
will now be developed. Almost 500
farmers attended those meetings.
From that series of meetings and
subsequent discussions at OFA Board
meetings. a list of what farmers hope to
see in the regulations has been
developed.
Some of the key elements OFA and
Ontario's farmers want in the
regulations include:
• the Ministry of Agriculture and Food
should be the lead ministry
administering the Act
• there should be no contracting out of
administrative duties associated with
the Act
• costs associated with administration
of the Act should be the responsibility
of the Government of Ontario
• regulations must be flexible enough to
accommodate the wide range of
agricultural systems that constitute the
diversity of Ontario farming
• biosecurity protocols must be
established to ensure that inspectors
doing farm visits under the Act do not
serve as vectors for the transmission of
diseases between farms
• the Provincial Government must
provide the necessary funding to
farmers required to invest in capital
projects to comply with the regulations
under the Act
• municipal bylaws dealing with
nutrient management are to be repealed
once the Act and its regulations are
fully in place.0
Requirements for risk management programming (Safety Nets)
Risk Management programming
under the Agricultural Policy
Framework must include the following
elements:
• 6/6 NISA (eliminating the 3% NISA
interest bonus)
• Introduce an enhanced Ontario Grain
Stabilization Program with a support
price developed considering historical
prices and the cost -of -production and a
strong link to NISA (similar to Quebec)
• Continue Aith the additional 2/2
NISA top -up for edible horticulture
• Continue with the OFIDP/CFIP and
remove labour costs from the margin
calculation and explore introducing
negative margin coverage and a
stronger Zink with Crop
Insurance/SDRM. Ontario should work
nationally to develop a consistent
approach to dealing with disaster
programming starting in 2003. It should
Eastern Ontario hay heading to Prairies
Farmers in Eastern Ontario with
surplus hay from this year's crop are
preparing to ship some of that surplus
to drought -stricken livestock farmers in
Western Canada.
Since the word went out that hay
was being collected for Western
farmers. Cumberland Township
Councillor and farmer Phil McNeely
says his phone "has been ringing off
the hook."
Plans call for the first shipment of
big bales of hay to leave Brockville on
Thursday, July 25, on its way to
Edmonton via CN Rail. Farmers will
be expected to get their hay to the rail
yard in Brockville by Wednesday, July
24, McNeely says. "There may be some
instances where the hay can be picked
up at the farm," he says, "but the more
hay we can get delivered to Brockville
the better."
In the early stages of the campaign,
McNeely says a few hundred bales
won't help too many of the western
ranches, "but we're hoping the Ontario
60 THE RURAL VOICE
and federal governments can work out
a plan to ship thousands of tonnes of
hay to these ranchers."
"Both CN and CP rail companies
have expressed interest in helping (with
the transportation), but there are lots of
details stili to be worked out," he says.
McNeely is hoping the provincial and
federal ministries of agriculture will get
involved and "carry the ball from
here."
McNeely can be reached at 613-
580-2489 or 613-824-0517.0
GCFR Office Hours
Monday to friday
10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
GREY COUNTY FEDERATION OF
AGRICULTURE
PLEASE NOTE:
There will be NO Board of
Directors' meeting in August
Next meeting will be
Thursday, September 26, 2002
find innovative ways to reduce the need
for disaster assistance within the
province.
• 4/4 SDRM as a top -up to NISA for
2001 stabilization year and as a stand-
alone program starting with the 2002
crop year
Transition Funding:
• AAFC should allocate the $600
million in federal transition dollars to
the provincial governments and the
provinces should be responsible for
distributing the transition dollars based
on need.
• The province of Ontario should
receive at least 21 per cent of the $600
million, based on the Fredericton
allocation agreement.
• Ontario should target sector support
based on need using delivery
mechanisms in consultation with farm
organizations.
• Government must deliver the
transition dollars quickly, i.e.,
commencing in July/August 2002.0
GREY COUNTY FEDERATION OF
AGRICULTURE 62ND ANNUAL
MEETING AND BANQUET AND
OFA REGIONAL MEETING
Friday, October 4, 2002
Markdale Community Centre
Social: 6:30 p.m. — Dinner: 7:00 p.m.
NOTE OFA Regional Directors,
Delegates and Alternates for
OFA Convention and GCFA Presidents
will be elected at the meeting
i