The Rural Voice, 1993-07, Page 62People
CANADIAN EMBASsl,
AMBASSADE DU CANADA
KANADISCHE BOI.SCHAF;
Geeing the international view outside the Canadian Embassy at Bonn,
Germany as part of this year' s Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program
tour are (left to right) Kevin Kale, Seaforth; Brian Bestard, St. Marys, Scott
Graham, St. Marys and Jack Vanderkooy, Simcoe.
AALP participants learn realities
of agriculture in today's Europe
Several western Ontario residents were among the 29 participants in the
1993 Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program (AALP) tour and learned,
first hand, about agriculture in Europe.
Taking part in the tour earlier this spring were: Brian Bestard, St. Marys;
Ken Furlong, R.R.4, Durham; Scott Graham, St. Marys; Brian Horner,
Shelburne; Kevin Kale, Seaforth; Wayne McCausland, Meaford; Neil
McCutcheon, Owen Sound and Mark Reusser, Ailsa Craig.
The tourists found the environmentally conscious European farmers have
nothing like the Ontario Farm Environmental Agenda but they are living with
new restrictions. In the Netherlands, for instance, there is a manure quota.
Under new laws a single livestock operation is only allowed to produce a
certain amount of manure.
The AALP participants took part in a program that began in September
1991 and ended with the tour of France, Belgium, the Netherlands and
Germany in March and April.0
New members named to OATI board
Nancy McGill, a Middlesex County
farmer, has been elected for a fifth
term as chairman of the board of
directors of Ontario Agricultural
Training Institute (OATI).
Vice -chair of the group is Herb
Deelstra, a poultry producer from
Wyoming. Western Ontario members
of the board include Tony Morris, a
lamb producer and financial manage-
ment consultant from Mildmay and
Elizabeth Wagner, a milk producer
from Monkton. Bill Allen, formerly of
Centralia College, now with OMAF in
Guelph, is also on the board.
In the past year over 5000 farmers
registered for 436 training courses and
31 information and services programs
partially funded by OATI. OATI is
dedicated "farmers managing change".0
Wellington Ag Rep
gets new job
W. J. Baxter, Agricultural
Representative from the Ontario
Ministry of Agriculture and Food to
Wellington County has said his
goodbyes to the county and as of
June 14 took on a new job with
OMAF.
He will be part of a Rural
Business Development team set up
by OMAF to assist individuals and
municipalities to create new, viable
businesses. "The last few years have
been filled with uncertainties, both
on the farms and in the rural
communities," he said. "It is evident
in most sectors of our industry that
fewer farmers will be needed to feed
our people and fill our markets in the
future. Still, our communities need to
provide employment, recreation and
social support for a growing rural
population.
"This will be a new challenge for
me, and I am looking forward to it.
At the same time, I am pleased that
my family will continue to live in
Fergus and be a part of the
Wellington County scene.
"For the past four years I have
enjoyed serving Wellington County
farmers. I have met many fine people
during my stay here, and I will
treasure the memories that I have
gained through these relationships."0
A star is born
A Kippen-area farmer's unique
tractor is about to become an
international calendar girl.
A panel of judges selected a 1922
Robert Bell tractor owned by Ron
MacGregor, R.R.3, Kippen, for the
1994 DuPont Classic Farm Tractors
Calendar. Ralph Sanders of Des
Moines, Iowa arrived recently to
photograph the tractor at the
MacGregor farm.
The tractor will also be featured in
a video in July by Vernard Films Ltd.
The 1922 Imperial Super Drive was
built at the Robert Bell Engine and
Thresher Company in nearby Sea -
forth and has been owned by the Mac-
Gregor family since August 4, 1922.0