The Rural Voice, 1997-10, Page 24lot of livelihoods rely on the pork
industry, including those cash crop
farmers who sell their corn for hog
feed. You can't throw out the baby
with the bath water."
"We realize that probably 60 per
cent of the corn crop goes to live-
stock," said Frayne. "We are not
against hog farmers. It is not about
the demise of livestock, but the sal-
vation of it. I am concerned about the
family farmers.
"I do not want to be critical of the
livestock sector, but more homework
needs to be done on liquid manure,"
Frayne explained, saying if some-
thing isn't done to deal with the con-
cerns of liquid manure disposal, vot-
ers could have the power to close
barns. "There may be 7,000 hog pro-
ducers in Ontario, but there are seven
million voters."
He also stressed no cottager, busi-
ness person or cash cropper wants to
get rid of livestock, they just want to
be able to used the water and the
lake.
"I am all for expansion if (research)
r an Oulu/ the. right n,,mh.rc (r'nnrri_
"Most would agree," said Caldwell,
"that there has to be a limit to the
number of animal units, but what is
that limit? It is not easy as there are a
lot of issues and concerns. Any poli-
cies would be aimed at the limited
number of risky cases.
"In my opinion, we all contribute a
little to pollution," he said. "Huron
farmers are as learned as anywhere.
They want to put the proper manage-
ment practices in place."
Jn
reality, Caldwell said it is the
large operations which are easy to
manage because everyone is
watching them. They may also have
the money available to spend on
environmental testing and waste con-
trol measures.
The challenge is smaller opera-
tions, not just in livestock, but farm-
ers applying fertilizer, he said.
Though the focus may currently be
on e -coli, Frayne and Gleason both
said testing for nitrates and other
contaminants should be undertaken.
"All farmers are working to
improve management practices," said
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"If they do it right, it nullifies the
problem."
It is those improved practices on
which Thompson focuses. "Too
much energy is being spent on finger
pointing (for blame), though some
good things are beginning to hap-
pen." The groups are meeting and
concerned residents are talking to the
right people, he said.
"They need to sort out (the prob-
lem) and get on with it. That is what
farmers do."
(The debate) may cause some real
soul searching for farmers to see if
they are doing all they can, said
Thompson. "I would like to see
everyone take ownership of the prob-
lem."
Taking ownership for the problem
is an aim of Gleason's. In early
September he presented one munici-
pal council with two proposals for
bylaws, which would see heavy taxa-
tion to both residential and agricul-
tural land if proof of sound waste
management systems was not avail-
able.
The residential landowner would
be required to have the septic tank
certified and inspected every five
years while the agriculturalist would
need proof of anenvironmental farm
plan.
Thompson also believes this
public scrutiny, though creat-
ing a very bad atmosphere in
some rural areas, may result in a ben-
efit to the environment.
First, it will get farmers to look at
their own operations. Second, there is
legislation to deal with problems and
third, if prosecution doesn't work,
maybe peer pressure will.
"It is getting scary if it gets to that
point," said Thompson. "I don't want
to live in a country where the people
police are there every time one turns
around. If one wants to find a scan-
dal, one can be found."
In spite of the controversy and con-
cern which has arisen in some munic-
ipalities, those working to solve the
problem see some good coming from
the attention the issue has received.
"Once the farmers realize the nega-
tive impact they could be having,
they want to do something," said
Gleason.
Summing up, Thompson said, "If
groups are getting together to work to
clean up the water and beaches, their
intention is very honorable."0