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The Citizen, 1991-04-17, Page 15THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 1991. PAGE 15. Environmental bill has Huron farmers worried Huron County farmers seem torn between fears of what the Environ­ mental Bill of Rights (EBR) propos­ ed by Ontario Environment Mini­ ster Ruth Grier could bring and their own interest in improving the environment if emotions expressed at the Huron County Federation of Agriculture meeting in Blyth Wed­ nesday are any indication. About 40 people attended the meeting at Blyth Public School to hear Dona Stewardson, executive member of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, explain what she knew about the bill. So far, she explained, that isn’t much. While Mrs. Grier has been setting a speeded-up schedule for the bill, wanting it to be brought before cabinet early in April and brought to the Legislature by early May, no details of the bill are still available. Mrs. Stewardson sat on the Farm advisory committee to give infor­ mation to Mrs. Grier on what should be in the bill but even she doesn’t know what will actually be included. She has some concerns, pointing out that 20 of the 23 people on the committee were environment lawyers and she worried that for some, the bill would be a way to create more work. At the meeting between the OFA executive and the cabinet, OFA President Roger George had told Premier Bob Rae he felt the government was moving too fast on the bill but the Premier objected there wasn’t undue haste. Mrs. Grier had promised a “world class” bill. Mrs. Stewardson said farmers are concerned the EBR will zoom to the top of the government agenda and the Farm Practices Protection Act that protects farmers from harrassment by urbanites living in rural areas, will be forgotten. That is what seems to touch a cord of fear in many farmers. Several pointed to horror stories from other provinces or countries where tough regulations left farm­ ers vulnerable to complaints they were harming the environment. Brenda McIntosh, Huron Federa­ tion president said that a bill in Quebec says farmers can’t spread manure after the end of Septem­ ber. If that law were in Ontario a lot of farmers would need help to build larger manure-holding facilities, she said. Farmers are concerned that groups like Friends of the Earth and Green Peace will be able to make life for farmers difficult. They worry that the EBR would give people a right to lodge a complaint against farmers if they see a farmer spraying his field. But some farmers see a need for some legislation. Dave Linton, RR 2, Blyth, said he knew of someone in the U.S. who had to drill a new well to a 600-foot level to get pure water because intensive farming with too much manure on too small settling areas to keep silt out of the streams and the nutrients it con­ tains on the fields. John Gaunt of East Wawanosh wondered if people were willing to do some serious research on the value of grass farms. Some people using intensive pasturing were getting a larger return from grass than top producers of corn and soybeans, he said. But, he argued, conservation grants to farmers had penalized the farmers who were already doing a good conservation job. “You can let your soil blow away, but then plant a tree in the middle of your field and you can get a grant,” he argued. “Then you can pull it up five years later (after the grant program is over).” Some speakers pointed out that while a cattle farm can have more sewage than a small village, the village gets large government grants to build sewer plants while the farmer has to provide his own environmental protection. Others worried that the goals of many environmentalists were un­ realistic. “At the time of Tiger Dunlop (Huron’s first settler) a storm turned the Maitland red with silt,” John Gaunt said, “and that was a long time before corn and soybeans were planted. Erosion is a natural process.” Bob Down of Hensall agreed saying he sat in on a conference on Great Lakes water quality at the time of the formation of the Green Plan and heard some people talking about zero discharge into the Great Lakes. “We don’t want to be against cleaning dp water but they’re unrealistic,” he said. He said the whole of society had to be responsible for improving the environment because many city practices are responsible to harm­ ing the reat Lakes, Mrs. Stewardson agreed, saying a study by the International Joint Commission, the regulatory body in charge of the Great Lakes, showed farmers were responsible for only half the problems with pesticides and fertilizers. The other half came from urban use of the same chemicals on lawns and gardens. She said that information was never publicized. Heavy sales continue at Brussels Livestock Sales for the week ending April 12 at Brussels Livestock were as follows: slaughter cattle, 860; cows, 167; veal calves, 89; stockers, 1,005; pigs, 139. There were 382 steers on offer selling from $87 to $97 to the high of $100. Thirteen steers consigned by Wm. Bennett & Sons Ltd., Gorrie averaged 1288 lbs. sold for $97.53 to the high of $100. Sixteen steers consigned by Ed Beattie and Son Ltd., Stayner averaged 1440 lbs. sold for $94.01 to the high of $100. Forty-three steers consigned by W. B. Pletch Co. Ltd., Rockwood averaged 1224 lbs. sold for $95.74. Fifteen steers consigned by John Barbour, Orangeville averaged 1504 lbs. sold for $95.47. Eighteen steers consigned by Glen Johnston, Bluevale averaged 1324 lbs. sold for $90.75. One steer consigned by Jim and Les Stephen­ son, Ethel weighed 1350 lbs. sold for $92.50. Six steers consigned by Bob McPhee, Auburn averaged 1227 lbs. sold for $90.24. There were 216 heifers on offer selling from $80 to $95. One heifer consigned by Stan Gulutzen, Brus­ sels averaged 500 lbs. sold for $107. Twenty-five heifers consign­ ed by John Barbour, Orangeville averaged 1272 lbs. sold for $97.52 to the high of $105. One heifer consigned by Sylvia Lee, Brussels weighed 1260 lbs. sold for $93.75. One heifer consigned by Ross Baird, Wingham weighed 1130 lbs. sold for $92.75. Four heifers con- sold for $94.46 to the high of $106. Two veal consigned by Cecil Bruinsma, Goderich averaged 500 lbs. sold for $94. One veal consign­ ed by Kim Vandegevel, Atwood weighed 590 lbs. sold for $94. One veal consigned by Paul Bollinger, Dungannon weighed 540 lbs. sold for $93. There were 167 cows on offer selling from $57 to $64 to the high of $67.50. One cow consigned by Jim Cooper, Brussels weighed 1140 lbs. sold for $67.50. One cow consigned by John Tibben, Kincar­ dine weighed 1180 lbs. sold for $66.50. One cow consigned by Mabel Bald, Sebringville, weighed 1310 lbs. sold for $64.50. One cow consigned by Keith Vanderhoek, Ripley weighed 1220 lbs. sold for $64.25. One cow consigned by Roy Beuerman, Dub­ lin weighed 1350 lbs. sold for $63.75. One cow consigned by Ted Fischer, Mildmay weighed 1360 lbs. sold for $63.75. One cow consigned by Jerri Lee Diebel, Mildmay weighed 1340 lbs. sold for $63.50. There were 1005 stocker and feeder cattle on offer April 12 with steers selling $95.25 to $131 and heifers selling $85 to $122. Pigs saw 139 of offer selling at: under 40 lbs., $112.50 to $113.33; 40 - 60 lbs., $79.53 to $107.61; 60 and over, $68.75 to $74.03. Starting Thursday, April 25 at 11 a.m. Brussels Livestock will be selling veal, bob calves, lambs, sheep and goats. an acreage had contaminated the ground water at shallower levels. He said huge farm corporations in another state have so much pig manure they dig a 20-acre pit to hold the manure. Small farmers need to be protected from that kind of practice, he said. Bruce Shillinglaw of Londesboro wondered what regulations farmers could live with. He has been part of a study group looking into phos­ phate loading of the Great Lakes. Legislation in Europe and some parts of the U.S. looks at the net balance of nitrates in the soil. Soil samples are taken in the spring and again in the fall to see that the farmer hasn’t increased the amount of residue nitrogen in the soil. Farmers often put 150 pounds of nitrogen on their corn but perhaps really only need 80 pounds, he said. He wondered if farmers would be willing to put in buffer strips and ATTENTION ALL CREAM PRODUCERS ANNUAL SPRING MEETING to be held at East Wawanosh Public School, Belgrave SATURDAY, APRIL20 12:30 p.m. GUEST SPEAKER ELGIN COLE Please plan to attend. It’s your industry! HURON COUNTY CREAM COMMITTEE The EVENT Cash Rebates are available on all new Vicon farm equipment. signed by John Schwartzentruber, Brussels weighed 1130 lbs. sold for $88.83 to the high of $89. Thirteen heifers consigned by Darcy Rath- well, Brucefield averaged 982 lbs. sold for $87.37 to the high of $88.35. Thirteen heifers consigned by Wayne King, Gorrie averaged 1068 lbs. sold for $86.62. Three heifers consigned by Henry Moritz, Grand Valley averaged 1162 lbs. sold for $87.70. One heifer consign­ ed by John Smuk, Wingham weigh­ ed 1100 lbs. sold for $87. There were 89 veal calves on offer selling from $88 to $113. One veal consigned by Bill Hiemstra, Atwood weighed 480 lbs. sold for $113. One veal consigned by Dale Bachert, Blyth weighed 520 lbs. sold for $98. Seven veal consigned by Peter Martin, Listowel averaged 580 lbs. BRUSSELS LIVESTOCK Division of Gamble & Rogers Ltd. —UPCOMING SALES— Tuesdays - 10 A.M.: Fat Cattle Veals & Cows Fridays - 1 P.M.: Pigs & Stockers starting Thursday April 25 at 11:00 A.M. and every Thursday thereafter selling veal, bob calves, sheep, lambs and goats BRUSSELS 887-6461 Program subject to change without notice PLUS Low Financing Rates & Cash Rebates OR Payment Waiver until July 1, 1991 & Cash Rebates o/o INTEREST K For 12 Months* 1 1 7.5% for 24 Mos. 8.5% for 36 Mos. 9.5% for 48 Mos. ‘Monthly Payments APR Certain terms and conditions apply There's never been a better time to take advantage of the biggest price incentives ever offered on new Vicon farm equipment. Performance you can afford to take home