The Citizen, 2003-05-28, Page 1Volume 19 No. 21 Wednesday, May 28, 2003 75 Cents (70c + 5c gst)
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Inside this week
Pg. 6
Pg-17
Pg-23
Pg-25
Pg-28
Rebekahs mark
70th anniversary
Gerth promises no
closures for 2004
Couple marks 65
years of marriage
Blyth pair wedded
60 years
HE gets info on
policing contract
Car show
in town
A new and exciting feature is
being added to the annual village
wide yard sales in Brussels.
Owners of custom cars have been
invited to gather at the ball park for
a show and contest.
With possibly 25 cars expected
from the Kitchener-Waterloo club
and many more individuals calling
to attend. Brussels Optimist George
Langlois said is should be a great
show.
“It- is people’s choice,” said
Langlois, with visitors voting on
their favourites. Prizes donated by
Radar Auto Parts and the Optimists
will be handed out at the end of the
event, which is expected to run from
9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“These guys like to parade their
cars, too,” said Langlois, so there
could be a procession through the
village in the mid-afternoon.
Some car owners are also bringing
goods to sell so there will be a small
swap meet at the park.
A DJ will also be on hand to liven
up the event with some great tunes.
As well as viewing some
wonderful vehicles, visitors to
Brussels can shop for bargains as
the village-wide yard sale offers
something for everyone as dozens of
homeowners, children and
craftspeople display their goods.
Maps of the numerous yard sale
locations are available al Brussels
Variety and George of Brussels.
('rows only, reminds health unit
With the West Nile Virus (WNV)
awareness campaign in full swing,
the Huron County Health Unit is
reminding residents to contact them
about dead crows only.
Though numerous calls have been
received already this season, Pamela
Scharfe, public health manager with
the health unit, says only three were
actually about crows and none were
in good enough condition to test.
Crows, which have a wing-span of
39 inches, are the size of a man’s
size 10 shoe and have black feathers,
beak and feet, are the most
susceptible bird to WNV and die
Concentrated leap
With moderate temperatures under cloudy skies, Blyth Public School students took to the
outdoors last Thursday, competing in numerous track and field events. Kenny Plunkett does
his best as he leaps for distance in long jump with hopes of making it to the regional
competition which runs Thursday at the former Seaforth District High School building.
Students from Grade 4 and up who earned a first or second place finish (in most events) will
be participating. (Janice Becker photo)
within days of contact.
Residents are asked to call the
health unit with their name, address
and location of the bird. This will
help track any presence in the
county.
Mosquito trapping will begin on
June 3 in five locations including
Goderich, Seaforth, Clinton and Hay
Ward, near the sites of where
infected crows were.found in 2002
Because 18 crows were tested last
year and five found to be positive,
the health unit is taking a proactive
approach this year with the
formation of the Huron County West
Nile Virus Advisory Committee.
The committee, with
representation from the the county,
the nine municipalities, conservation
authorities, Avon Maitland and
Huron Perth Catholic District
School Boards, business and
industry, will provide guidance,
advice and direction on the
development of a contingency plan
if the health unit’s surveillance
system detects the WNV in Huron
this season.
Representatives from the
Ministries of Agriculture and Food,
Natural Resource and Environment
will also lend expertise when
needed.
Though the provincial
government announced financial
support for larvicide programs, the
implications of such action must be
evaluated locally, said Dr. Beth
Henning, the medical officer of
health. This is one issue the WNV
advisory committee discussed at
their first meeting Monday.
The decision to use larvicide in
some municipalities was based on a
specific risk, said Henning. Huron
county was rated at a level two risk
Continued on page 6
BSE
impacts
local
producers
By Janice Becker
Citizen staff
Since the news first broke last
Tuesday, May 20, farmers, livestock
shippers and sellers, consumers and
anyone associated with the beef
industry have eagerly awaited some
good news.
That came in a measured dose
when the Canadian Food Inspection
Agency (CFIA) announced that the
case of BSE or “mad cow” disease
found in an Alberta cow was, so far,
a lone case.
Locally, the impact of Tuesday’s
BSE announcement was felt almost
immediately, said Paul Coultes,
president of the Huron County Beef
Producers.
In week-over-week pricing, the
price for fed cattle dropped 25 per
cent and cows were down 41 per
cent, he said. Trading volumes also
dropped significantly with fed steers
off 55 per cent and cows down 66
per cent. “A lot of sales were shut
down last week.”
The biggest concerns for
producers currently, said Coultes,
are cash-flow problems and the
inability to move finished cattle.
“They can manage at this point,
but there could be.problems after a
couple of weeks,” he said.
Provincial Agriculture Minister
and Huron-Bruce MPP Helen Johns,
who has been trying to get word
from the federal government, which
is in negotiations with the United
States regarding the lifting of the
ban, sees a ban of five to seven
weeks as “impossible” for the
Canadian industry.
“Cattlemen can hold on for two to
four weeks,” she said, and the costs
will be lessened if the ban is lifted
quickly.”
Both levels of government are
currently looking at disaster relief
with Federal Agriculture Minister
Lyle Van Clief assuring the industry
the relief plan will be enough. Johns
said the province is also looking at
the issue.
It is not just the producers who are
impacted, but also processors who
have laid-olf several employees.
Johns expects that to jump to half
the workforce this week,
particularly at large plants such as
Better Beef and Bruce Packers.
The Ontario Cattlemen’s
Association (OCA) has been in talks
with Johns regarding the impact on
the industry.
Because much of the crisis is out
of the Ontario government’s hands.
Johns said in her meetings with the
cattlemen’s association, they have
asked her to continue to work with
the federal government and the
Canadian Cattlemen's Association
(CCA), maintaining a cohesive front
across the country.
Continued on page 18