No subject
Fri Oct 12 15:41:10 EDT 2007
Ontario takes slice out of cow pie
Canadian Press
Wednesday, June 26 - Online Edition, Posted at 2:55 PM EST
Toronto - A bill nervously anticipated by Ontario's farmers became law =
Wednesday, paving the way for the province to set and enforce standards =
for the spreading and disposal of potentially lethal animal manure.
Spawned by the Walkerton E. coli tragedy two years ago in which cattle =
waste poisoned the town's water, the Nutrient Management Act aims to =
protect the province's waterways from farm-animal contamination.
"For the people who are abusing the system right now ... they're going =
to have some profound change," Agriculture Minister Helen Johns said. =
"They may not be farming."
The law sets up fines of $10,000 a day for violations. Regulations to be =
set later by the government will determine various standards.
Six committees are poised to devise the regulations, which will likely =
be put in place some time in the fall, Ms. Johns said.
The regulations will, for example, establish minimum distances to =
watersheds and the maximum amount of manure that can be spread on any =
piece of land.
Rules will initially apply to large industrial farms but will eventually =
affect every farm.
Critics argue that the law does not go far enough to protect water =
sources, because it applies only to animal waste, not to pesticides or =
other farm threats to the environment.
In his report on the tainted-water disaster, Associate Chief Justice =
Dennis O'Connor noted the shortcoming and suggested that the legislation =
be broadened.
He also suggested that the Environment Ministry be the lead agency when =
it comes to water-source protection.
The government has refused.
"Obviously, Environment doesn't know what best practices should be, =
because they don't deal with agriculture on a day-to-day basis," Ms. =
Johns said.
Both opposition parties voted against the law.
"We're being asked to support a bill without knowing what is going to be =
in the regulations," Liberal Steve Peters said.
Jack Wilkinson of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture said farmers =
realize a law is needed to avoid a situation such as that in the =
Netherlands, where there are too many animals and vast quantities of =
excess manure.=20
"There's a lot of farmers out there who are very nervous," Mr. Wilkinson =
said. "If this is done wrong, it could very critically hurt their =
competitiveness."
The province will have to come up with money to help farmers meet the =
regulations because it's all but impossible to pass the costs onto =
consumers, given the global nature of many commodities, Mr. Wilkinson =
said.
The province is setting aside $500-million over the next two years to =
help municipalities upgrade drinking-water systems, and that kind of =
program needs to be in place for farmers, he said.
"As a farm community we'd like the same respect."
Ms. Peters said the government has ignored Judge O'Connor's =
recommendation to include financial incentives for farmers to help them =
comply with the law.
Progressive Conservative Bill Murdoch, a cattle farmer, agreed that the =
cost of meeting the regulations will be crucial.
"This could be the same sort of a boondoggle," he said in reference to =
the tough rules surrounding drinking water that have left many smaller =
municipalities struggling.
=20
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><STRONG><EM>From the Globe and Mail=20
...<BR></EM></STRONG><BR><FONT size=3D5><STRONG>Ontario takes slice out =
of cow=20
pie</STRONG></FONT><BR><BR>Canadian Press<BR>Wednesday, June 26 =96 =
Online=20
Edition, Posted at 2:55 PM EST<BR><BR>Toronto =97 A bill nervously =
anticipated by=20
Ontario's farmers became law Wednesday, paving the way for the province =
to set=20
and enforce standards for the spreading and disposal of potentially =
lethal=20
animal manure.</FONT></DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>
<DIV><BR>Spawned by the Walkerton E. coli tragedy two years ago in which =
cattle=20
waste poisoned the town's water, the Nutrient Management Act aims to =
protect the=20
province's waterways from farm-animal contamination.</DIV>
<DIV><BR>"For the people who are abusing the system right now ... =
they're going=20
to have some profound change," Agriculture Minister Helen Johns said. =
"They may=20
not be farming."<BR>The law sets up fines of $10,000 a day for =
violations.=20
Regulations to be set later by the government will determine various=20
standards.</DIV>
<DIV><BR>Six committees are poised to devise the regulations, which will =
likely=20
be put in place some time in the fall, Ms. Johns said.</DIV>
<DIV><BR>The regulations will, for example, establish minimum distances =
to=20
watersheds and the maximum amount of manure that can be spread on any =
piece of=20
land.<BR>Rules will initially apply to large industrial farms but will=20
eventually affect every farm.</DIV>
<DIV><BR>Critics argue that the law does not go far enough to protect =
water=20
sources, because it applies only to animal waste, not to pesticides or =
other=20
farm threats to the environment.</DIV>
<DIV><BR>In his report on the tainted-water disaster, Associate Chief =
Justice=20
Dennis O'Connor noted the shortcoming and suggested that the legislation =
be=20
broadened.</DIV>
<DIV><BR>He also suggested that the Environment Ministry be the lead =
agency when=20
it comes to water-source protection.</DIV>
<DIV><BR>The government has refused.</DIV>
<DIV><BR>"Obviously, Environment doesn't know what best practices should =
be,=20
because they don't deal with agriculture on a day-to-day basis," Ms. =
Johns=20
said.<BR>Both opposition parties voted against the law.</DIV>
<DIV><BR>"We're being asked to support a bill without knowing what is =
going to=20
be in the regulations," Liberal Steve Peters said.</DIV>
<DIV><BR>Jack Wilkinson of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture said =
farmers=20
realize a law is needed to avoid a situation such as that in the =
Netherlands,=20
where there are too many animals and vast quantities of excess manure. =
</DIV>
<DIV><BR>"There's a lot of farmers out there who are very nervous," Mr.=20
Wilkinson said. "If this is done wrong, it could very critically hurt =
their=20
competitiveness."</DIV>
<DIV><BR>The province will have to come up with money to help farmers =
meet the=20
regulations because it's all but impossible to pass the costs onto =
consumers,=20
given the global nature of many commodities, Mr. Wilkinson said.</DIV>
<DIV><BR>The province is setting aside $500-million over the next two =
years to=20
help municipalities upgrade drinking-water systems, and that kind of =
program=20
needs to be in place for farmers, he said.</DIV>
<DIV><BR>"As a farm community we'd like the same respect."</DIV>
<DIV><BR>Ms. Peters said the government has ignored Judge O'Connor's=20
recommendation to include financial incentives for farmers to help them =
comply=20
with the law.</DIV>
<DIV><BR>Progressive Conservative Bill Murdoch, a cattle farmer, agreed =
that the=20
cost of meeting the regulations will be crucial.</DIV>
<DIV><BR>"This could be the same sort of a boondoggle," he said in =
reference to=20
the tough rules surrounding drinking water that have left many smaller=20
municipalities struggling.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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