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The Canadin Champon, Frday, DeeG br3,19 - VAgriculture means big business, jobs for-GT By IRENE GENTLE The Champion Agriculture is a $1 .3 billion dollar industry that employs 34,700 people in the Greater Toronto Aiea (GTA), a recent report has stated. And that could paye the way toward a new respect for the industry, said Halton Chair Joyce Savoline. "I'm thrilled," she said. "I think the agricultural community lias been the GTA's best kept secret." The GTA Agricultural Impact Study was released by the Federations of Agriculture in Halton, York, Peel and Durhiami. Mayor Gord Krantz also applauded the report, which announced that 4,621 GTA faims produced more than $585 mil- lion in faim receipts in 1996, while another $743 million was generated by the industry thiough indirect sales. "I wholeheartedly endorse what they are doing," saîd Mr. Krantz. Overaîl, the report found GTA faims to be more productive than those in other areas in Canada. -Wlien you compare us to the island of Prince Edward Island, we outyield them," said Peter Lambrick, piesident of the Halton Federation of Agriculture. "We outproduce them, and that's a province." Part of that is attributable to the lands themselves, which were identified as being aniong only 5 per cent in Canada considered to ha prime. But 150,000 acres of faim land have been wiped out betwecn 1976 and 1996, the report stated. New Zealand Dec. 14 Dc.1 U.S.A. e.1 e 4 Corne visit us at the Milton Mail 55 Ontario St. 878-2525 "'Urban growth wil balve tobappeusbt lt And more lias been tagged for urban use in dhe future. Not ail faim land can be.preserved, wamied Mi. Krantz. Building on lands that aren't prime is a way to support growth without posing too great a tiareait to agriculture, he said. "Urban growth wîll have to happen, but it doesn't havé to lisp- pen on oui best agricultural lands," hae said. "Does it all ,aeed to ha preserved? I don't know. I question that. But a good portion of it shotild.' But agricultural lands are a continuing source ot incomne for the region, argued Mr. Lambrick, and that may flot be the case once the land la developed. "Once you pave it over, some lutky fellow makes a killing," lie said. "'After that, it'a downhill." He hoped the report will make planning departments reexamine their policies. Good planning strives to strike a balance between growth and the preservation of farm lands, said Ms Savoline. "What bas to be recognîzed is that growth can't be stopped," she said. "You could not lie defensible legally if you tried to stop growth dead in its tracks." .And Halton is on the right track, said Mr. Lanibrick. "0f the officiai plans across (lie GTA) I think it's one of the strongest," he said. 'There is some sense of responsibility within our official plan." Tacking growth onto the fringe of existing urban areas instead of delving ad hioc into agricultural lands is one way to promote manageable, defensible growth, said Ms Savoline. And Milton seems to bave chosen the same route, said Mr. Lambrick. "We've seen the plan for Milton," lie said. 'They're working from the centre out." That is unlikely to change, assured Mr. Krantz. At Achle Mada ite not wha yo e 1I Oi' what e. ontpa The 2000 Mazda 83000 SX includes: *3.OL 6 Cylinder Engine *AM/FM Cassette Stereo *e ABS Brakes *Duai SRS Airbags 1 S " Euro Styled Wheels -Anti-Theft Engine lmmobilizer *Mazda's 3 YR.180 KM Powertrain Warranty &M. -36 Month Roadside Assistance 00~ ~ ~ MadaB300. plus much moret! urhsFFnace Les usen Waxd $P 1XIcue:Mots 20 ad 2 XV nlds 4rneprc muin tSIS sandh ail O d o p incl tes. fregtaPOt Purchas Finafinsancaw ()daMP I X Les..es M o atsn 2000 Mtr a ya encen KM V chagec .0 nde rea Speia :Panerae waent r ca, n o wh ath r rs.<Arsnd. muc more!l Alt .. p l M ch ore!2t0 raes.f S~ t less. anceptiafi s. (B3000 Matit la. = $7,138.10 s:1. 626 F4LV70 "Our 13ea fership îs flot the biggest,. but ourqf941lis t; be the Bestil" imm