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"Scugog's Community Newspaper of Choice" PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, February 15, 2000 - 17 Councillors grapple with 'intensified farming' Province wants comments as report on the future of agriculture and impacts is prepared By John B. McClelland Port Perry Star Scugog council has been asked for input and com- ments on one of the potentially most explosive topics facing municipalities: Intensified farming and concerns for the environment, and the rights of non-farm residents in rural areas. Just how serious is this issue? When it came in front of township council last week, Mayor Doug Moffatt called it "a very dangerous topic -- one that must be handled right." Cauncillors eventually turned the matter over to Scugog CAO Earl Cuddie for a report. Regional Councillor Ken Gadsden said Mr. Cuddie has wide knowledge and insights about this topit that has not yet impacted directly on Scugog, but has exploded bitterly in other municipalities over the past few years. The province is now in the process of gathering infor- mation on the topic, and officials expect to have some kind of report ready in the next few weeks. The govern- ment's aim is to come up with legislation that balances the right of farmers to intensify their operations with the rights of non-farm rural residents and general concerns for the environment. Mayor Moffatt pointed out last week that Scugog already has a nutrient (manure) management bylaw in place. It requires any farm operation to show clearly how it will safely manage nutrients before the municipality will issue a building permit for new barns, or expansions to existing structures. Intensified farming usually refers to a large number of livestock or poultry raised quickly in a confined area, and usually by an agri-business or corporation rather than a family farmer. The large amounts of manure gen- erated sometimes can be a threat to the environment if it gets into streams or ground water, and odours can be more than just a temporary nuisance to non-farm resi- dents of rural areas. : Mayor Moffatt said the province, getting into the act now, "is 10 years too late with its study", as there are already intense hog operations in southern Ontario now. And he expressed fears that new legislation may take any powers out of the hands of municipalities complete- ly. Farming is the province's second largest industry, producing some $25 billion each year and employing 650,000 people. But a government discussion paper warms that to stay competitive in the national and inter- national markets, Ontario farming must evolve and adopt new and more efficient methods. At the heart of the issue are the key questions: Do farmers have the right to farm in any area of a munici- pality zoned agricultural, and should farm operations ranging from large hog barns to manure composting to mushroom growing be subject to any regulations or con- trols. If so, who draws up those controls, and who makes sure they are enforced? The provincial discussion paper presented recently Province streamlines farm tax registration process The process of regis- tering agricultural land for tomer service and less costly administration. It's to Scugog council suggests that large agri-farms owned by corporations are some- times perceived to be less concerned for the environ- ment or the rights of neigh- bours that the traditional "family farmer," which has led to serious disputes and bit- terness in some areas of Canada and the United States where the two have clashed head on. Some of the issues the Ontario government hopes to define in its report include a definition of intensified farm- ing; whether new regulations should apply to manure only; all nutrients, composts, plow down operations, bio- solids spread on fields and all rural businesses that use large amounts of fertilizers such as golf courses and even MOFFATT: Province '10 years late' residential estates. The government has sent Scugog a four-page ques- tionnaire. Ward | Councillor Keith Bacon wondered how any regulations would be enforced. He asked how officials will know if a liquid manure storage tank is of faulty con- struction or is being overused, or even if it leaking its contents into a nearby stream or ground water which supply residential wells. "How do we stop this or prevent this from happen- ing?" he asked. He went on to say that Scugog Township is fortunate that these problems have "not cropped up, yet." PORT PERRY STAR LJ y a "0 J 3 4 y / 3 Ne 4 & h 5 § \ & A : 3 ol Ld A x 4 k (R$ & 5 4 ¢ 63 F SRA § | <4 atiad & & 8 10 111 J12 Directory of Coming Events Blackstock Women's Institute Aerobics Gentle - Mondays - 1 p.m. - Blackstock United Church; Tuesdays - Low Impact - 7:30 p.m. - Blackstock United Church; Thursdays - Low Impact - 7:30 p.m. Nestleton Hall. Call 986-4280. Gentle Aerobics 'Gentle Aerobics for older adults, Mondays and/or Thursdays - 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Masonic Hall, Port Perry. New members welcome. Mary 655-5917. Weight Watchers Blackstock on Thursdays, 7:30 p.m. For more informa- tion call Janice at 986-5126. Tai-Bo Classes Tuesday & Thursday 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. and 8-9 p.m. - Durham Gymnastics Academy. Call Kim 986-0864. Every Thursday Heart to Heart - A spiritual & physical (Fae.Bo) workout for women - 10-11:15 a.m. Victory Christian Centre, 593 Alma St., Port Perry. 985- 1346 or 655-3407. Family Resource Centre Scugog Community Centre, 1655 Reach St., Port Perry - Mondays 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. & Wednesdays 10:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. Info. 985-3976. Every Second Wednesday Louise Patterson Craft Guild meets every second Wednesday at 10 a.m. in the Presbyterian Church base- ment. Bring your lunch. New members welcome. Ruth 985-3422. St. John Ambulance What Every Babysitter Should Know A safety program for kids 11-13. The 7 hour, one-day course is $30/child and is designed to teach children baisc first aid and safety awareness. Topics covered are breathing emergencies, artifical respiration, choking procedures, bleeding & ban- daging, and more. Course dates: Oshawa - March 10 or 15; Whitby - March 4 or 13; Ajax - March 14 or 25. : For further information contact (905) 434-7800. Wednesday, Feb. 16 Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) free information session - 7 p.m. - Uxbridge- Campus Durham College. To register call 852-7848. Friday, Feb. 18 Historian Paul Arculus coming to Prince Albert United Church for history of Prince Albert. Pot luck supper - 6:30 p.m. Bring casserole or dessert. Paul speaks at 8 p.m. Free will offering. Friday, Feb. 25 Rummage sale, Port Perry Nursing Home, 10 am. - 2 p.m. Need good donations. For more information call 985-3205. Saturday, Feb. 26 Pine Grove Cemetery annual meeting - Scugog Municipal Office, 1:30 p.m. 25 the Farmland Class Tax Rate has been stream- lined, saving farmers and the government time and money, Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Ernie Hardeman said last week. "For most farmers and other owners of farm land, 2000 could well be the last year that they have to submit an annual application form for the reduced property tax rate," said Mr. Hardeman. "For the government, it means more efficient cus- a win-win situation." This year, owners of farm land will receive a multi-year application to determine their eligibili- ty for the Farmland Class Tax Rate, which is 25 per cent of municipal resi- dential/farm taxes on property that qualifies under the program. Barring changes to ownership, status or cir- cumstances, owners of farm land will be auto- matically eligible for the Farmland Class Tax Rate in future years. Lam or ron = www Ew Ew ww Pe wim we www EE EE CE ew. a. ---- ew Conttng Events sponsored buy on a. ae we d_-" "1 ws we qn so my 1 FRTS------ | 1 RT PERRY A | A auto glass & trim wm, I | ISS 4 | | FREE MOBILE SERVICE | | FOR REPLACEMENT | | AUTOMOTIVE ! GLASS 985-8507 | I 1575 Hwy. 7A COMPLETE AUTO CLEAN-UP I ; Port Perry . WINDOW TINTING - L Serving Port Perry, Uxbridge and surrounding areas since 1981 tad al od ad 2d Sn ietdrdae LE rE IT TT Spi nent 10. Yemen capital 45. Absorption unit o4 57 62 (33 ~ ACROSS 47. A complex red organic 11. Coalitions pigment containing iron 12. 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