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i ai t economist sunrrribimdstouffvillesim 2002 the year ahead wednesday dea 262001 b3 earea byjoanhansbekry staff writer- finding a brand spanking new weather vane underneath the family christmas tree would suit dairy farmer paul hulshof just fine since weather has the power to make and at times the tenac- ity to break a farmer accuracy in weather forecasting is crirical topping hulshofs new years wish list is weather fit for a farmer since there are 108 days left until planting season begins the importance of- weather increases with the passing time rain hammered southern ontario in record amounts in 2000 crops either rotted or drowned in the fields this past summer the weath- er gods did an about face hitting ontario with one of the worst droughts in decades crops liter ally burned in the fields hulshof wondered if hed be forced to buy feed for the 40 milkers at his whitchurchstouffville opera tion hulshof was born on a dairy farm he knows no other life and he doesnt want to a recent study shows the greater toronto area dairy farms including york regions are models of efficiency and technological innovation they produce more than 100 million litres of milk worth more than 65 million that accounts for 18 per cent of total gross farm receipts in ontario in a year hulshof pointed out that pro duction rates are on the climb due to efficiency in- farming methods r j many farmersare facing grave problems depressed pric ing has knocked the wind put of a large sector of the industry to add insult to iiyuiythe federal v government pretty much turned a turned a deaf ear on com grain and oil seed producers while us and european farm- ers were granted subsidies from their governments canadians wererftgjventhesameconsider- ation john doners new years wish is not something he wants rather its what he doesnt want the richmond hill farmer does nt want to abandon his farm and join a convoy of tractors combines and trucks as a last ditch attempt to catch the feder- al governments attention why do it again he said we did it where the bam stood there is now a huge pile oftopsoi i get a sad feeling every time i drive by another thing on doners need list is a sound national farm business plan the agri cultural industry has an 95-bil- lion impact on canada and its been done without a business plan canada is the only g7 -i- 4 i- ici country without such a plarvlt makes no sense overall at the federal level in 2002 we need- foodsovereigntyfcodsafetyand sustainablityt v juj rtketpreservatioii of prime agricultural land is an issue province- wide particularly iri york region stressed jack wilkinson president of the ontario federation of agriculture vtv while much attention has been given to the oak ridges moraine there remains a need to protect the productive farm land around the moraine said wilkinson theres a them urban against us rural issue brewing in york region and it needs attention when region of york federation of agriculture president brian reynolds looks to the future hisconcemsare also linked to the preservation of prime farm land living inmarkham i see the change in the municipality as i witness the removal of top- soil from what were excellent producing farms said reynolds i lived on a farm between the 16th avenue and major mackenzie drive for almost 10 years where the barn stood there is now a huge pile of topsoil i get a sad feeling every time i drive by development of prime agri culture land in the greater toronto area is happening at an alarming rate he noted according to a recent study 1 sr i f paul hulshof in the stables of his farm at kennedy and bloomington roads in whitchurch- stouffville like many area farmers hulshof would like good farming weather for the new year staff photosjoerdw1tteveen more than five per cent of canadas land mass is classified as prime agricultural land most of the land in the gta is in this five percent said reynolds to emphasize the loss of farm land in the area reynolds noted between 1976 and 1996 the number of farms in york region dropped by 36 per cent this accounts for a loss of 150000 acres there is a great need to pre serve this excellent land the importance goes far beyond the production of fresh safe good quality food said reynolds agriculture supports 34700 jobs in the gta farming in york region is indeed serious business taking in dairy beef horse pork sheep poultry grain fruit and vegeta bles and mixed out- yorkregion is home to abdufcej 1225 farms totaling about 1320000 acres j also affecting an already serious problem is age farm- s ers average age is 56 and 73 7 per cent of 85 million acres of usable farm land in ontario is owned by people older than 60 think about that said john doner just think about it plus use your sears card and people breaking m pattern of poverty tm moagi broucm 10 yoo as 1 coflvnoory new c ttmokkisuseltylttxxtt team double sears club points on all vacuums sewing machines and major appliances now prices shown include the 15 discount for sale items discount is taken from sale price i m pit stan card and earp doable stars cles poiott 00 all naui sewfa aacaines aad najor appliances 0a approved credit oiler doet not apply la taitt deferral lees maintenance atreeaeal delivery or installation chatjes catalon aad website orders qoote boats offer aaabef 94 16 2234s bcledes rteas ia oar liqaidatimobtlet slorts offer tads monday otctaber 31 2001 ask for details0tto sewiai aad floor care stop eicledes mldry vacaeas 1w125o40i c v 0mmjutm0 copyrigm 2001 sears canada ft k l 4j j t j i t m m v