SEPTEMBER 15, 2000
ONTARIO LIVESTOCK STANDARDS MUST PROTECT WATER, SOIL, AND PEOPLE
GUELPH, Ont.--Yesterday in Guelph, on behalf of the NFU, Lawrence Andres made a presentation on Proposed Standards for Agricultural Operations in Ontario. The Proposed Standards would, among other things, govern large hog and cattle operations in an attempt to safeguard Ontario drinking water supplies.
"Our starting point is the NFU's belief that the quality of the soil, water, and air, and the health of animals and people must be the top priority in defining and enforcing standards and directing programs and resources in this area," said Andres.
Andres recognized growing concern about water pollution and the part farmers can play in the solution. He told the hearings that "municipal sewage bypasses, leaking septic tanks, and other non-agricultural sources are the major causes of water contamination. But as farmers, we need to do our part by working on the aspects of the problem in our control. Those farm-related aspects include the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, tillage and land-use practices, the use of sewage sludge as fertilizer, and, most directly related to the present consultations, the storage and application of livestock manure."
Andres related the NFU's recommendations to the hearings. He stated that standards, and their enforcement, should strongly discourage risk-prone manure management approaches such as liquid manure slurry systems; and strongly encourage solid manure systems such as covered systems, runoff collection, aeration, and composting.
The NFU also recommended that "the government should impose an immediate moratorium on new or expanded 'Category 3' [over 1800 adult feeder hogs or equivalent] intensive livestock operations until policy, research, and legislation have been adequately developed to deal with these industrial enterprises in a way that adequately addresses health, environmental, and social concerns."
The NFU also recommended that agricultural standards should be set and enforced at the provincial level. "It would be wrong-headed and dangerous to put the responsibility on the municipalities and allow a patchwork across the province where operators could pick and choose and to play one jurisdiction off against another," said Andres.
In the coming days, the NFU will present a comprehensive brief which expands on the points raised by Andres.
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For More Information:
Peter Dowling, NFU Ontario Coordinator: (613) 546-0869
Lawrence Andres, NFU member: (519) 368-5675
Helen Forsey, NFU Ontario staff-person: (613) 479-2453
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