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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007-10-11 Minutes I - 2 CLARINGTON AGRICULTURAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2007 MEMBERS PRESENT: Tom Barrie Ted Watson Mark Bragg Henk Mulders Gary Jeffery Orwin Bandstra Eric Bowman Mary Ann Found Councillor Gord Robinson STAFF: Faye Langmaid Susan Hajnik REGRETS: Brenda Metcalf Ross McMaster ABSENT: Donald Rickard Jennifer Knox Marlene Werry Chair called the meeting to order at 7:35 p.m. Adoption of Agenda 07-17 Moved by Gary Jeffery, seconded by Eric Bowman "That the Agenda for October 11, 2007 be adopted" CARRIED Approval of Minutes 07-18 Moved by Orwin Bandstra, seconded by Ted Watson "That the minutes of the August 29, 2007 be approved." CARRIED CORRESPONDENCE The Well Wise Centre is holding a half day workshop about water testing, well maintenance and groundwater source protection for members of the agricultural community. The workshop will work to ensure that members of Durham's agricultural community have access to accurate and consistent information about well management practices. The workshop will be held on November 12 from 9 am to 12 noon at the Well Wire Resource Centre in Orono. Space is limited so please register before November 1. The decommissioning of wells is an issue. The companies that do this work are currently very busy. Source Water Protection Committee The Clean Water Act requires that a Source Protection Committee be established for each Source Protection Region. Through source protection planning, committee will identify potential risks to local water quality and water supply, and will create a plan to reduce or eliminate these risks. Crowe Valley, Ganaraska, Kawartha, Lower Trent and Otonabee conservation areas will be under the umbrella of the Trent Conservation Coalition. The committee is to be composed of municipal representatives, stakeholders from the industrial/commercial sectors, and members of the community allocated to each of these sectors. Due to the way the areas have been sectioned there are three positions available for members of the agricultural community. For the Credit Valley, Toronto, CLOCA Source Water Protection Committee the allocation of seats is different and there is only one seat for Agriculture on that committee. There will be further information on this at the next meeting, when GRCA will be on hand to answer questions. In addition, by the next meeting the municipal representatives to both committees will have been appointed and Faye can provide an update at that time on who they are. Farmers Parade of Lights Council has approved the application from the Farmers Parade of Lights. Committee will again this year be sponsoring the parade. The parade will be December 5 this year. The route remains the same. 2007 Watershed Awards Mitch Morewetz has been nominated for a 2007 Watershed Award for his environmental farm plan for a solar watering system for sheep, fencing of the creek valley and crossing. Mitch prepared the environmental farm plan as part of one of his classed and used a CLOCA stewardship grant to assist in implementing the plan. AACC October 11, 2007 Other Committee Reports 407 Committee Meets next week to discuss how they fit priorities together and how they worked trade offs to come up with a route. DAAC This years farm tour was successful. Three buses carrying 112 people did the tour. Durham Federation of Agriculture Farm Connections is getting funding for their event. The Pork Producers are big on agricultural education. They are having their promotional materials and displays put at fairs and farm shoes across Ontario. DRFA has leased a trailer that will be used to transport agricultural displays to fairs throughout Durham. If possible, they would like to get their agri-educational shows in to urban areas. They will be approaching other commodities to inquire if they would like to have their displays included. The all-candidates meeting held in Port Perry had a poor turn out from the agricultural community. DRFA is preparing a submission for the Premier's Awards for Farm Connections. The Ag Committee will supply a letter of support for the nomination. OTHER BUSINESS Farmers Parade of Lights All permits are in place for this event to be held Wednesday, December 5, 2007. Future Agendas Mark Peacock and Pam Lancaster will be the guest at the November meeting. Next Meeting November 8, 2007 Moved to adjourn Eric Adjourned 9:20 AACC October 11, 2007