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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-06-12 MinutesCLARINGTON AGRICULTURAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING THURSDAY, JUNE 12, 2008 MEMBERS PRESENT : Tom Barrie Gary Jeffery Henk Mulders Eric Bowman Brenda Metcalf Mark Bragg Ted Watson STAFF : Faye Langmaid Susan Hajnik REGRETS: Jennifer Knox Mary Ann Found Donald Rickard Councillor Gord Robinson ABSENT: Ross McMaster Orwin Bandstra GUESTS: Dan O’Connor, Farm Tech Energy Corporation Chair called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. Adoption of Agenda 08-14 Moved by Eric Bowman, seconded by Brenda Metcalf ”That the Agenda for June 12, 2008 be adopted” Carried Approval of Minutes 08-15 Moved by Brenda Metcalf, seconded by Gary Jeffery “That the minutes of the May 8, 2008 meeting be approved.” Carried Guests: Dan O’Connor FarmTech Energy Corporation and FarmTech Growers Co-Op are farmer lead initiatives created to develop a 210 MMLY dry mill ethanol plant in Durham Region. The Ontario government has mandated that all gasoline currently sold in Ontario contain 5% ethanol, and 10% ethanol by 2010. This increased use of ethanol reduces green house gas emissions. Once this target is reached, it’s estimated that the emissions reduced would be the same as removing half a million vehicles from our roads each year. Ethanol is a clean burning fuel that can be blended with gasoline to improve vehicle performance and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30%. It is energy efficient and environmentally friendly. Most ethanol is made from corn and other crops including wheat, barley, and sugar cane. The leftover by-product is distillers grain, a highly sought after quality feed for the livestock industry. Ethanol plants are as clean and green as there is no waste. This plant will produce 210 million litres of ethanol a year and will meet the highest provincial and federal environmental standards. The proposed site of the plant is the Oshawa Harbour. This site is an ideal location. It’s close to major transportation routes including Highway 401, and the working port. The ability to ship corn and distiller grains by water is both efficient and environmentally friendly. Marine traffic through the Port of Oshawa keeps more than 12,000 trucks off our roads. There are over 1,700 corn growers in the area from Hwy 400 to Belleville; a significant amount of corn is grown locally. Since there is no processor of corn in central Ontario, this creates an abundance of local corn for the ethanol process. The plant, in turn, creates a local market for our area farmers, helping to improve and strengthen agriculture in the central Ontario region. Plant will produce 210,000,000 L of ethanol per year. It will utilize 500,000 tons of corn per year/ 20 million bushels. It will take about 145,000 acres of farmland to grow the required corn. The plant will utilize 1,400 tonnes of corn per day. We will have 2,000,0000 bushels of corn storage on site. Trucks will be able to unload at 15,000 bushel per hour. 595,000 litres of ethanol produced per day. Business Arising from Minutes The Clarington Farmers market now has a Terms of Reference and oversight committee. They have requested a representative from this Committee to sit on theirs. The first meeting will be on June 20 at 11 am. 08-16 Moved by Ted Watson, seconded by Eric Bowman That Henk Mulders be appointed as the Agricultural Advisory Committee of Clarington representative on the Clarington Farmers Market Board. Carried th Jennifer Knox requires to volunteers to work at “Cow Town” during the Bowmanville 150 Celebration. Please contact Jennifer if you are able to help out. John O’Toole has sent a reminder looking for input on the Grow the Greenbelt initiative. The AG Care (Agricultural Groups Concerned about Resources and the Environment Inc.) have forwarded their latest information resource to Committee. Copies will be sent out with the minutes. Durham Region Agricultural Education Committee as been awarded the Premiers Award for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence. Congratulations to the whole team! AACC June 12, 2008 Reports from Committees DAAC The DAAC Tour will be September 16 this year. The tour will start at Whitefeather Farms. Other Business Committee is invited to attend the Open House being hosted by the Municipality of Clarington to aid in the Official Plan Review process. Invitations were sent to all members. There are several meetings being held. There will be no meeting in July of this committee. st August meeting will be held on the 21. We will also use Meeting Room 1C. Please enter through the north doors. Orono Fair This years fair will be September 4, 5, 6 & 7. As in previous years AACC will have a booth in the ag building. Please be advised, that Faye will not be available this year to do the set up. We will have to arrange for another Committee member to take over this year. Future Agendas August Lisa Backus and/or Dean Jacobs – Official Plan Review October TSH/MTO regarding 407 November ½ Loads Motion to Adjourn, Eric Carried AACC June 12, 2008