Original Published on Aug 26, 2022 at 07:25

By Pauline Kerr, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

BROCKTON – As stated in the motion brought before Brockton council by Mayor Chris Peabody at the Aug. 23 meeting, cash crops are an extremely important part of the agricultural industry in Bruce County.

Food security is more than just a local issue of importance – it’s a key issue here, throughout the province, across Canada, and around the world.

The motion brought forward by Peabody noted Bruce County people have farmed sustainably for generations utilizing “best practices” to protect their own land and the environment, follow environmental farm plans and do their utmost to minimize crop production costs.

The motion calls for the federal government to “pause” its target of a 30 per cent reduction in emissions caused by fertilizer use, and instead, “encourage the agri-food industry to work together with farmers to find emission reduction solutions through research and innovation, and the adoption of best practices.”

The motion originally was to be circulated to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Premier Doug Ford, MPP Lisa Thompson and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario. At the suggestion of Bruce County, it will also be circulated to the federal minister of agriculture, Marie-Claude Bibeau.

Two additional items of business arising from the minutes were on the Aug. 23 agenda: one from the Ontario Sheep Farmers on livestock guardian dog use in Ontario, and a Town of South Bruce Peninsula resolution on physician shortages in Ontario.

The first dealt with the increasing cost of problem predators for Ontario livestock farmers, and how municipal bylaws can hinder the efficient use of livestock guardian dogs (LGD).

The resolution on physician shortages referred to the “alarming” situation of fewer physicians, meaning many people do not have a physician and are without access to a primary medical care giver. The physician shortage is forcing many hospital emergency rooms in rural communities to close periodically. The problem is being made worse by the limited spaces available in Canadian medical schools and residency programs, and the “onerous process for foreign and international physicians to become accredited to practice in Ontario.

This item reprinted with permission from The Herald Times, Walkerton, Ontario