MAY 6, 2020
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VIEWPOINT - CONTINUED from PAGE 6 haps more. Emergency funding is required for farmers to offset losses. And farmers need help to protect their workforce and adapt to COVID-19 measures. That should include extra housing and appropriate transportation. Agriculture is the foundation of Canada’s entire economy. Unfortunately, that fact has largely been forgotten during this crisis. The federal government has looked at most issues through a public health lens since this crisis began and that has been important. For example, last week as many prov-
inces desperately looked for ways to get young Canadians out in the field to help farmers, Ottawa provided funding to students so they can stay home and do nothing. That only made farm worker recruitment more difficult. Physical distancing is something farmers have done for centuries, so the risks of students contracting COVID-19 while working on a farm are extremely low. This is a missed opportunity. If the federal government continues on its current path, economic recovery will be very challenging, especially in agriculture. Let’s hope real help for our farmers comes soon.
Road Closures in the County of Minburn
Last week there were 12 sections of roads that were closed in the County of Minburn. This closure is at RR 134 and TWP 512 (Michelle Pinon/Photo)
Michelle Pinon News Advertiser Road closures are a sure sign of Spring. As of May 1, there were 12 sections of roads throughout the County of Minburn due to flooding or poor conditions because of high levels of saturation. Brent Williams, Chief Administrative Officer for the County of Minburn said the number of road closures is higher than normal, but not by much. “In recent years the County of Minburn has experienced flooding and road issues in Spring due to the increased moisture during summer and fall, high snowfall accumulation, and rapid Spring melting.” He went on to say, “In terms of repair, some of these closures are a result of old culverts failing, so our crews will add new culverts, or fix damaged ones, and the road should be able to withstand similar water volumes in future years. However, some roads are annual closures due to sections being at low elevations or having a base that is unsuitable for high amounts of moisture. “For example, many older roads are made with black dirt bases, which become soft and unstable when wet. So in this latter circumstance, it’s a matter of waiting for water to recede, adding more gravel to holes and soft spots, and grading the road.”
Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is senior director of the agri-food analytics lab and a professor in food distribution and policy at Dalhousie University.
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