the
Serving the Mapleton Community
Community News Volume 44 Issue 32
Drayton, Ontario
1 Year GIC - 2.05% 3 Year GIC - 2.80% 5 Year GIC - 3.05% Daily Interest 1.75%
Friday, August 12, 2011
Mapleton business gets grant to promote local food, community by David Meyer PARKER PerthWellington MPP John Wilkinson finally gave the lie to the often-used expression “If you build it, they will come.” Wilkinson added an important corollary to that expression of hope: “But, they need to know about it.” He was speaking at The Harvest Table in Parker, where he was announcing a grand of $59,562 to help that business sell its products, help local farmers and take a multi-media approach to letting people know about the benefits of local food. Wilkinson made the announcement on behalf of Minister of Agriculture Carol Mitchell. “When we buy Ontario, everyone wins. It’s good for farmers and processors, good for families, good for the environment and good for our rural communities,” he said. Wilkinson explained that when he was first elected eight years ago, he asked Premier Dalton McGuinty to hold a meeting every year with people from every facet of the food industry. With its $33-billion a year in economic impact in Ontario, it is of major importance and the second largest industry in the province. Wilkinson said the government learned out of those meetings that people want to eat local food, and partnerships were needed to help promote that. Among the initiatives was bringing back the Foodland
Ontario label, advertising campaigns promoting local foods and benefits to the environment through such things as promoting the 100 Mile Diet, where food does not have to travel more than that distance to reach a consumer’s plate, “and not come from farms half way around the world.” The Harvest Table’s line of ready-to-eat local food products will be expanded and market tested with the help of the 100 Mile Market, a local food sourcing and distribution company. Wilkinson said most of the produce available in Canada comes from within a 70-mile radius of Parker. But, he added, the problem is farmers and food suppliers are often so busy they are unable to properly market their goods and services. So, the province came up with the Ontario Marketing Investment Fund. It had $9-million to help that group inform people of its wares. Wilkinson called it “the piece that was missing” from the farm food chain. The Harvest Table is owned and operated by John Slot and his daughter, Cori Claus. Slot was involved in the chicken industry for nearly 30 years, and held positions on provincial and federal boards. He admits he has “a passion for food.” He said the food industry can currently “glue meat together” to make it look like steak, and it offers all kinds of fillers and other tricks to lower costs and increase sales. The
Harvest Table will have none of that, although he added it does have to try to be competitive. The company does such things as using the ends of bacon to create real bacon bits. It uses its own brine recipe for its hams and then has them custom smoked to its specifications, and there is no water inflating its chicken pieces. He is currently working to develop meals with local ingredients, and is working with The Fountainhead in Fergus to supply that area’s need for people with restricted diets. The company can deliver meals to seniors that are healthy, gluten free and with no monosodium glutamate (MSG). The meals are contained in special plastic that allows them to be placed in an oven. He said The Harvest Table can do custom meals for seniors, and deliver seven or eight of them at a time to clients. He promised, “No chemicals and fresh ingredients.” The government grant will allow The Harvest Table to expand its food network. Slot is hoping that it will help him promote not only food and farming, but the entire community. He is working on plans for farm tours where people from the city can visit actual farms and have hands-on experiences with beef, pork, chicken and dairy operations. “We want urban people to see real farming,” he said. “Wellington-Perth is the most Continued on page 3
Wilkinson to wind turbine foes: protest or participate in process
STRATFORD - Minister of Environment and PerthWellington MPP John Wilkinson is urging opponents of wind turbines to become involved in the process instead of protesting. “Some people have already made up their minds to oppose wind turbine projects. That is their right,” he said in a statement issued on Tuesday. “Fortunately, the majority of people are very interested in seeing greener forms of energy in Ontario so we can finally break our addiction to dirty coal.” Wilkinson added there are health benefits. “The medical community has always been very clear on this issue. Dirty coal and the resulting air pollution leads to unnecessary illness and premature death. Green energy leads to cleaner air and prevents
needless suffering and health care costs.” He also defended the process by which wind turbines are approved, and said the rules are stringent. “Under the Green Energy Act, wind turbine projects cannot be built without an approval from the Ministry of the Environment. The approval cannot be issued unless the project is protective of human health and the natural environment, and meets all of the strict standards set out in the law concerning minimum setbacks (550 metres) and maximum allowable noise (40 decibels). “Proponents must show extensive consultation with both the municipality and the public prior to even applying for an approval from the MOE.” Wilkinson added the process has been approved by the
Main St. W. Palmerston
Captain America: The First Avenger
Saturday August 20th, 8pm showing: The Palmerston Ag Society is sponsoring a half price movie night.
SHOWTIMES: Friday & Saturday 8pm and Sunday 7pm
For more info call 519-343-3640 or visit www.norgantheatre.com
courts. “Of note, the law and the approval process have recently been upheld by both the Ontario Superior Court and the Environmental Review Tribunal,” he said. Wilkinson said that makes it clear for people, and opponents should be taking part in the process. “What does this mean? It means people and municipalities now have a clear choice. They can choose to protest and boycott meetings or they can choose to participate in the process and raise their concerns directly with the proponent. “If a project ends up being considered by the MOE, again people can protest or participate. Protest or participate. The choice is yours.” For more information, people can visit www.Ontario.ca/ RenewableEnergy.
Winner - Drayton’s Ruthie and Isobel Kamm and family dog Betsy were proud to take first place in the cutest pet category at the pet show during last weekend’s Drayton Fair. More Drayton Fair photos on page 8.
photo by Chris Daponte
If approved, NextEra Energy hopes to have wind farm operational by April by Chris Daponte FERGUS - While everyone awaits the Ministry of the Environment’s decision on the Conestogo Wind Energy Centre, officials with NextEra Energy Canada want to reaffirm their commitment to keeping the public informed. Company spokesperson Josie Hernandez said anyone wanting more information about NextEra Energy, and specifically the 10-turbine wind farm proposed southwest of Arthur in Mapleton Township, can find it at canadianwindproposals.com. Information about its parent company is available at nexteraenergyresources.com. NextEra project director Nicole Geneau also wants to clarify several pieces of misinformation circulating about the company. Contrary to speculation included in a recent letter to the editor in the Wellington Advertiser, she said NextEra Energy has not hired the law firm Cassels, Brock and Blackwell to lobby the provincial government. “We’ve never done any business with that firm,”
Weekly Wag
t do at you canno Do not let wh o. at you can d h w h it w re e interf en - John Wood
Geneau said. She explained the company does have registered lobbyists, but those were hired mainly to help “reach out” to stakeholder groups such as the Ontario Federation of Agriculture. She added anyone can easily look up any of the company’s lobbyists. Geneau also said any reports or rumours about the company having a poor environmental record - implied in another letter in the Advertiser - are “very inaccurate.” Most of the correct information is available online, Hernandez noted, and in order to help keep Mapleton residents better informed, NextEra will also be regularly distributing newsletters, including one this week. Right now, Geneau explained, the company is waiting to hear if its application will be approved by the Ministry of the Environment. “In the interim we continue to work through project details,” she said, mentioning a detailed site plan, road user agreement and various municipal requirements. Geneau said Mapleton
BILL’S
Township did forward a copy of its EBR comments directly to the company, but other than that, the company has heard very little feedback from locals over the last few months. The public commenting period on the EBR registry ended a month ago and Geneau hopes to have a decision by the end of August. However, she expects the ministry will have some items about which it requires more information. Provided there is no appeal - anyone can appeal the decision within 15 days after it is posted - the company will proceed with work on obtaining building permits from the township, Geneau said. The goal, she added, is to start construction in December and have the project operational by the end of March. If and when construction begins, the company will open a small office close to the construction site, Geneau said. However, she stressed there is still a lot of uncertainty surrounding the schedule and NextEra will provide more concrete information once the MOE releases its decision.
PAINT and COLLISION Specializing in... Collision and Complete Re-Finishing, One Mile East of Moorefield.
519 638-2048