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Wednesday, February 21, 2007 · Page 7 Providing APF II input by Debra Pretty-Straathof, Member OFA Executive Committee Farmers across Canada have the opportunity to help shape the next Agricultural Policy Framework, most commonly known as the APF, by providing input to the Agriculture and AgriFood Canada consultation rocess. The APF is a national, ulti-faceted approach to elivering farm policy. It ncludes innovation and esearch, business risk mangement, food safety, envionment, market developent and trade, and skills evelopment ­ also known s renewal. It was first introduced in 2003 as a five-year program which expires in 2008. It will then be replaced by the new APF, that will last until 2013. The advice we provide now will be critical in correcting the deficiencies which remain in the original policy. The Ontario Federation of Agriculture has identified a number of areas which require improvement and the key area is Business Risk Management, specifically as it relates to the Canadian Agriculture Income Stabilization, or CAIS program. Risk Management for Ontario farmers means the APF must be flexible to address different provincial and commodity needs, must be predictable and bankable, must address harm inflicted by international subsidies and must help manage risk. We need a new strategic vision to improve farm incomes. The last three years of Canadian farm income have been the lowest in recorded history. This cannot continue or we will have no farmers left producing a Canadian supply of food for our nation. Over-regulation is chok- ing our industry. We need the public to help pay for services that are identified as a public good such as the extraordinary food safety and environmental standards we operate under as compared to our competitors, and compared to the imports that our consumers buy . We need improved investment in research, better connections with our consumers, empowerment in the marketplace, investment in biofuels, strong trade strategies and competitive policies to help us inno- vate...all this will lead to a comprehensive strategy under the new APF to improve farm incomes. This will in turn encourage our young farmers to enter or stay in the industry, providing the Canadian consumer with top quality, safe, environmentally sustainable food production. It is critically important that farmers participate in these consultations which will help form the basis of the next national farm program, and are being held across Ontario and Canada now. Round One, which was by invitation only, has been completed. Round Two is happening now and Round Three will analyze and consolidate the input to form the basis of the next APF. Farmers have until March 5 to contribute. The last Ontario public session will be held February 26, in Toronto. All the information can be accessed through OFA's website, which also has our key messages at www.ofa.on.ca and a link to the AAFC website. You can also provide input by calling 1-800-662-6232. Free poster encourages `Protect your moving parts!' The average farm is full of machinery and devices that can grab, cut, smash, and entangle fingers, hands, toes and feet, causing injury to the extremities and even death. The sad truth is that most of these injuries can be avoided. "Protect your moving parts!" is the theme of this year's Canadian Agricultural Safety campaign with a focus on pinch points, crushes, entanglements, and the importance of guarding. In support of the year-long campaign, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) and Pioneer Hi-Bred Limited have partnered with the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) and Agriculture and AgriFood Canada to produce a farm safety poster. The poster explains and illustrates more than a dozen industry standard operational and functional symbols used on farm machinery, as well as some important safety tips to remember when working around the farm. Producers are encouraged to hang the poster in their machine sheds where it will serve as a training tool for new workers or as a daily reminder to more seasoned producers. To get your free copy of the "Protect your moving parts!" poster, email farmsafety@cfafca.ca or call (613) 731-7321. For more information or a downloadable version of the poster, please visit the CFA web site at www.cfa-fca.ca . "By increasing an operator's recognition and understanding of the functions and actions of machinery, we believe it will help to achieve safer operation of machinery and thereby reduce the risk of injury or death," said Bob Friesen, CFA president. "It's important that everyone gets the same message from the same symbol." When it comes to farm safety, entanglements and being pinned or struck by machinery are the third most frequent cause of death on Canadian farms and ranches accounting for 14 per cent of all agricultural fatalities. This type of injury also accounts for more than a quarter (28 per cent) of farm-related hospitalizations, often resulting in severe injury and amputation. "As the hectic planting SANITATION SEPTIC, HOLDING TANK PUMPING & EEL SERVICE "A PLEDGE OF SERVICE" kend Wee vice Ser able Avail (519) 738-3309 (519) 791-7964 CELL Uncle Earl Jack Morris Saturday, March 3, at 10:30 a.m. For Rudy Driedger Farms Inc., Leamington. Sale will be held at Mr. Driedger's farm located at 1210 Conc. 6, Leamington. From Hwy. 77 take Conc. 6 east to farm. From Hwy. 401 take exit #48 south on Hwy. 77 towards Leamington and take Conc. 6 east to farm. Watch for auction signs. Tractors: Case IH 7110 Magnum dsl tractor, 3509 hrs., has front wheel assist, 18.4Rx42 rear tires, 14.9Rx28 tires on front; IH 3288 dsl tractor w/cab, 16.9x38 tires, 9686 hrs., has good TA & clutch; Farmall 806 dsl tractor with good TA, open station, 18.4x38 tires; IH Hydro 70 Farmall dsl tractor, 6800 hrs., open station, 15.5x38 tires; Note: all 4 of these tractors have been repainted over the years and look exceptionally sharp and clean; IH 414 gas tractor needs some repair. Duals: 18.4x38 snap on T-rail duals. Implements: 20' Salford model 500 pull type cultivator w/heavy duty harrows, both centre and wings have dual tires and flotation axle; Case IH 11 tooth Conser-Till model 650 pull type cultivator w/rear spike harrows; IH wheel disc 18' cut, good blades and hydr. fold wings; 10' and three 5' crowfoot packers; 3 ph Vditcher; Bush Hog squealer 6' - 3 ph chopper. Wagons & Trailer: 4 Kilbros 350 gravity wagons, one J&M model 350 gravity all on good chassis; 16'x8' dual axle steel bed trailer w/lights. Sprayers & Water Wagon: 500 gal. dual axle sprayer and monitor w/50' hydr. fold boom w/good pump; 3 ph Calsa approx. 150 gal. sprayer w/pump and valves; two 1200 gal. water tanks w/transfer pumps selling w/good dual axle wagon. Other Items: small 3 ph scraper blade; Charlene hydraulic pump; 3 ph boom; 12' fert. auger; 3 ph grass/fert. spreader; diesel fuel tanks; 2 wheel trailer; metal band saw - will cut vertical or horizontal; IH tractor weights; Rigid pipe vice, pipe cutters and 1"-2" pipe threader; plus other misc. items. Sale Order: starting with small items and machinery. At 12:00 noon selling tractors followed by any item not previously sold. No Reserve. Terms: Cash or personalized cheque day of sale. Owner or auctioneer not responsible for accidents day of sale. Lunch available. Proprietor: Rudy Driedger, 519-326-2173 or cell # 519-322-8918 Auctioner: Jack Morris, 519-687-2530 or 1-800-462-3561 Photos at www.jackmorrisauctions.com Farm Machinery Auction Sale Auctions Inc. season approaches, this is a good time to remind farmers and ranchers across Canada to check their machinery and make sure all the guards and shields are firmly in place," said Art Stirling, Government and Industry Affairs Manager for Pioneer HiBred, a national developer and distributor of seed products. "It only takes a few minutes to put a guard back on and doing so could prevent a lifetime of pain and regret." On average, 115 people are killed and another 1,500 are seriously injured by farm-related incidents in Canada each year - and many more minor injuries are never reported. The sad fact remains that farming is one of the most dangerous occupations in the world.